OBX Memorial Day Weekend - 2011

Bodie (pronounced "body") Island Lighthouse.  No longer an island, Bodie Island was originally known as Bodies Island or Body's Island since the area was originally settled by the Body family. Folklore, attributes the naming of the island to the dead "bodies" of the ships that ran aground and sunk off the Outer Banks in what is now known as the Graveyard of the Atlantic.

View of the undeveloped Outer Banks beach south of Oregon Inlet in the north end of Hatteras.

The Elizabeth II at Roanoke Island in the Manteo waterfront with sailing tender.  This is a fully functional 69ft LOA 17ft beam square rigged reconstruction of the original Elizabeth that was used to transport Sir Walter Raleigh's colonists to the new world in 1585.  We got to climb above and below and she is very solid.  It's steering is aided by a whipstaff which is a thru-deck extention fixed to the tiller.  You can read more here.

I believe this is an Ibis and they were everywhere.  I took a picture of this one from my kayak at the mouth of one of the creeks near Oregon Inlet Fishing Center.

One of many great white egrets we spotted.  This one was near the Elizabeth II.

Not only a surprisingly impressive restaurant with casual feel, this is a landmark as well.  Located now in Kitty Hawk, it was constructed in 1874 and used as a United States Lifesaving Station.  Originally, the station was manned by one keeper and a crew of six surfmen whose sole purpose was to rescue those who succumbed to the dangerous waters along the Banks.  Accompanying the brave men was nearly always a mysterious Black Pelican.  Read more here.  It also served as a post office and Western Union and was the place the Wright Brothers sent out their famous message of the first successful manned flight.

My little blue-eyed angel at John's Drive-In...another institution of the OBX.  The banana milkshake is money.

My girls.

My other blue eyed angel.

We had a great time at the OBX.  We had to see what all the fuss was about and the place actually lived up to most of the hype.  I highly recommend a visit if you've never been and we were sad to depart from our little visit.  As many people who travel there from far and wide, it's quite impressive how little the area has been developed over the years and we hope they manage to keep it that way.  We love the history but still miss the Gulf  - this will do for now.