This morning we were up before 6, we are getting back to our normal routine and we are thankful.
If you've never been to the Outer Banks, let me tell you a little about them. They are barrier islands that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the mainland. They are approximately 100 miles in length from its most northern town, Corolla, to its most southern point, Hatteras. You can go further by ferry to Ocracoke.
Today we drove north to Corolla. it was a beautiful day for a drive and to be out and about. Corolla is home to the only herd in the world of wild Spanish Mustang horses.
They were brought here back in the 1500's by Spanish explorers but the sandbars off of Corolla are totally unpredictable. Their unpredictability has even caused the area to be known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic. Ships probably capsized and the horses swam to shore and now make this beach area their home. There are also some in Ocracoke.
Corolla is also home to the Currituck Beach Lighthouse.
This lighthouse stands 162 feet tall and its light, the largest First Order Fresnel available for American lighthouses, can be seen 18 nautical miles away.
The lighthouse has 220 steps from the base up to the top. I know this because I read it, not because we climbed it.
This lighthouse is the only one that was left in its original brick exterior, untouched by paint. The other six on the Outer Banks are painted black and white. This was done so that the visitors could marvel at the amount of bricks it took to build it. I guess it didn't take much to entertain folks back in the 1800's.
Leaving Corolla, we entered the town of Duck. This is where I had a timeshare back in the 90's. Oh how the area has changed! One welcome change was the building of The Tomato Shack, a produce market.
What a great little veggie stand! The man who owns/runs it was just as nice as could be and explained where everything came from. His best friend grows all the tomatoes for him.
He grows the squash, zucchini and cucumbers himself. The peaches are local from his cousin's trees. The other things, apples, lemons, limes, cantaloupe were obviously bought from a supplier but he sure was proud of his homegrown offering.
I took a walk around the park when we got home and saw this license plate now permanently affixed to this vacation home. Check it out.
Walt tried his hand at fishing this afternoon but nothing seemed to be biting.
Tomorrow, Wright Memorial and a whole lot more!
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