Sunday, May 30, 2010

Oak Island, NC

All of you know how much I love my home and where I live, but there is another place in North Carolina that comes in at a close second- Oak Island. Growing up, I always went to the South Carolina beaches for vacations with my family. I didn't think I would ever love any other beaches until I worked at a camp on Oak Island when I was in college. I fell in love with the natural beauty of this place. After visiting me at camp, my parents felt the same way. They eventually bought a home there and the love affair continued. All of my children's beach vacation memories center around this wonderful place.

We were able to go this weekend to have our yard sale which turned out very successful despite the threat of early morning rain.



After getting rid of some of the clutter in my house at the yard sale, I felt free! Everyone should declutter once in a while. It's a good feeling.



But an even better feeling comes from standing on the dock overlooking the beautiful Inter coastal waterway that separates our little island from the main land.



Some of my girl's earliest vacation memories are of bike rides to the crab dock to watch the sun shimmer on the water.



When the tide is high, the view is magnificent. When the tide is low, the birds and crabs steal the show.



The other side of the island overlooks the beautiful Atlantic Ocean. In the fall we enjoy some of the most beautiful sunsets over the water. Most people that I share that fact with don't believe me since the sun sets in the west. However, because of the curve of the beach it is possible.



When my girls were little we would spend weeks at the time at the coast. Most of that time was spent on the beach or riding bikes. They didn't need to shop or go to arcades to have fun. They were pretty content to just be.



Occasionally, we might go antique shopping in Southport or throw in a game of Jungle Golf, but who needs that when you have an entire ocean for a playground?



When my kids hear friends talk about going to the beach to do things like shop, go to amusement parks, or go to water parks, they don't understand. I am thankful that they have always been content just wasting the day away under an umbrella, reading a good book, while listening to the tide roll in and spending the evenings under the stars waiting for a turtle nest to hatch. I can't imagine a day at the beach spent any other way.

13 comments:

Glenda said...

Ahhh! What a peaceful, beautiful place! I'd love to be there right now! Your photos are wonderful - just as good as any travel magazine!

Have a great Memorial Day!

Blessed Serendipity said...

It is a great feeling to get rid of the excess. I think I need many yard sales to get rid of what I need to. That day at the coast looked so beautiful and peaceful.
-Danielle

F Cameron said...

Glad to hear that your yard sale was a success.

Those waterway photos remind me of Jacob Cooley's paintings. The NC coast is so pretty.

myletterstoemily said...

what gorgeous place to waste away a day!

sweetbay said...

How lucky to have such a beautiful place to spend weeks at a time. It looks wonderful.

Joan Elizabeth said...

Yes it sure looks peaceful and a great place to revive.

Anonymous said...

It's beautiful, Carla!!! I lived in California for 15 years and loved going to the beaches there and in Mexico. So relaxing!
Some of your photos look like landscape paintings - just gorgeous! :)

Junkie Junkeldorf said...

Love the photo with the umbrellas.

Roses and Lilacs said...

I agree. When I lived in Oregon, I never tired of walking the beach after the tide went out, peering at the wonders left in the tide pools. I was always dragging something home that I found washed up on the beach. Beautiful driftwood usually.

Maryrose said...

Hi Carla,

How heavenly. Your pictures and description were so vivid I started looking for a book to read under your umbrella. I love the look of those gorgeous beaches on the east coast...so different than here in California.

What great memories for you and your kids. Great post.

I Wonder Wye said...

What a lovely place! Sitting by the ocean is so restful....

Jim said...

That looks like a delightful place.
Sydney - City and Suburbs

From the Kitchen said...

I've never heard of this lovely place. When we were children, we spent two weeks at Myrtle Beach each summer. Not so much to my taste as an adult. So, when we lived in Charleston, we spent weekends at our neighbor's summer home on Sullivan's Island or went to Kiawah (my favorite)!

Thanks for the wonderful post.

Best,
Bonnie