Outer Banks - North Carolina

[giradman]

Roanoke Island Festival Park - Our First Activity

Roanoke Island Festival Park is located on a small island in waterfront Manteo and has a number of activities, as shown on the first two pics below - recreated Indian Village and First Settlement are next - costumed guides are present at each outdoor site (including the ship) to explain the life of the times and the numerous artifacts (only a couple pics are shown next). Completed in the early 1980s to celebrate 400th anniversary of the first settlement, the Elizabeth II is an authentic reconstructed ship from the era - pics below w/ Susan ready to board.

The Adventure Museum & Gift Shop offers other activities, including a 50 minute historical recreation film which is well done. The remaining pics are various exhibits within the museum tracing the history of the island from the attempted English settlements, through the Civil War, settlement by African-Americans, and more modern events and activities. For those planning to visit Roanoke Island, I would suggest this attraction be the first visit, just a great orientation and a gem in the AAA guide. Dave

Board and explore Elizabeth II from every angle. Help costumed 16th century sailors set the sails, plot a course with an astrolabe, and swab the decks. Marvel at the lines and rigging that allow the ship to sail. Enjoy the view of the water from the quarterdeck. Turn the capstan to raise the ship’s anchor, play checkers with a wily sailor, and search for surprises in barrels and boxes onboard. The interpretive staff of sailors gladly answers questions about the ship, the historic Roanoke Voyages, or any other inquiry guests have about the beginnings of English-speaking America.(Link above)

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[giradman]

NC Aquarium on Roanoke Island

The North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island is one of a number of coastal aquariums operated by the state; each has somewhat different themes, exhibits, and other features - in other travelogues, I've described the NC Aquarium at Ft. Fisher (near Wilmington) & the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium on Atlantic Beach (near Morehead City). Two unique attractions is an albino alligator (pic below from the web - believe this one named Luna is shuffled between the NC aquariums - Source) - apparently only about 50 of these alligators exist in the world and cannot survive in nature; another attraction of interest to me was a film about the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary, an artificial underwater protected area at the site of the sunken Civil War ironclad. Dave
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[giradman]

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site & Elizabethan Gardens

After lunch, we also visited the Ft. Raleigh National Historic Site & the Elizabethan Gardens - the Ft. Raleigh site is shown below on the visitor's map w/ the gardens nearby (and also the outdoor theater) - this is a National Park Service property w/ a visitor's center containing an exhibit area & small gift shop; a short film is shown about the history of the attempted English settlement (see quote); pics below mainly of the 1585 earthen works fortifications, which have been extensively investigated and reconstructed in part (my own pic of its appearance on our visit). The remaining images are of the beautiful Elizabethan Gardens, admission fee required but the cost is modest - recommended. Dave

Today, we checked out of the Sanderling Resort and headed south, stopping at the Bodie Island Lighthouse, Pea Island Refuge Visitor's Center, and the Hatteras Lighthouse - topics of the next posts.

Fort Raleigh National Historic Site preserves the location of Roanoke Colony, the first English settlement in the present-day United States. The site was preserved for its national significance in relation to the founding of the first English settlement in North America in 1587. The colony, which was promoted and backed by entrepreneurs led by Englishman Sir Walter Raleigh(ca. 1554–1618), failed sometime between 1587 and 1590 when supply ships failed to arrive on time. When next visited, the settlement was abandoned with no survivors found. The fate of the "Lost Colony" remains a mystery. (Source)

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[giradman]

Bodie Island Lighthouse

After leaving Duck, we traveled south on HW 12 entering the Hatteras National Seashore - our first stop was at the Bodie Lighthouse on the island of the same name - description below along w/ many of my own photos - our trip continued over the aging Bonner Bridge which spans the Oregon Inlet between Bodie & Pea Islands, the latter the location of the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge - our trip continue onto Hatteras Island, topic of the next post. Dave

