Today I am going to share with you our day at Sea and a trip to the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.
Honey and I enjoy taking a catamaran out from Beaufort (My favorite place on earth). It is docked right on Front Street instead of moored out in the sound. We like Lookout Cruises and especially the 6 hour tour. During the summer season, you usually leave port at noon and return at 6. It has been shifted back an hour and we left at noon to arrive back at 5. While waiting for departure, I decided to take a different view of Front Street.
Here is looking out into Beaufort Sound as a few of the sailboats that are moored here routinely.
Here is my honey as we are getting ready to set sail and also sails ready to raise as we leave dock.
From departure to re-docking, you have unlimited water, lemonade, and soft drinks.
Beers and cups of white wine $2.
The man to your far left is the permanent skipper.
Off to sail:
It takes about 1 1/2 hours to get over to the islands that we come ashore on. Once we get to the first location, we have lunch that is always catered by Beaufort Grocery. They usually serve wraps:
turkey with bacon, roasted red pepper, mixed greens, montrachet & peach onion salsa
tuna salad with avocado, tomatoes, capers and mixed greens
chicken salad with toasted almonds and pineapple
and a veggie wrap that is delicious.
I had hoped for the chicken salad, but they were out this time so I had the tuna wrap with fresh tuna from our NC waters. SO VERY GOOD!
Also for lunch, there are usually 2 -3 salads of varying sorts, dill pickle spears, potato chips, and chocolate chip cookies.
We had lunch, then those that wanted could go ashore and shell hunt or walk, or enjoy the 80 degree water. We did a little of all three. Unfortunately, Hurricane Earl changed the landscape and we couldn't come ashore where the cruise usually does, so it was a 20 minute walk to get to the GOOD shells. But we did get 2 great size sand dollars and some fun in the water before reboarding and sailing on.
If you know me at all, you know that I am a true Parrothead! Well I spotted another one while asea.
And in the top left quarter is Margie. She has been our first mate everytime we have gone out. I wish I had a better zoom because we saw the wild ponies on Shackleford Banks and Carrot Island going out. And we had plenty of dolphins splashing around us as we sailed.
Since I have shown you the permanent skipper, and the first mate, I must introduce you to the "mascot"
Chloe (had been on board for 8 years now...she is showing off her new haircut in this pic)
and the "temporary" skipper:
Beaufort Belle at the helm!
Hurricane Earl had done some crazy things to shorelines so I handed the wheel back over to the real skipper and we sailed into Cape Lookout national seashore. Here are 3 views of the light house as we are coming in closer to dock.
You have the choice of going over to the beach side or you can tour the Lightkeeper's museum, or you can do what we did this year....
Climb the 207 original wrought itron steps up (equivalent of a 12 story building with normal steps) for a breath taking view of nature at its finest. Unfortunately, my eyes saw it, but my camera did not as I left it on the catamarn. It is a steep climb and you get about 15 minutes to climb up, get a look around, and head down. It is rushed and it is only open certain days. So make sure to check that out before going strictly to climb the ligththouse.
While in the museum waiting for our time to climb, I came across this quote written by Michael E. C. Gery in 1992. It sums up my beaches, my waters, and my Beaufort perfectly:
"These islands are native at its wildest, best loved as a romantic fling - an escape,
however brief, from the world these barrier islands hold at bay."
A true sentiment for Cape Lookout National Seashore and all her barrier islands.
Check back tomorrow for walking tour of some of my favorite homes on
Beaufort's Front Street.
Just a nice sight coming back into Beaufort proper.
2 comments:
such gorgeous pictures!
oh no...you left the camera after that climb! I'd like see the wild ponies...that would be VC :)
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