Monday, May 5, 2008

The Inner Banks

May 4-5, Oriental, NC
The days turn chillier and we reach for long sleeves. Meanwhile, local boaters motor by shirtless or in bathing suits as their season heats up. Could our blood have thinned so quickly? After all, we have covered 718 miles since we arrived at Port Canaveral, Florida. There are only 182 miles to go until we reach the Chesapeake.

It seems that Pelican knows she’s going home to roost and she wants to flap her wings faster and faster. We need to slow her down so we can stop at a couple places we missed on the journey south.

First of these is the quaint village of Oriental, the sailing capital of North Carolina. The waterfront community sits on a very wide section of the Neuse River, on the Inner Banks. It has a population of only 850 people—and 2700 boats. Its location provides a perfect jumping-off point for short or long cruises to the north or south. The town’s existence depends on boaters, and the residents are very welcoming and helpful.

Rainy weather forecasts give us a good excuse to spend an extra night. We explore every city block on foot and by bike, the turn-of-the-century homes, cute little shops, and good restaurants. Now on to the next one....

1 comment:

  1. Welcome back, travelers! Spring has finally arrived in Minnesota - it's really a miracle how quickly things turn from blah to green!

    We are well, Laura is finishing up her junior year (we have already visited some schools and may have a future Badger in the family) and Adam is in the last weeks of his semester in Cape Town, South Africa. He is looking ahead to graduating in December, if he doesn't get a particular intership in the fall. It will be interesting to see if and how he can pursue his interest in non-profits.

    Safe travels - I have enjoyed your endless summer!

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