Maybe You Aren't a Beach Person

Pac-man sunset over the Currituck Sound.

This past weekend Uncle Grumpy and I were treated to two nights at the beach at Duck, NC.  We were welcome to stay the whole week, but this was the first time I've been to a beach, overnight, for almost 25 years.  Baby steps.

A little cloudy, just the way I like it.

If you're like me, and not real excited about being at a place with lots of sun, seafood, cool shops and boardwalks for exploring, Duck, NC is a pretty good beach town to visit.  Compared to the other communities we drove through coming up north on Rt. 12 in the Outer Banks of NC, Duck has a variety of older homes with established landscaping close to the main road, which is a nice diversion when you're creeping along at 2 mph with the rest of the arriving hoards. Note to self:  If we're invited back next year, go in the middle of the week.  The restaurants and shops will still be open and we'll miss the arrival/departure traffic jams.

The home we stayed in was a five minute walk to a beach access point which made it quick 'n easy to take early morning and late evening strolls along the shore.  People on the beach, and even on the boardwalks, smile and say hello.  Yes, people actually greet strangers in the South.

People are especially friendly if you're walking an outgoing puppy...

For a person who dislikes too much sun, the misty mornings and cooler evenings were delightful.  We walked long past sunset both nights and still had the company of beach goers using head lamps or flashlights to dig for crabs and others just enjoying a stroll.  After almost taking an unfamiliar, barefoot route home in the pitch dark on night one, a family member used her phone to track our entry point on night two so we could locate our sandals from their drop-off spot.

Evening sky

Dinner out was crazy expensive but it was our one treat for the trip.  For the other nights, each guest planned and brought a dinner to share, which made the evenings very relaxing.  It also gave me multiple opportunities to relish the later night views of the ocean and sound.

Cobb salad (with dressing made from lime juice, olive oil and s 'n p)

I've heard that Avon beach has great shells and that sounds like an excellent choice for beach walking in the fall.  If you're not concerned about the water temps, the Outer Banks, as a whole, seems like a good choice any time of the year.

Last early morning view 'til next time.