The Bodie Island Lighthouse, (pronounced "Body") is located just south of the town of Nags Head and Whalebone Junction, where Highway 158, Highway 64, and NC Highway 12 intersect. Visitors travelling towards Hatteras Island can't help but notice the black and white horizontal striped structure, peaking out over a line of dense cedar trees on the soundside. An extensive restoration project has recently been completed, sponsored by the National Park Service, to ensure that future generations will not only be able to visit the Bodie Island Lighthouse, but also continue to climb the 214 steps to the top. The 156' ft. lighthouse still shines a beam 19 miles offshore, making full rotations at 27.5 seconds. (Source)

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[giradman]

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

We continued down HW 12 on Hatteras Island (see map from previous post) to the town of Buxton, where Cape Hatteras is located along w/ its famous lighthouse (description in multiple quotes, same source) - the current Hatteras Lighthouse was first lit in 1870 and is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Due to extensive beach erosion since the mid-1800s, the structure was in danger of collapsing into the ocean, and in 1999 was moved nearly 3000 ft to the present location seen below - the following post is from my Carolina Shore thread w/ a video of the relocation feat! Also, there is a two-story museum near the Hatteras Lighthouse which is worth exploring. Dave

P.S. both the Bodie & Hatteras Lighthouses can be climbed for a small fee - there are restrictions, especially for small kids - I decided to do neither climb at my age (and Susan was not interested); plus, the temperature outside was in the low 80s F and probably 90s+ inside the structures - climbing the Currituck Lighthouse was enough for me -

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse protects one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast. Offshore of Cape Hatteras, the Gulf Stream collides with the Virginia Drift, a branch of the Labrador Current from Canada. This current forces southbound ships into a dangerous twelve-mile long sandbar called Diamond Shoals. Hundreds and possibly thousands of shipwrecks in this area have given it the reputation as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. (Source)

The new lighthouse was lit on December 1, 1870. The 1803 lighthouse was demolished in February of 1871. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse received the famous black and white stripe daymark pattern in 1873. The Lighthouse Board assigned each lighthouse a distinctive paint pattern (daymark) and light sequence (nightmark) to allow mariners to recognize it from all others during the day and night as they sailed along the coast. (Source)

The lighthouse is a conical brick structure rising from an octagon-shaped brick and granite base and topped with an iron and glass lantern. It is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States and measures 198.49 feet from the bottom of the foundation to the top of the pinnacle of the tower. This height was needed to extend the range of the light-beam from the tower’s low-lying beach site. The tower’s sturdy construction includes exterior and interior brick walls with interstitial walls resembling the spokes of a wheel. There are 269 steps from the ground to the lens room of the lighthouse. (Source)

The Fresnel lens installed in the 1870 lighthouse was powered by kerosene and could be seen approximately 16 miles from the shore. The keeper had to manually rewind the clockwork apparatus each day. The Fresnel lens usually took 12 hours for a complete cycle. When the lamp was electrified in 1934, the manual mechanism was no longer needed. Damaged by vandals, the giant glass Fresnel lens had to be replaced by a modern aero beacon in 1950. Today, electricity provides the rotating power and a photocell turns the light on and off. (Source)

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[giradman]

Hatteras Lighthouse - Video of the Move - Quite Impressive! (from Carolina Shore Travelogue)

Just re-watched a video of moving the 4,830 ton Hatteras Lighthouse 2,900 ft to its new and much safer location - 50 minute video below (well worth watching) and a few pics. Dave
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[giradman]

Hatteras Village Overnight - Ferry to Ocracoke Island

After our 'day trip' out of Duck and down the Outer Banks (see map) w/ stops at lighthouses, the Pea Island Visitor's Center, and lunch in Buxton, we arrived in Hatteras Village (site for the ferry to Ocracoke Island) - we stayed in a small marina w/ a half dozen modest rooms, but w/ wonderful views of the charter fishing boats and a marvelous sunset after dinner - next to the marina was yet another one with a restaurant called Dinky's - I had the fresh tuna rare w/ a Thai glaze + aromatic jasmine rice w/ a cilantro-lime infusion - quite a pleasant interlude after a LONG day down the banks - next morning after coffee on our balcony, we drove the car onto the ferry for a one hour 'boat' ride to Ocracoke Island. Dave
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[giradman]

Ocracoke Village - just a couple of nights here w/ one full day - staying at a small Bed & Breakfast - below is a post from my Carolina Shore Travelogue (dated August 2016) about Blackbeard (a.k.a. Edward Teach) who terrorized the Carolina coast in the early 18th century; he was killed and beheaded in a sea battle near Ocracoke Island - we saw the last street plaque yesterday near the visitor's center.

