Outer Banks Wednesday - Sunshine and Wild Horses

          After days of rain and fog, the day began with a beautiful sunrise and the promise of a sunny day.  Though we've actually enjoyed the view of clouds and rough surf outside our windows, we welcomed a different experience of this barrier island.

         

We headed out to the office of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund (CWHF) for a trip north to see the wild horses in their habitat.  There was a bit of excitement earlier today when one of the mares jumped the fence at the southern end of their enclosed area and had to be herded back to safer ground.  These horses were fenced north of Corolla years ago to protect them.  Too many were lost to drivers who refused to adhere to speed limits, crashing into and killing the horses who had become too complacent about the humans that came in increasing numbers each season.

          Our guide was April, now the assistant herd manager for this non-profit group that monitors and manages the herd of just over 100 Colonial mustangs that live here.  She is very knowledgeable and shared lots of information with us as we drove the sandy roads that lie in "4-wheel drive country." The 100 or so year-round residents and the vacation renters who come to this area have no paved-road access.  They come and go via vehicles on the beach or boats on Currituck Sound.

          We saw quite a few horses, peacefully grazing among the houses that are scattered along the roads there.  These roads are one-lane routes over and around the dunes and through the maritime forest.  Some skill is required, as well as the right vehicle and tires that won't get stuck in the deep sand.

          This time of year, April told us, the animals find relatively little forage, thus they have learned to eat well in the warmer months to store up fat for the winter.  They are also smart enough not to pull the grass out, but rather to chew it off to allow new growth to occur when they move on.  It's amazing how they survive and the CWHF works

hard to give them every chance, treating injured and sick animals as needed in a rehab facility on the mainland.  When horses are found to be unfit to return to the wild, homes are found for them where they can enjoy a less challenging life.

          As with many wildlife issues, there are disagreements about the best ways to manage and maintain the herd.  The staff of the Corolla Wild Horse Fund, who depend primarily on donations, attempt to negotiate through these differences.  For those who have come to appreciate the horses and want them to remain as free and wild as possible, this is a labor of love. 

          After a lunch break at one of the few restaurants open this time of year, we drove around the area with our friends, Zee and Bob, catching glimpses of birds along our way.  Mike stopped here and there to take photographs.

          We ended our day at the Currituck Heritage Park where we watched a spectacular sunset that seemed to set the sky on fire as it lowered over the mainland across Currituck Sound.  It was another good day, one that began and ended with the beauty of the sun to warm us.

 

 

 

 All photos by Mike Lumpkin

OBX Monday - The Day Begins in a Fog

 

            No, it's not "the morning after" when I say our day began in a fog.  A thick fog hung over the ocean so that the waves were visible only as far as the second line of breakers.  Though we stayed up later than usual, I awoke well before dawn and got up to enjoy the quiet.  Only as the day began did I realize that the sun could not penetrate the fog all around us.

           

There is an ethereal quality to fog that can be both moody and magical.  It creates a sense of mystery as it blankets the world around us, softening edges, changing our perspectives as it cloaks dunes, houses, streets and vegetation in its gray shroud.  One of the first things I looked to see when I woke was the lighthouse, but the fog was too thick, so the lighthouse I saw just before bedtime last night had disappeared from view this morning.

            Before venturing out in the car, we went up the boardwalk adjacent to our house to the gazebo on the dunes above the shore.  There were pelicans in the misty air, but very few birds on the beach where the tracks left by a vehicle, probably someone going to a construction site, marked the sand.  The gazebo itself, as well as the vegetation on the dunes, create opportunities for pictures that will remind us of this experience.

           

Corolla is on a barrier island that lies between the Atlanta Ocean and Currituck Sound.  Our house is on the oceanfront, so we wanted to explore the other side of the area, searching for one of the piers that extends out into the sound.  This is the time of year when swans and other migratory birds settle there after their long trip south. 

            We found a pier, but the fog was so thick that visibility was too limited to allow much of a view.  The trees along the water were shrouded in the cloud of fog, appearing almost ghostly, their shapes outlined against the gray mist.

            As we wandered further afield, we found a small street that parallels the shore of the sound and Mike saw a egret fishing there, so went down the path to attempt to photograph it.  Though it took off before he could get a shot,  he saw swans swimming near the shore, yet more ghostly images.  Their muted calls were barely audible in the foggy atmosphere that not only occludes vision but dampens sound.

