1350 October 11, 2026 Sloppy Sunday

It rained all night long.  The winds picked up and Isaias had arrived.  Somehow, we slept.

This morning, Tim went to check out the National Park campsite that we had reserved.  The Ocracoke Campground can be quite soppy and flooded and we wanted to check before we moved.  Site 34 was wet but doable. 

We packed up the RV and drove the 3 miles to our new home for the night.  We could have taken a ferry this evening but it would have put us on the mainland in the dark.  We decided instead to stay another day and take the 7:30 ferry on Monday.

The weather gods were smiling on us and it didn’t rain during our move but the rain began again and lasted all morning.  Between rain bands, we took a trip to the grocery store.

There was a portion of Route 12 where the dunes are low and the island is narrow.  There was a lot of wet sand on the road but it was still passable.

We took the Jeep on the beach for one more ride.  We didn’t get out.  We just sat looking at he raging waves.  It was much rougher than yesterday but not nearly as crazy as last year.

It rained most of the afternoon.

We cooked crab cakes and veggies inside.

After dinner there was another lull in the rain and we both got outside and took walks.

There was some evidence of sunshine but it did not last long.

There is a forecast for wind overnight and into tomorrow.  I am hoping that we can get on that early ferry!

1349 October 10, 2026 Stormy Weather

It was raining first thing and so I did my PT/yoga/stretching/weights.  When the rain subsided, I walked into town.  Tim called me and asked me to meet him at Deja Brew for another cup of coffee.

On the way back to town, we stopped at the Community Center for the Watermen’s Festival.  This was supposed to take place at the dock but the forecasted weather chased everyone inside.  We bought the best of Ocracoke; smoked fish dip, oyster soup, and fig preserves.

We headed to the beach with our purchases.  The sand was blowing but we sat in the protection of the dunes and the Jeep and had a pleasant lunch. The water was rougher today but nothing crazy.

As the wind picked up, the rain started to sputter and it was time to leave.

We spent a very quiet and boring afternoon in the RV as the rains came…the remnants of the hurricane had arrived.

We went to 1718 Brewery for dinner and to listen to live music by Lou and Fiddler Dave.  It was a nice place to be on a stormy evening.

1348 October 9, 2026  Isaias

I was up and out early this morning. I am loving the town and harbor walks.  There is a lot to see!

Morning visitor on our campsite.

We got a few groceries, did a little shopping at the Craftsmen, and picked up BBQ from a food truck. 

We spent a quiet afternoon.  This evening, we took our BBQ out to the beach.

This is as much of the sun as we saw today.  It was cloudy and breezy. 

Hurricane Isaias is expected to make landfall at the Florida-Alabama border later tonight.  We got a text and an email about the possibility of severe weather.  No one is certain what track the storm will take and how this area might be affected.  There is a forecast for wind and rain.  We shall see what that means for us as time progresses.

1347 October 8, 2026 Sunny and 75

Another pleasant walk in town.  It’s the perfect way to begin the day.  There is a large crane set up in the harbor.  A crowd of older gentlemen was gathered to watch it work.

We took our lunch to the beach again today. It was a great day to be here!

This evening, we went back to Dajio for dinner.  The musicians were just beginning their set as we paid our check. 

We had hoped to watch the Draconid Meteor Shower but it is very cloudy.  The sky was awash in pastels when the sun went down but it is unlikely that those meteor showers will be visible.  If you are somewhere with clear skies…go out and look in the northwest sky!

1346 October 7, 2026 Pleasant Day

68 degrees and sunny this morning as I set out for my walk through town.

We packed lunch and headed to the beach.  Today we were actually able to sit by the water.  I watched the waves curl and crest and crash on the sand relentlessly.  When the tide approached the tires, we knew it was time to pack up.

Some rest time this afternoon and then a light dinner at the campground.

We hopped on bikes and then cycled to the harbor to watch the sunset.  Tim had an enjoyable conversation with a young man named Boone, who is a baseball fanatic.  Lots of memories and stories of the players and the game as the day came to a close.  We biked back to the RV just as the mosquitoes came out.

 1345 October 6, 2026 Sunshine

It was a great morning for a walk into town and around the harbor.