P.S. for those interested in Blackbeard, more can be found in my Carolina Shore Thread, especially about the archeologic site in Beaufort, NC where his ship the Queen Anne's Revenge lies, and also the excellent exhibits in the Maritime Museum there.

Blackbeard - Infamous Pirate - Killed Off Ocracoke Island in 1718!

In the late 17th & early 18th centuries, piracy was rampant off the Carolina coast and the Outer Banks - one of the most famous pirates was Blackbeard (a.k.a. Edward Teach) (c. 1680 - 1718). He often stayed at Bath on the coast (colonial capital of North Carolina). One of his famous ships was the Queen Anne's Revenge (sunk near Beaufort and part of an undersea archeologic study - many artifacts on display in the North Carolina Maritime Museum there).

His story is quoted below (Source), including his death in a sea battle near Ocracoke Island - Lt. Maynard in charge of the winning Royal Navy had Blackbeard beheaded and mounted the head on his ship which returned to Virginia (he needed proof to collect the bounty) - more on Blackbeard in some later posts - in about 6 weeks, we are making a return trip to the Beaufort area. Dave

Edward Teach, also known as Blackbeard, is killed off North Carolina’s Outer Banks during a bloody battle with a British navy force sent from Virginia in 1718. Probably a native of England, Teach likely began his pirating career in 1713, when he became a crewman aboard a Caribbean sloop commanded by pirate Benjamin Hornigold. In 1717, after Hornigold accepted an offer of general amnesty by the British crown and retired as a pirate, Teach took over a captured 26-gun French merchantman, increased its armament to 40 guns, and renamed it the Queen Anne’s Revenge.

During the next six months, the Queen Anne’s Revenge served as the flagship of a pirate fleet featuring up to four vessels and more than 200 men. Teach became the most infamous pirate of his day, winning the popular name of Blackbeard for his long, dark beard, which he was said to light on fire during battles to intimidate his enemies. Blackbeard’s pirate forces terrorized the Caribbean and the southern coast of North America and were notorious for their cruelty.

In May 1718, the Queen Anne’s Revenge and another vessel were shipwrecked, forcing Blackbeard to desert a third ship and most of his men because of a lack of supplies. With the single remaining ship, Blackbeard sailed to Bath in North Carolina and met with Governor Charles Eden. Eden agreed to pardon Blackbeard in exchange for a share of his sizable booty.

At the request of North Carolina planters, Governor Alexander Spotswood of Virginia dispatched a British naval force under Lieutenant Robert Maynard to North Carolina to deal with Blackbeard. On November 22, Blackbeard’s forces were defeated and he was killed in a bloody battle of Ocracoke Island. Legend has it that Blackbeard, who captured more than 30 ships in his brief pirating career, received five musket-ball wounds and 20 sword lacerations before dying.

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[giradman]

Ocracoke Island & Village - Introduction

Ocracoke Village is on the southwest corner of the island and is small is size w/ a beautiful harbor lined by docks and boats. From the quote, the 'permanent' population is tiny, but in the tourist months, the number of people increase dramatically! Only two ways to get on the island, i.e. ferry or by air. Pics below are just an introduction - we saw the small 'diminutive' lighthouse yesterday, a beautiful structure that is run by the Coast Guard and is closed to climbing; the structure dates from 1823 and is the second oldest in the United States still in operation (see plaque description) - the small building was used to store lamp fuel before electricity.