 

           

We drove south to the village of Duck to find lunch at a little cafe where we first ate in the early 80s, the Duck Deli.  It's still there and we enjoyed the welcome warmth that a dry and heated space provides on such a damp day.

            After lunch we ventured into the few shops open in the picturesque shopping area named Scarborough Faire.  The wooden buildings are connected by boardwalk under the trees.  We found fun gifts that will find their way into stockings in a couple of weeks and enjoyed, as always, the wonderful book store there.

            As we drove back north, we stopped to take more pictures, some of Christmas decorations and some of wildlife, both in nature and on cleverly designed signs.  In the process we explored the Kellogg Hardware Store with its amazing blend of products one would normally expect to find in a hardware plus an array of home goods, toys, decorations, etc.  As we've found in most places here, the people there were friendly and helpful, happy to see customers  coming through their doors in this quiet time of year.

            Home again, we nestled in to enjoy the fire inside and the occasional glimpses of birds along the shore outside.  The early arrival of old friends from Atlanta was an unexpected pleasure just after supper, a day ahead of schedule.  The day ended with our continuing the laughter and  conversation that has gone on as long as we've been friends, interrupted by our absences from each other, but as comfortable and pleasurable as always.

            So another day began and ended with weather conditions not necessarily conducive to full enjoyment of this beautiful place, but special just because we love being here under any circumstances.  Rain is forecast for Tuesday, but we anticipate another opportunity  to make memories, this time with friends.

All photos by Mike Lumpkin, adventure companion and lenient editor

Corolla in Winter

           

To paraphrase that renowned storyteller Snoopy, "it was a dark and stormy day" here in Corolla, North Carolina.  We fell asleep last night to the sound of the waves crashing against the beach below us and awoke to the same sound, accompanied by rain slashing against the windows and the wind swirling around the house.

           

Whalehead at Christmas

We came to this beach in early September when days were sunny and hot and came back yesterday to experience this place we have visited many times over three decades, knowing that it would be cold and even stormy now, but happy to have the time to be here.  The lure of the ocean and migratory birds drew us, as did the knowledge that we would, for the most part, have this northeastern edge of the state to ourselves.  We looked forward to seeing the way OBX folks show their holiday spirit, too.

            Though it can be challenging to find restaurants open this time of year, especially after six p.m., the search can be fun and the reward sufficient.  The restaurateurs are happy to have customers and they have the time to chat and share their experience of the Outer Banks with us.  Last night's yummy crab cakes were served in very generous portions, thus we'll enjoy the leftovers tonight.  Today's tasty pizza and buffalo chicken bites, also served too generously, will be tomorrow's lunch.

Currituck Beach Light

 

              We've ventured out into the rainy day to see who's here besides us and to see what has changed since September.We found holiday lights, including those shining at the top of Currituck Beach Light.  On such an overcast day, lights were visible in a few homes and a few businesses, primarily the two grocery stores and gas stations which were open.  Though most businesses are closed for the season or at least until the two weeks at year end when a mini-season occurs here, some few had open signs shining in windows.  We'll check tomorrow to see whether they are actually open or perhaps just forgot to turn off their signs.
 

           

Raindrops on Roses

Along the way, we found roses still blooming, raindrops sparkling on the blossoms.  I got excited at nightfall as we passed by the wonderful Northern Lights Bakery.  Though the shop was closed, lights were on in the kitchen and we could see bakers in aprons working there.  Tomorrow morning we'll check again and maybe grab a bite of one of their delicious pastries.  My mouth waters at the thought.

            Throughout the day we enjoyed the view of those huge waves, violently thrusting up foamy crests as they crashed toward the shore.  They seemed to be calling to hardy surfers, but only those in well-insulated wetsuits could have possibly enjoyed the chill.  We saw none.  We did see the occasional gull overhead and a long line of pelicans in flight above the dune.  The birds need no wetsuits and instinctively fit their behavior to whatever conditions arise.

           

The house we've taken is homey and comfortable, so we can enjoy the fire inside while winter howls outside.  On the deck just outside our windows, a rocking chair was  kept busy, moving back and forth in the wind before a gust turned it over.  The flags and banners in view whipped back and forth as the wind blew the rain sideways at times.

            Cozy now as we snuggle in for the evening, we look toward another glorious day tomorrow, whatever the weather.  There are books to read, adventures to attempt, time to share and enjoy this place that calls us back again and again.

All photos by Mike Lumpkin, travel companion and patient editor