Outer Banks, Part 4: Ocracoke Beach

By the end of our day in Ocracoke Village, all of us were feeling tired and hot and worn out. We had another long ferry ride ahead of us, and were eager to get back to the landing to beat the crowd, and back to our rooms to bask in the glorious air-conditioning. So we almost didn't stop by the beach while we were on the island. But it seemed silly to visit and not even see them, so we pulled off the road in a fit of spontaneity, found a cut in the dunes, and followed the sound of the crashing waves until we came to the beach.

I'm really glad we stopped, because the Ocracoke beaches are probably the most beautiful beaches I've ever seen. In fact, they routinely make the list of top 10 beaches in America, and were named America's #1 best beach in 2007. I don't profess to be a great photographer, but looking at the photos I took the day we went, I think you can figure out why. Acres of golden sand (the Ocracoke beaches are WIDE beaches), water in all shades of blue and green, with shaving-cream whitecaps roaring in almost on top of one another (the Ocracoke beaches are also LOUD. The crashing surf, and all that).

And no people. The Ocracoke beaches (which span the whole eastern side of the island) are federally protected, which means no buildings (though there is a campsite and a lifeguarded beach toward the southern end of the island). There was nary even any a footprint on the sand, and only a few boats on the horizon and a few dune buggies way way off let us know we hadn't been accidentally shipwrecked on a deserted island. It felt like we were the only people for miles (maybe we were?)

We had all brought swimming gear with us, but we didn't end up swimming. It felt like enough to walk and explore. We waded, we jumped the waves, we collected shells (there were heaps of perfect untouched specimens), we found a tone of little coves and hollows in the dunes. We collected sea glass. And then we just sat for a while and stared out and out at the waves.

Next time we go, we're doing it right. Lawn chairs, a cooler of drinks, umbrellas, sunshades, toys, a good book (or two, or three). And we'll spend the whole day. If a scant hour on the beach can make me smile as I think of it two weeks later, a whole stretch of them together might alter my mood permanently.