We went to El Mariachi, a Mexican food truck, and ordered lunch to go.  We took our grilled chicken bowls to the beach.  It was a bright and sunny day with some wind.  We sat again in the protection of the dunes.  We each took turns walking along the water.

There was a portion of the beach that is still closed because of nesting turtles.

We spent some quiet time this afternoon and did some small chores.

We had eggs for dinner and then drove out to the end of the island to watch the sun go down.  We walked to the edge of the sea.

1344 October 5, 2026 Ocracoke In October

The rain stopped early this morning.  It was a nice morning for a good 3 mile walk on the bike path.

We packed lunch and went to the beach.  The machines are still moving sand and trying to restore the dunes after last week’s storm.

We found a spot protected from most of the wind by a large dune.  We had our own mile of beach.  We sat and observed.  It was 70 degrees and very breezy.  The clouds hung leaden and heavy in the sky.  We watched squadrons of pelicans flying low along the breaking waves.  We watched a pair of osprey fishing, diving and then soaring with fish gripped tightly by talons.  We watched a sand crab hauling armloads of sand from his hole, skittish and wary as he went about his business.  Terns and sandpipers skittered about in the surf.  High tide encroached and the beach became narrow.

This evening, we went to Dajio for dinner.  We have always had excellent food and service and it is our favorite restaurant here.  We had savory and spicy tuna poke and crab empanadas followed by salads with farro and watermelon radish and butternut squash and beets with arugula.   

After dinner, we walked to the harbor and we saw glimpses of orange and pink.  We walked the pier and watched a glorious sunset.

Ocracoke in October is a little chillier.  The weather is unpredictable.  It is also less crowded; operates at a slower more relaxed pace.  The beaches are wide open and it’s great fun to take the Jeep and ride along the water.  For us, autumn is the perfect time to enjoy this old fishing village.

1343 October 4, 2026 Across The Water

I started the day with a good walk.

We packed up the RV and headed for the ferry terminal.  We took the 10am ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke.  It was cloudy and the sea was calm.

We arrived at Jerniman’s Campground at lunchtime.  The rain began as we backed into our site.  We will be here for a week. 

The rain persisted as the afternoon progressed.  We did take a ride through town and then out onto the beach.

Salad and salmon cakes for dinner and then a quiet evening.

 1342 October 3, 2026 Day 2 Hatteras Island

We needed to wash clothes.  We planned to use the laundry at the campground but the washers were out of order.  We used the RV washer and schlepped wet clothes to the campground dryers…a minor inconvenience.

Once everything was washed and put away, we drove out to the beach with our lunch.  It was cloudy and breezy and perfectly pleasant for wave watching.

This evening, we went to Hatteras Sol for a delicious meal. Tim had barbecued salmon and I had shrimp and grits…outstanding dinner! Afterward, we drove to the beach and though it was cloudy and rainy, we sat in the Jeep and watched the birds diving into the surf.

1341 October 2, 2026 Hatteras Island

We left Cape Charles and drove though the Chesapeake Bay Bridge Tunnel.  I think that this is one of the more intense drives that we take.  Tim had both hands on the wheel as he drove surely and carefully through the tunnel portions.  Tractor trailers were coming from the opposite direction and everyone needed to be on their best behavior. 

We stopped at Morris Farms for some produce and a pumpkin for the RV.

We stopped for fuel and we were excited to see that fuel prices were a little less in North Carolina…only $6.29 a gallon for diesel…woohoo!

We made one last stop for groceries and supplies before entering the Outer Banks.

We had to wait several minutes for the one-way traffic to pass on the now repaired one lane road at the Pea Island Visitor Center.  It is amazing that this small section of highway caused such disruptions to residents and visitors.  Only days ago, the barrier islands were in a state of emergency requiring the usage of an emergency ferry to get people off the Outer Banks.  It is also amazing that the NCDOT team was able to do the work to re-open the road in such a short period of time. 

We arrived at Hatteras Sands Campground at 3:30. By 4:30, we had packed a cooler and we were taking the air out of the Jeep tires.  We took the access road and drove out onto the beach.  Food always tastes better when we enjoy it outside…but eating dinner on the beach takes that experience to the next level!

We finished our meal and then drove to the end of the island.  We got out and walked the beach as the sun went down.