Monday, October 6 - Day 19

Atlantic Beach, NC, barrier island off Morehead City, NC

What a great day! Little did we know that we would ever return to MC. Lisa and I and my son, David, went on a true scuba diving adventure with Olympus Dive Center out of MC years ago, in the 90's I think. We went 26 miles off shore into the Atlantic and dived on a German U boat which had been sunk by the Coast Guard in WWII. It was in 120 ft of water and was a life memory. Back to the present.

After Lisa had her farewell beach comb this morning, we drove north on highway 17 around Wilmington, then Camp LeJeune, to MC. We stopped as always in the first Visitors Center for info. Ironically the most dour person we have met on our travels was the Visitor Center info lady. Nary a smile or greeting, frowning monosyllabic answers with no follow up info, not even the offer of a map. Hates yankees, I guess.

We found a good deal at a beachside hotel in Atlantic Beach called Seahawk Inn and Villas. We have spent a couple hours on the beach and in the water already today. Lisa tried hard to get an action photo of the birds diving into the surf for fish. Speaking of that, we need to hunt up a good fish dinner for tonight. Larry, note: I found more peach brandy and even peach whiskey. I am seated at a table, looking out over our second floor balcony, about 100 feet from the pounding surf. It is a very bright, sunny, 72 degree day.

A few hours later now. We had a swim in the motel pool, quite cold, compared to the ocean. Found a nice place to eat on the island, Channel Marker. We ate on the outdoor deck and could see a couple dolphins cavorting in the inlet. I had a very rich shrimp and grits and Lisa had shrimp mac and cheese. A good time was had by all.

Photos: 1 - 2 Dave practicing karate; 3 - Dave practicing Tai Chi; 4 - birds; 5 - pelican splash getting dinner; 6 - view from hotel room - Seahawk Inn; 7 - saw this in downtown Atlantic Beach; 8 - almost a full moon; 9 - Dave's shrimp and grits; 10 - Lisa's shrimp mac and cheese