With Camden being a bit skittish around the breaking waves of the Atlantic, we decided to try a sound-side sandy beach on our first morning in Avon. Canadian Hole turns out to be popular with windsurfers, kids, and you guessed it, mosquitoes. We were told by another brave family that as long as we stayed in the water, the bugs wouldn't find us. Which was true, but it was a bit chilly for sitting at the edge of the water. Camden again enjoyed the sand and the activity, and as the morning burned off, so did the mosquitoes. OK-won't mention the bugs anymore. Besides, they really got better from here on out.
After Camden's 3+ hour nap (& Michelle's somewhat shorter nap) we headed out to see the Hatteras Lighthouse. The lighthouse was moved inland to its current location, about 8 football fields away from its former site. I was impressed to learn that the former foundation had already sunk 8 feet into the sand prior to the move in 1999, yet visitors were still making the climb. Our friend Christian remembers running up and down the stairs with her younger siblings during many summers on Hatteras. The same federal dollars that financed the move have also instituted new safety regulations, scheduled tours, and age restrictions. So we weren't able to make the climb up with the kiddo, but the structure is nonetheless impressive from the ground. The candy-stripe design is also my favorite among those of the NC lighthouses.
It was our first time trying out a hiking backpack, and Camden seemed to enjoy the ride. After viewing the lighthouse, we took a late afternoon walk on the beach there. Camden may have missed the "Cahs" on the beach, but we didn't. This was our favorite Hatteras beach.
Heeding John's (our OBX landlord's) advice, we went to check out a local restaurant, The Mad Crabber, for dinner. Steamed local blue crab with Old Bay, local Spanish Mackeral, boiled cajun potatoes and french fries for Camden--it was delicious! We were surprised when the crab were served un-cleaned since we're both more familiar with Dungeness & Red Rock, which Michelle's grandpa prefers to clean on the beach before cooking. Our stomachs were bigger than Camden's, so we ended up taking home a crab each that we enjoyed back home.
One more adventure for the evening--the Avon Pier. The shifting sands of the OBX, and possibly a few hurricanes, have bent the boards of the pier to look like the waves of the ocean. There were maybe 100 apparently novice fishermen on the pier, throwing back their poles with each cast, making us jump around and even throw ourselves in front of Camden on occasion. One near catch, a string ray!
Camden in the giant bathtub...
A beautiful day, and a beautiful sunset.
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