We have a full day today and have had great weather the entire trip, however, rain is in the forecast - a future post or two will include what activities we can do today. Dave

Ocracoke is an unincorporated town located at the southern end of Ocracoke Island. The population was 948 as of the 2010 Census. As of 2014, Ocracoke's population was 591. It is also the location of the pirate Blackbeard's death in November 1718. The economy of Ocracoke Island is based almost entirely on tourism. During the winter, the population shrinks and only a few businesses remain open. During the spring, summer, and early fall, an influx of tourists occupies hotels, campgrounds and weekly rental houses — and day visitors arrive by ferry from Hatteras Island. Several bars, dozens of restaurants, and many shops, stores and other tourist-based businesses open for the tourist season. Visitors can find many shops that feature local, handmade goods, as well as imported artisanal goods and rare antiques, unusual for such a small island. (Source)

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[scifan57]

I've really enjoyed this recent series of travel stories, especially the one about Blackbeard. It's hard to believe he was dead before he turned 40.

 

[giradman]

I've really enjoyed this recent series of travel stories, especially the one about Blackbeard. It's hard to believe he was dead before he turned 40.

Hi SciFan.. thanks for the comments - pirates did not last long back in the early 18th century - another local Charleston pirate (born in Barbados) was Stede Bonnet (1688-1718) who collaborated w/ Blackbeard (see link, if interested) - Bonnet came to privacy later in life and was pretty poor at the profession; he was captured quickly and put in the Charleston Provost Dungeon (see quote) to await execution - he literally begged for his life ("While awaiting his execution, Bonnet wrote to Governor Johnson, begging abjectly for clemency and promising to have his own arms and legs cut off as assurance that he would never again commit piracy - same link), but was hung. I've visited the dungeon several times on our many trips to Charleston, and probably our son's favorite activity there when he was a youngster. Dave

The building, i.e. Provost Dungeon originally on the site was called the “Court of Guard” (circa 1680), a combination of garrison and jail. It was there that Charleston’s favorite pirate, Stede Bonnet, was imprisoned in the weeks before his 1718 hanging. Bonnet was a particularly inept pirate who captured Charleston’s imagination because he was born to a reasonably wealthy, middling plantation family. He was such a bad pirate that it only took a year and a half from the time he started to the time he was hung, with almost a year of that spent not-pirating. (Source)

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[giradman]

Ocracoke - Full Day Activities

Our day on Ocracoke was full of activities which can be divided into those related to nature and those having to do with history of the island:

Horses of Ocracoke - as w/ a number of these barrier islands on the Virginia and Carolina coast, Ocracoke also has wild horses (check first quote and link for more information); once 'free range', the horses have been corralled since 1959 and are cared for by the Park Service.

Ocracoke Seashore - much of the island is part of the Hatteras National Seashore and multiple access points to the beach are available - we stopped at several and walked on the beach which stretches for miles (just two pics below).

Hammock Hills Nature Trail - just 3/4 mile (seemed LONGER!) w/ an observation platform looking over the northern marsh and marine forest; Pamlico Sound in the background - very buggy, so use spray before walking.

British Cemetery - part of the story quoted below; a well kept small cemetery honoring the British sailors who lost their lives when their ship was torpedoed by a German U-boat near Ocracoke; 4 bodies washed up on the island's shore - two were identified and the other two not - all four are buried on Ocracoke Island.

Ocracoke Preservation Museum - see third quote; located in a small house dating to 1900 - multiple rooms filled w/ history of the island - just pics of one of the rooms below. One of the most interesting attractions was a video & exhibit explaining the 'Ocracoke accents or brogue' - when spoken rapidly by a 'native', the English was barely understood by Susan & I - fascinating!

