“The ocean stirs the heart, inspires the imagination, and brings eternal joy to the soul.”
It was a cold, very windy morning in Blacksburg, Virginia at 7:00 AM. We were excited to escape to the beach. Roger fueled the plane while I was doing other things to the plane to get ready for our departure. We then preflighted the plane and departed at 8:00 AM. Although it was windy on the ground, it was smooth as silk at 7500 feet.
Today we were going to Manteo, North Carolina (Dare County Airport) (think Outer Banks: Nags Head, Kill Devil Hills). Manteo is home of my favorite airport. They treat you like family. (There is one other airport that’s equal to the treatment: Hot Springs, VA if you’re looking to go places where it’s fun and the people are phenomenal.)
As we were flying near our destination, we saw white, choppy waves. We were seeing the white waves even though we were at 7500 feet. We had made the trip in record time: just short of 2 hours. As I was preparing to land, Roger asked me if I wanted him to take over. Best decision I’ve made in a long time. The winds were super rough on our descent. It was like watching the taming of a bronco bull. But, Roger of course landed the plane surprisingly very smoothly.
The guys at the airport were very welcoming. I had called and asked for a car. They had it ready for us. They even started it, had it parked right outside, with the heat on. I always feel royal when I land there. I asked them to top my fuel. Then off we went. Today we came with a check list of places we wanted to go: the aquarium, Jockey’s Ridge, shopping, and of course a good restaurant with seafood.
We keep trying to pack a weekend into a day. But it’s all worth it.
First up was North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. Going to an aquarium is a very relaxing way to start a Saturday. In ways, it was like going to a different planet.
I’m giving you some sample shots, but the video with all the pics is below.
Very cool hammock store:
“Live your truth. Express your love. Share your enthusiasm. Take action towards your dreams. Walk your talk. Dance and sing to your music. Embrace your blessings. Make today worth remembering.”
― Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience