Emerald Isle

We've been in NC at Emerald Isle for our annual beach vacation. It's been great to be able to come just after "high season" at the beach: over Labor Day weekend and week. But next year, BonnieBlue will be starting Kindergarten and OSU will be starting a semester calendar, so we'll both be in school earlier in the year, making a Labor Day vacation unlikely. Cost for these beachfront locations are quite high during the summer months, so unless we find a family to share with, we won't be back for awhile. I am kinda' thinking that maybe Disney World next year might be an option instead.

Here's where we stayed both this year and last.

We're on the 3rd floor on the right.

Here's the view from the dining room. Nice!

It's a great little condo development, with two pools, which came in handy this year because the surf was a bit choppy as Hurricane Irene headed out and Hurricane Katia headed in. In the photo below, our building is the one all the way to the right, closest to the beach. That's Bogue Sound on the other side. EI is quite the narrow island, right?

I love the beach, and the ocean. Being here recharges me. There is absolutely nothing like the starry sky on a clear night at the beach. Breathtaking.

BonnieBlue had a ton of fun. The only thing missing is someone her age to play with. We desperately want to find a family with a girl her age to come to the beach with us.

Sunday, we had our friend (Aunt Reesie) and my work colleague over for dinner. Her family has a beachfront cottage here on EI that has been in their family since the middle of the century. She spends several weeks every summer here, and our visit usually overlaps with her stay. BonnieBlue took this pic.

We always stop at Willis' fish market for Vesta's homemade key lime pie and fresh shrimp and scallops. Next door is this gift shop.

We take quite a few day trips when we're in NC. On Saturday we went to Cape Lookout National Seashore. BonnieBlue is too little to go up in the lighthouse yet. Maybe next time!

On Sunday, we went to Harker's Island for sacrament meeting. Harker's Island has a strong Mormon heritage and current population. Russ drove out there last year (approx. 40 min drive) when we were here and met Mattie at the Core Sound Museum, and when she found out he was Mormon, she gave him a book called, Strengthened By the Storm: The Coming of the Mormons to Harker's Island. I'm reading it now while I'm here. Wonderful story! I love that there is a turn-of-the-century "pioneer" heritage here on the East Coast, as I find it hard to relate to the westward trek stories that saturate the LDS history and culture.

Today, our last day, is rainy as Hurricane Katia moves closer in. She is supposed to skirt landfall, but we've gotten quite a lot of rain this morning just the same. As I type, it looks as if it might clear up for a little while.

Tomorrow we'll drive all day (12 hours!) to make it back home. I am already missing the beach. Sigh.