We lunched at Howard's Pub and shared our 6th dozen oysters on the half shell during this trip (averaging 1 dozen a day!) - the shrimp salad & the Mahi Mahi sandwich which we split were superb - we returned for drinks after our 'buggy & sweaty' nature walk - there are about two dozen beers on tap (I had a Natty Greene IPA - made in Greensboro). Then a little shopping and back to our B & B before dinner at the Back Porch - last night's dinner at the Flying Melon was superb, so expecting good food tonight. Dave

Horses have been documented on Ocracoke since the first European settlers came to stay in the 1730s. There have been as many as 300 horses on Ocracoke. While small and powerful, they are full-grown horses that are often called or referred to as Banker ponies as their range included most of the Outer Banks. Physically, the Ocracoke ponies are different from other horses - they have a different number of vertebrae and ribs as well as a distinct shape, posture, color, size, and weight that sets them apart from other horses. (Source)

What the U.S. lacked in naval protection, Great Britain could offer, so a fleet of English ships and seamen crossed the pond to help out while the American Navy ramped up production and recruitment. It was May 11, 1942 when one such ship, the HMT Bedfordshire, was patrolling the coastline for German U-boats when it was struck by a torpedo. The ship went down, and all 37 sailors on board perished. Most of the bodies were never recovered, but four washed ashore near the small town of Ocracoke, North Carolina at the very southern tip of the Outer Banks. (Source)

Visit the Ocracoke Preservation Society’s Museum for a glimpse into life on Ocracoke in earlier times. OPS is a nonprofit organization dedicated to preserving the island’s history and cultural heritage. The OPS Museum is located in the historic home of Coast Guard Captain David Williams. Stroll thru rooms that represent home life on Ocracoke. View documents, photos and artifacts. Stop to view a video documenting the Ocracoke brogue. Each year, the museum features rotating exhibits. (Source)

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[giradman]

Ocracoke - Cedar Island Ferry & Overnight in New Bern

Departure from Ocracoke on the Cedar Island Ferry (first five pics w/ last look of the lighthouse) - we were on a large 'new' ferry boat called the Swan Quarter, which came into service in November 2011 (click on the information image for more details) - the passenger area was rather nice - air conditioned, comfortable seats, and even Wi-Fi. The journey is about 23 miles and takes 2 hours and 15 minutes. We saw a number of boats along the way before entering the Cedar Island Ferry port - much of the island is a nature refuge and the drive was beautiful. We decided to do an overnight in New Bern (part of another travelogue), a historic town and once the colonial capital of North Carolina - staying on the waterfront in the DoubleTree w/ some gorgeous views from our balcony of the marina and bridges in the background. Dave

P.S. click on the ferry info image to enlarge and read, if interested.
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[suenc]

Wright Brothers National Memorial

Our last visit to the Wright Brothers National Memorial was about 20 years ago - unfortunately, the Visiting Center was being renovated, but the National Park Rangers were giving informative talks, as usual. Brief opening paragraph quoted below from the link - the park map shows the location of the monument on Kill Devil Hill; many of the pics are my own taken today - Susan walking up to the monument and standing next to Wilbur - beautiful view of the Atlantic Ocean in the background (Roanoke Sound in the other direction).

From the panoramic view (web origin), the relationship of the monument to the actual area where the first flights took place is shown, along with the reconstructed hangar and the quarters/shop buildings. Final three pics of the beautiful First Flight Centennial Sculpture dedicated on December 17, 2003 (additional figures added two years later, as in the second quote below), and not present on our past trip to the Outer Banks. Dave




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Lovely start to an interesting week. As you can see, Wilbur wasn’t particularly interested in talking to me.

 

[giradman]

Outer Banks - Some Final Comments

Yesterday's 'leg' of our OBX trip was enjoyable - 2 1/4 hr smooth ride on a 'new' ferry boat was relaxing followed by a beautiful drive through the Cedar Island Refuge to New Bern (see map w/ ferry insert). We dined quite well - the second image is a listing of the restaurants that we had lunch or dinner in the various towns visited - all are recommended and varied greatly in price - the ones marked w/ an * had raw offerings - we shared 7 dozen oysters, all from either Virginia or North Carolina - and all excellent!

For those viewing this travelogue and are thinking about a trip (or a return visit) to the Outer Banks, please feel free to ask questions - we obviously accomplished a LOT on this journey but there are many other things to do, e.g. ocean swimming, water activities, horse rides on the beach, fishing, and the list goes on. Dave

P.S. On this trip, we covered nearly 950 miles by car & about 30 miles by ferry!
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