Parks and Paths

Our last day on the Outer Banks!  We went as far south as we could go on the OXB to Hatteras.  To go further we would have had to take a ferry to Ocracoke Island.  We received a warning on our phones regarding a 12:30 p.m. detonation of a WWII era bomb on the Seashore near the Cape Hatteras lighthouse today, and to avoid that area. 

After passing the Pea Ridge National Wildlife Refuge (where our Tues. drive ended) we saw more beach houses and a few condos.  There were several campgrounds too.  Before we got to the Wildlife Refuge we saw that poor excavator, again scooping up the sand on the road side of the dunes and depositing it on the ocean side.  A never ending job.

In Hatteras we went to The Graveyard of the Atlantic museum.  Pat thought there would be more on the ship wrecks, and there was some, as well as displays on diving equipment throughout the years, and it was free.  We took the boardwalk across the road to the ocean lined with fishermen and lots of waves.

Diamond Shoals Light ship bell

1854 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Fresnel Lens

On Hatteras Island, near Frisco, is the Frisco UFO Spaceship.  It was originally 1 of 100 Futuro Houses built in the 60/70's as vacation homes.  Popular photo spot.

Lunch was at The Buxton Munch Co. in Buxton. Good thing this is our last day or I would make Pat go back there (it's 1 1/2 hours from our camp ground).  We shared a fish taco platter.  It was more than enough for the two of us and delicious!!  We loved the fish tacos at Coastal Grill in Galveston.  I didn't think any could top those, but I think this did.

We stopped at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.  It protects one of the most hazardous sections of the Atlantic Coast.  Due the hundreds or thousands of shipwrecks it is known as The Graveyard of the Atlantic.  

My Mom was born in 1919 in Buxton, but Buxton, "Iowa," Monroe County, camp #18.  Buxton, IA was historical as it was a harmonious, racially integrated coal mining camp, at a time when racial tolerance was the exception.  My grandpa and great-grandpa were coal miners.  My Grandpa Johnson died when my Mom was in her early 20's, from what was most likely black-lung disease.

This end of the OBX is popular with fishermen and wind surfing.  We stopped at one of the spots where we saw the wind surfers and I counted over 30.  There was a warning about high power lines.

"The Spot" in Kill Devil Hills was our final stop.  We had smoothies from here yesterday too.  Today I got a "Spotastic" and Pat got the "No Swell."

My smoothie was strawberries and bananas with almond milk.  Not sure what Pat's was but we both thought it resembled pumpkin pie.