Wednesday, September 09, 2009

Beach Visit

I'm guessing all of the visitors are heading to the beach this morning. Finally, the sun is peeking out and the rainstorms are over. My brother and his girlfriend are on their way to the island. He just bought a new pickup truck (on which he's installed new wheels and dual exhausts -- "What is this," I asked him, "the 1950s?"). I'm hoping they'll want to spend some time at the beach. Warner just called. He's on the island without a vehicle, and he's hoping I'll carry him out there for a swim later today.

Islanders love this time of year. The village is quieter, the ocean is still warm, and we don't need heat or A/C (the temperature is 70 degrees right now). Wave if you see us jumping in the waves.

Our latest Ocracoke Newsletter is a small photo album with historic pictures, including the aftermath of the 1944 hurricane, the 1921 Ghost Ship of the Outer Banks, the 1935 wreck of the Nomis, the Island Inn, the Methodist Church, and the Wahab Village Hotel. I've added a short paragraph under each photo to help put them in historical perspective. You can see the pictures by clicking here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news082609.htm.

6 comments:

  1. I think I saw Fiddler Dave jogging Sunday afternoon on highway 12

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  2. Anonymous6:28 PM

    You can't swing a dead cat around without hitting Fiddler Dave jogging on Highway 12.

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  3. Anonymous2:18 AM

    A few questions for you after catching up on some of your recent posts:

    Clamming--Generally speaking, is one place as good as the next out in the sound waters, or is deeper better (or farther out, or closer in, or just the right spot)?

    Dolphins--We enjoy spying their dorsal fins arcing out of the water as they sound, passing along off the ocean shoreline; occasionally skimming along in the wake of the ferries; or one memorable time leaping fully out of and above the ocean's surface time and time again, but we've never been--or tried to get--close to them. As with most wild creatures, of course, a wise rule of thumb is "give them room and leave them be," but...

    ...In your adventures in and about the waters of Ocracoke, have you ever had an up-close encounter with a dolphin, or dolphins, and if so, what was their behavior like toward you?

    Thanks, as always, for indulging these occasional questions from Ocra-curious folk like me.

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  4. See my post for Thursday, September 10 for answers to questions about clamming and dolphins.

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  5. Anonymous9:30 AM

    Beach Visit: if one visits the beach and has brought along their bathing suit-- are facilities available to the visitor to change into their suit. An if such facilities are available such as public restrooms what do they look like and how many opportunities exist on the island for public restrooms. Honestly yesterday I visited a pier on the west coast of Florida and the restroom stalls were like a sarcophagus. The lack of ventilation on a hot September day was life threatening. If I had weighed anymore I don't think the door would have closed. ladies you know those kind of stalls -- this had a solid door a solid door if one was claustrophobic you would have had an attack . I only hope the facilities available to the visitor on your island are a welcoming oasis and not the island's dirty little secret. There is a web site of the American restroom association featuring issues and features to consider in the design of a Pleasant public rest room

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  6. Anonymous9:30 PM

    Generally we change clothes in our cottage. However, one year we arrived well before our check-in time and couldn't wait to get onto the beach and into the water. So each of us entered into the well-ventilated & roomy changing areas only to be "eaten alive" by mosquitoes who cleverly waited until I was too naked to get out of their dining room! I have never put on a swim suit so fast in my life! Wonderful facilities! Just watch out for seasonal mosquitoes! :o)

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