1285 October 14, 2025 Looking For Sunshine!

Thankfully we were able to get off the ferry in Cedar Island.  The RV park that we intended to stay at was less than a mile from the ferry terminal.  GPS took me to the right and fortunately, Tim was not directly behind me.  Tim found the campground entrance and pulled in.  It was very dark.   There was no one at the office and we were going to have to book online.   There were no lights and there was no signage to guide us.  We stumbled upon some waterview full hookup sites but they were pricey.  After getting out to walk around, we noted that many of the campground roads had large puddles and soft spots.  In an abundance of caution, elected to use the available pull through.

Tim didn’t feel well.  He had a headache and felt unbalanced…I believe that he had some seasickness.  He was in bed by 8pm.

The wind once again pummeled us.  Tim got up sometime in the middle of the night, started the engine and pulled the bid dining room slideout in. 

In the morning, it was misty and grey and the wind was still whipping.  I slept late and Tim was already out walking when I got up.  In any other weather this would have been a very cool place to stay.  There is equestrian camping here and people come with their horses to walk the miles of beach trails.

Our goal today was to find sunshine and to escape the wind.  We headed south Down East on the Crystal Coast.

We traveled through a marshy National Wildlife Refuge and it was beautiful.

We drove past Tony’s Sanitary Fish Market in Morehead City.  Our family used to vacation at Atlantic Beach and Tony’s Fish Market was a favorite.  I remember that the hushpuppies were amazingly delicious.  Back in the day, the servers would bring us heaping baskets full of hushpuppies and when they were gone, they would bring us more! 

We moved further south past Newbern and then further still to Holden Beach.  We stayed here years ago.  Today, we were lucky to find a site right along the beach near the pier.  The pier was badly damaged in a storm but the campsites are available through the town hall.  This was the view out our front door!

All of the windy and consequently noisy nights had taken a toll on me and I desperately needed a nap.  When I woke after 4pm, we hopped on our bikes and rode to the bridge.

We went to Castaways for dinner. 

This mural is a picture of Wilson from the Tom Hanks movie.

We tried to drive to the end of the island to watch the sunset but the end of the island is a private and gated community…boo!

We walked out onto the beach instead.  It was a lovely evening…warm and NO WIND!!! The waves lapped gently at the shoreline. It is hard to believe that this is the same ocean.

We spent a long time this evening making future reservations. We had assumed that because it was not the high season, that it would be easy to find places to stay. We were wrong and so we decided to plan ahead so that we can visit the parks we know we want to stay. We are booked now until October 27th.

1284 October 13, 2025 Ferry Finally!

We woke up and it was not raining!  The wind speeds were less than 20mph.  Maybe today would be the day that we could finally leave the island!  At 7am and again at 7:30am we heard the bellowing of the ferry horn as the early departures made their way out of the harbor. 

Tim drove the Jeep into town to see if the road was walkable.  The streets in town were flooded but the first mile of the bike path was dry.  Tim set out first and I stayed behind to prep the RV for moving.  Then I set out.

I walked a mile and then as Tim reported, the path and the adjacent highway were covered by about 3 inches of water.  I walked back to the campground. 

At 11am, we drove the RV and the Jeep to the ferry terminal.  Our reservation was for 4:30 but when I checked in at the ticket booth, I was told that we could get on the 1pm ferry if we wanted to wait on standby.  At 12:35, they changed our reservation and sent us to get in line to board.  This was too good to be true…really…it was too good to be true!  Tim was in the RV and he watched the first cars get onto the ferry and he called me.  He was concerned that the ramp to get onto the boat was too steep and that he was going to drag bottom when he tried to board.  The ferry staff also saw that there was going to be a problem and they went out to measure the distance from the surface of the water to the bulkhead.  High tide was at 1:40pm and today, the wind was coming from the north and pushing the tide, making the tide exceptionally high.  They could not allow us to board. We were so close!

We were sent to the parking area to wait along with another large RV.  Eventually, they were able to change our reservation for the later ferry.  We had 3 hours to kill.  I wanted lunch and I walked into town and found that every place was closed today.  I went back to the RV and fixed a sandwich. 

We waited and waited and finally, it was time to board.  Looking at the water level in the harbor, we were skeptical.  We had already decided that if we needed to stay another night, we would go back to Dajio for dinner!

