OBX

Yesterday, I set out to see some of the Outerbanks (OBX) lighthouses! It turned into a long day, but it was well worth it. :) I started by catching the ferry to Ocracoke Island and finished by making a u-turn up by the Currituck Beach Lighthouse to head home. I had planned to take some pictures from the ferry since it was a two hour ride, but I found out too late that my camera batteries were dead. Oh well. Just take my word that the ride was through some beautiful, blue water.

Once I arrived on the island, I found a grocery store to get some batteries and then went in search of the lighthouse. You wouldn't think it would be difficult to find a lighthouse, I know, but I must admit I passed this one completely missing it the first go round! It's literally in between a cluster of houses with a little boardwalk that goes out to it.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

After a few pictures, I found a fun little cafe for lunch called the Flying Melon Cafe. I had a blue fish sandwich (apparently blue fish aren't just in Dr. Seuss books!). Of course no trip to an island is complete without a little stop off at the beach - at least in my opinion. I never get tired of the ocean and waves! This picture just can't do justice to the beauty of that beach!!

Ocracoke Island Beach

After a little while of watching that beautiful scene, I got back in my car to continue my lighthouse tour. The island, after you pass the "metropolis" of Ocracoke, is pretty much Highway 12 with the beach on each side of you! It's a great drive. I caught the next ferry over to Cape Hatteras. This is my favorite lighthouse so far with its diagonal stripes! :) You can pay a fee to climb this lighthouse, but I didn't take that option yesterday.

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

From here, I got back on Highway 12 to go to Bodie Island. This stretch on the highway actually had towns on it, so I couldn't see as much of the ocean. But, for all you Nicholas Sparks fans, I DID pass through Rodanthe (great book!). :) There's a long bridge that crosses the ocean between Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island. As you drive, you can see the Bodie Island Lighthouse the whole way. This end of the island is mostly unpopulated - I think because it's marshy, but I'm not completely sure.

Bodie Island Lighthouse

The last stretch of Hwy 12 is a long one that goes up to Corolla, NC, which is close to the VA border. But, that's where the Currituck Beach Lighthouse sits, so I went. :) A long time ago, my parents gave me a ceramic lighthouse that lights up, and I'm pretty sure that it's this one. I couldn't remember the name, but when I saw it, I immediately recognized it. :) Located in a park surrounded by trees, it was hard to get the entire lighthouse in a picture, but I tried.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse

There's also the option to climb this lighthouse, but I got there just as it was closing for the evening - not that I was planning on climbing hundreds of steps anyways. :) To get back to the mainland, I crossed a couple more long bridges. For me, the most impressive thing about the Outerbanks is that you can see both the sunrise and the sunset over the ocean - especially down around Ocracoke Island. What's better than that?!? This is a view of the sun setting as I drove across one of the bridges back to the real world. :)

Well, that's a MUCH abbreviated version of my trip yesterday! Have a great day!!