November 2, 2012 Crystal Coast North Carolina

The Crystal coast is what the tourism people call the Southern Outer banks. The northern outer banks got hit by the hurricane, Sandy. The campgrounds are closed(they were closed the week before the hurricane) and some of the bridges are closed, so we came to the southern Outer banks, which are barrier islands of the coast of North Carolina.

Our first stop was Fort Macon state park. The fort was built 1826-34. It was built to protect the waterway. It was occupied by both the confederate and the union soldiers during the civil war. It was also used during WWII to protect the coast from German U boats. This is a model of the fort. The kitchen and mess hall.

The courtyard of the fort. The state park also has beach. Here is John at the low point of North Carolina, the Atlantic ocean.

It was in the 60’s but the wind was so strong that any exposed skin got sand blasted. It was so windy there were sand drifts behind the sea shells.

Lots of shells and cool wind patterns on the beach.

I was the fashion poodle with my flip flops in by back pockets. After the beach we went to the North Carolina Aquarium. This is part of a sculpture in front of it.

 

Dec 14, Santa by the sea!! An alligator. Guess we are back in alligator country again. They had exhibits of marine life from the mountains to the sea. Fish from mountain streams, the piedmont, the marshes and the ocean. 

This exhibit had a replica of a German U boat in it. There was also an exhibit with a replica of the wreck of the Queen Ann’s revenge- black beards ship which sunk off the coast in this area. Our favorite crab!

This penguin was on sale in the gift shop, marked down from $400 to $199. I wanted to buy him to put in the drivers seat of the Penguin when we are parked, but John would not let me. Our last stop was the Harrika’s Brew Haus. It had a beer garden and a tea room. Rather unusual combination. John tasted local beers and I checked out the eclectic gifts.

The best were the bacon products. Bacon breath spray, chocolate covered bacon, bacon floss and bacon frosting. We saw these benches by the road near the brew haus.

Back at camp John wanted to take the kayak out with out taking it off the car. . . Sunset was again lovely.