They had me take the Jeep on first and then they were going to try our motorhome.  I watched anxiously as Tim drove up and onto the boat with inches to spare.  We were promised that they would be able to get us off at Cedar Island but if they can’t, we get to spend the night on the boat! 

We enjoyed our dinner as we watched the waves in the sound.  There are no whitecaps and it has been a relatively smooth journey. 

There is an RV park right at the Cedar Island Ferry Terminal where we will stay for the night.  Tomorrow, we plan to head south along the coast!

1283 October 12, 2025 Boring Day

After we settled for bed last night, the wind calmed down for a while before ramping up again.  The rain lashed us all night long.  This morning, the world was grey and flooded and the rain and wind just kept on coming.  The forecast for the day was for lots more of the same.  We checked at the ferry terminal and decided to rebook our tickets for Monday.  The only trip available for the RV and the Jeep was at 4:30. 

The whole day loomed before us gloomy and damp.  I found lots of small chores to keep me busy and I listened to a book for most of the day.  Tim really wanted to get out but his gym membership expired yesterday.  The streets were so flooded that even when the rain slowed, there was nowhere to walk.  He was restless and bored.

I really wanted to get out of the RV and I wanted to go out for dinner.  I was going whether he was or not…but we both agreed.  We went back to 1718 (which incidentally is the year that Blackbeard was killed) and had a good dinner and listened to good music.

A frog on the hood of a car as we walked left the brewery.

A couple of ferries were able to leave this afternoon for Swan Quarter but Cedar Island is flooded and so we shall see what happens overnight.  We are hopeful that tonight is truly our last night in Ocracoke!

Yesterday , in the blog, I forgot to tell the story of the eggs.  Tim thought that I left it out on purpose but really I did forget!

I was making easy over eggs for dinner last night and I knew that Tim wanted more boiled eggs and so I simultaneously started a pot of 8 eggs boiling in some water.  I was putting away the olive oil and I bumped the stove cover for our induction stove.  The cover slipped and knocked the pot and the pan off the stove.  I caught the frying pan but the pot with the hot water and eggs went crashing to the floor.  Fortunately, the water was hot but not boiling…it splashed onto my feet.  5 of the 8 eggs broke in the fall and we had a soppy, eggy mess on the floor.  The pot is dented but the floor tiles are intact and the mess missed the carpet.  We worked together to get it cleaned up…I won’t ever do that again!

1282 October 11, 2025 Ferry Interrupted

We were supposed to leave Ocracoke today. It was raining this morning but the wind seemed to be fairly tame.  We decided to wait until later in the day to check the status of the Ocracoke to Cedar Island Ferry.  We had reservations for the 1pm passage.  At 9:30, I got a text saying the ferry service was interrupted because of the weather, a nor’easter moving up the coast.  All ferries were cancelled for the remainder of the day and ferry service would not resume until it is safe.

I drove to the ferry terminal to change our reservation.  We now have plans to leave at 4:30 tomorrow evening but looking at the forecast, that appears to be unlikely. 

Tim decided to brave the rain and wind and he walked into town and to the gym.  He did his workout and then called me and asked me to meet him at Dajio for lunch.  The fried oysters were amazing!

A moth on the screen at the restaurant.

We had a long and quiet afternoon.  We decided to take a drive at 2:30. We took an access road to the sound side.  There were white caps and it was windy but not too crazy.  

After about 6 miles, Route 12 was closed.  We later learned that the waves were splashing up and over the dunes and the northern end of the road was flooded with overwash.  The ocean was spilling onto the highway.

Then we drove out onto the beach.  We saw about 12 other cars and trucks.  There were a few hardy fishermen standing on the shore with lines in the water.  The ocean was rough and beautiful and powerful.

We ate eggs for supper.  We had thought we might go across the street to listen to music again tonight but it’s too nasty to be outside. 

The rain is currently pounding and driving and coming in sideways.  Looking at the weather radar, we appear to be in the yellow portion of the map, getting the heaviest rain. The wind speeds have risen and are currently at 33 with gusts to 46.  In the next hour, wind speeds will increase to 40 with gusts to  56.  The RV is rocking a little bit but not as bad as it has in the past in other storms.  We still have power which is pretty remarkable. 

