We did decide to forgo Belhaven and we headed for The Outer Banks. This took us across the Pamlico Sound, past the Ocracoke Inlet to Silver Lake. “The Ocracoke Harbor is basically a clam-shaped basin or lagoon of water on the soundside of the island. The water within the village is named “Silver Lake” and while the island extends for a good mile or so towards the Ocracoke Inlet, Ocracoke Harbor is essentially an easy run from Portsmouth Island, Hatteras Island, and the fantastic offshore fishing in the Gulf Stream. Ocracoke Inlet was one of Blackbeard’s hideouts, and it was here that two small sloops hired by Virginia governor Alexander Spotswood found and cornered Blackbeard on the inner side of the island. Blackbeard was killed in the battle that ensued Nov. 22, 1718. His headless body is believed to be buried in a mass grave somewhere on the island”. The only way to access this island is by boat or small plane. We found our way in to the harbor after our forty mile, six hour journey to find a couple of other boats anchored in the bay. We slowly passed the first sailboat and I asked how much line they had out? He responded “about seventy five feet”. As soon as we passed the radio came alive and the boat we had just passed and spoken to, the dad was now on the radio telling me his son was wrong about the scope and they had closer to a hundred feet out. Got it. We passed the second boat and circled around and dropped anchor behind him. We let out around a hundred feet on line and made sure we were secure. Anchor beer time for me!
*Speaking of anchoring, I want to add a story I forgot about back at Thoroughfare Creek: We had just dropped anchor and I was settling in on the back deck when I heard Lauren calling for me quite excitedly! I came up to the cabin and she told me a bird had just flown in! I looked inside and saw it flying around into the windows. It soon came to rest along a window sill so I just reached out and gently grabbed it, making sure to hold the wings closed, and released it outside where it flew off into the day. That was exciting! We made sure to have the screen doors on the rest of our time there…
Back to Ocracoke: Once we felt we were secure, it was time to get Frank to shore. We dinghied over to the State Park dinghy dock and unloaded. We walked around the small beach, then up the main road through town. Almost everything was still closed due to the virus and there was a lot of construction going on from last years Hurricane Dorian. Here is a news article:“When Hurricane Dorian barreled toward the Outer Banks last November, little Ocracoke Island took the main hit. The storm moved quickly, but it left the island ravaged from waters that rose like a tidal wave in merely two hours. In a 7-foot storm surge, waters from the Pamlico Sound spilled over the village, flooding homes, destroying businesses and altering every life of the island’s several hundred locals. Floodwaters in the village reached the greatest depths since a 1944 storm. Thankfully, no one lost their lives in the hurricane, but many lost their livelihoods. Nearly every car on the island flooded as did plenty of the village’s restaurants, shops and hotels. The island’s older homes and cottages – which tend to sit closer to the ground – faced the worst flooding. As water levels rose, some people were airlifted from their homes; others sought rescue from boats motoring up the canal-like streets”. So there wasn’t much going on… we returned to Klondike for the evening, made dinner and retired for the night.
Day 2: After taking Frank for his morning walk, we loaded the bikes in the dinghy and took them to shore. We rode to the lighthouse: “Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in North Carolina and the second oldest lighthouse still standing in the state.” After checking that out, we continued on to find the beach. We found it, and it was awesome. You are allowed to drive on the beaches, so as soon as we entered we saw cars lined up and down the beach. There weren’t a lot of them, but it was cool to see. There was a Jeep pulled right up to the water with a fishing pole in the grill! We walked the beach and I went in for a swim, just because. We then made our way back toward town, stopping at a small grocery store to pick up some refreshments. We continued on, making a couple of detours around some back streets to see some more shuttered shops, then finally went back to the dinghy. We loaded the bikes up and returned back to the boat.
I took Frank back for another midday walk and met the people on one of the other boats anchored with us- Oceana. I stopped to chat on my way by them and was telling them our plans of going to Hatteras tomorrow, but the wife said we should skip that and go directly to Manteo on Roanoke Island. I inquired why, and she said it is “much better, and there not a lot going on in Hatteras”. After walking Frank I returned and told Lauren about our conversation about Hatteras and Manteo. Lauren got right on it and looked them up. After awhile, Lauren said it would probably be good to go to Manteo. Later as I was passing by Oceana for our evening walk, I stoped to ask when they planned on leaving and told them we would be following along. They were pleased to hear this and we made plans to leave at first light-after walking the dogs- as it will be a long sixty mile trip. Dinner was made and we retired early, knowing we will be waking up around 5:15am…