We shall see what tomorrow brings.  We are keeping an eye on the forecast.  There is nothing to be done but to wait it out.  Tim thought to fill our fresh water tank and to dump our grey and black tanks.  We have plenty of food and water.  We are tucked into a campground where we have some protection from the wind and we are parked right next to another large RV and he is blocking wind for us as well.  We are warm and we are dry and we are only a little bit bored.  It is all part of our adventure!

1281 October 10, 2025 Ocracoke…Last Day???

We had no additional critters.  Is it possible that just one mouse caused so much chaos?  I spent much of the day scrubbing and organizing and putting things back.  I really sincerely hope that there was only one!

The day was cloudy and intermittently rainy and very windy.  We made the best of it.  Today is our last day in Ocracoke…we think!  There is supposed to be lots of rain and wind again tomorrow.  Hopefully the Cedar Island Ferry will be running as scheduled and we will leave at 1pm.  If the weather turns and we need to stay…then we can stay.  We have no future reservations or firm plans.  This place wouldn’t be such a bad place to be “stuck.” 

Tim started his walk and told me to meet him at Deja Brew for breakfast.

We met shortly before 11.  I had delicious overnight oats topped with blueberries and strawberries and honey.  I may have to try to recreate this!                                                                                                                                          

Tim walked back to the campground and I wandered through town.  I stopped in a few shops and then went to the seafood market for more shrimp and some scallops. The town is dressed for the season.

This afternoon, Tim braved the wind and rode his bike.  I stayed in and finished cleaning and did the last of the laundry.  I am so grateful that we were able to move to this full hookup site.  It was nice to be able to get everything washed in our own washer without having to use the park laundry.

Under leaden skies, we went for one last ride on the beach.  There were a few fishermen out but the weather really wasn’t conducive to beach time today.

This evening, we went across the street to 1718 Brewing.  We had excellent chicken chimichangas.  Tim enjoyed a dark stout and I had some tasty blackberry cider. 

Brooke and Nick played live music.  They have a quirky, catchy, positive vibe.  She played a cello and he played a ukelele.  They harmonized beautifully.  It was a really fun time!

1280 October 9, 2025 Windy Day

We settled for bed last night and not long afterward, the wind began to blow hard.  It was still blowing this morning, with windspeeds in the 30’s.  Tim got up and did his stretching.  We had no evidence of mice inside overnight.  Tim went outside to check the basement and we had caught a single mouse.  The question was: “Is this the only mouse?”  I spent the morning doing laundry…potholders and kitchen towels and blankets.  Tim went for his walk and to the gym and I washed all of the pots and pans and then set out for my walk.  I talked with my sister as I went. 

Tim called and said he was at Deja Brew if I wanted to join him for some breakfast.  There was this little bird that really wanted a bite of Tim’s breakfast burrito!

I finished my walk and did some more laundry. 

We went into town to get some fresh seafood for our dinner.  We brought home steamed shrimp.

This afternoon, we went to Springer’s Point Preserve to walk the trail to the beach.  We walked through marsh and under large live oak trees.

Tonight, we packed our steamed shrimp and other picnic food and we drove to the beach.  It was waaaayyyy to windy to eat at the beach!

We went to the Ocracoke Preservation Society Commons.  We were inland and more sheltered from the wind.

We drove the short distance to the boat ramp and watched the sunset from the Jeep.

1279 October 8, 2025 Mouse In The House

I had a great walk this morning even though it was misting and then a little more than misting.  I got to spend time talking to my mom and my Uncle Fred and Jen. 

I stopped at the grocery for a couple of things.  When I got back to the campground, Tim was pulling in the slideouts and getting ready to move to a full hookup site.  It was raining but we got resettled.  I saw this little green frog hopping in the grass.

Tim went to dump the tanks and I went to put water and tablets in and I saw that the toilet paper stored beneath the bathroom sink had been shredded…I immediately knew what that meant…mice!  I was hopeful that it was the only place that the mouse or mice might have been but that was NOT the case.  Suddenly our plans for the day were clear.  We removed everything from the lower cabinets in both bathrooms, and then from under the kitchen sink where they had also had a party and then all of the kitchen drawers had mouse poop…

Tim went to the hardware store for sticky traps.  I kept moving things and cleaning.  The mice had begun to create a nest under the couch in the living room.  They chewed one of my favorite blankets and left a mess.  Now we have stuff sitting on every available surface.  We hope to catch the little critters quickly.

We did pack a lunch and we drove to the northern end of the island.  We took the dirt access roads to the bayside and I was thinking we might have our picnic there but the mosquitoes drove us away.  We have seen a truck spraying in town but in the National Park areas, I am sure they do not spray.

We took Ramp 59 and found an isolated stretch of beach.  We ate lunch and then took turns walking along the shore.

It rained for a while this afternoon.

This evening, the RV was too torn apart to cook anything complicated and so we had eggs.

We went out after dinner to see if we could catch a glimpse of the sunset but it began to rain again.  We got out and sat under the cover at the tram station.  As we sat, the rain stopped and we could see color.  We walked to the deck at the ferry terminal to watch the sky.

1278 October 7, 2025 Dajio Again

Tim and I left for our walks at the same time.  He turned off to walk to the gym.

I walked to the harbor and back.

After lunch, we rode our bikes on the bike path.

This evening, we returned to Dajio.  We had another outstanding meal.  The shrimp and grits entrée was the best I have ever had.  Tim took my picture while I was chewing and refused a do-over saying that he liked the picture just the way it was…the real me.

We drove to the boat ramp to watch the sunset.  The couple we met on the beach last night rode up on their bikes and we chatted as we watched the sky change colors.

1277 October 6, 2025 Harvest Moon

I started my day with a another more than two mile walk into town.  The sea was calmer today and there was just a slight breeze.  The Carolina sunshine is still powerful at this time of year.  The walk felt good and I was motivated to ride my bike on the path.  I finished at just under 7 miles. I am still astonished that I can walk without foot pain…what an amazing feeling!  PT does work!

We went to Dajio’s in town for lunch.  I couldn’t decide what to eat and so I took the server’s suggestion.  We had terrific fish and shrimp tacos.

This evening, we packed a light picnic of tuna salad and crackers and apples and we headed out to the beach.  Beach fires are allowed but are restricted to certain areas.  We drove out and found the perfect spot.  We set up our chairs and Tim dug a hole for our fire.  Tim climbed the dunes to see the view.

We were a little disappointed when another couple made their way toward us.  They also set up to have a fire.  We saw the man go out into the ocean to get the requisite bucket of fire water but he had only a gallon jug.  Needless to say, he got very wet.  Then we heard him rummaging around in his vehicle for a long time.  Apparently, he had forgotten matches.  He came to our fire and asked if he could light a stick but this proved to be very difficult in the wind.  Finally, Tim offered him matches so that they could enjoy their fire as well. 

We ate our meal by our campfire and watched and waited for the moonrise.  At 6:19pm, the October Harvest Moon made its appearance behind a bank of clouds.  This is a Super Moon and it was gorgeous.  When there is a full moon, there are also king tides.  High tide came at 7:51 and fingers of ocean water reached within feet of our parked Jeep.

What an incredible evening.  This is absolutely one of my favorite things to do.  We were in a nostalgic mood and we listened to Neil Young sing Harvest Moon and then listened to James Taylor and lots of other old songs that we both know all of the words to.

The moonlight on the ocean waves, the scent of salt, the fire warmed sand between my toes, the soothing sound of waves in an endless ribbon…ahhhh!!!

1276 October 5, 2025 Beach Day

I started my day with a 2.25-mile walk from Jerniman’s to the ferry terminal and back to the campground. The forecast for today was mostly sunny with a high of 73 and a low of 71 and winds with gusts to 17mph.  Lots of people who come to the Outer Banks prefer Duck and Corolla…but this small and sleepy fishing village is our favorite place. 

Tim walked to the gym, did his workout there and then made a loop to the harbor and back.  We hopped on our bikes and rode the 3.4-mile bike path to the Ocracoke Day Use Area and then we biked back.

We packed a picnic lunch and went out to eat on the beach.

This evening, I grilled chicken and prepared quinoa bowls and we took our dinner back to the beach.  I love watching the waves and the drifting clouds and the birds.  We drove as far as we could to the end of the island and then got out and walked to the water’s edge to watch the sunset.

Unbeknownst to us, the people who had parked their Jeep next to ours, took some pictures and videos.  When we got back to the Jeep, the woman was able to airdrop the pictures to my iPhone…what a kindness!

The sky was still changing and beautiful as we drove back to town.