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.

Outer Banks, Part 3: Ocracoke Village

While Anne and I were staying with family on Hatteras Island, we took a day trip to Ocracoke, probably the cutest and most interesting place in the whole Outer Banks. I've always been fascinated with Ocracoke, how remote it is, its laid-back, Key-West-type vibe, it's wild history as a WWII hotspot and a colonial-era pirate hangout.

Our journey began in Hatteras with a ferry ride that took us across the Pamlico Sound, followed by a short drive down the island to Ocracoke Village, which is situated at the very southern tip. All of Ocracoke Island, except for the village, is owned by the National Park Service, which means that it's as remote and pristine as you could hope for it to be. Nothing but dunes and grasses, and glimpses of the sea in between.

Our first stop, once in the village, was at Dajio, for a delicious seafood lunch. Then we explored: we went all the way around Silver Lake harbor and meandered some of the village's shady, unpaved lanes, poking our heads into the shops we passed. Our favorites were the Village Craftsman and the Ocracoke Community Store, a handmade art co-op featuring local artisans. A blackboard outside the latter proclaimed that a local resident was turning 90 that day -- the man himself was sitting on the porch to accept birthday wishes from passers-by, who rode by on bikes or in rented golf carts. (The streets on the island are narrow and mostly unpaved, and so those are the preferred ways of getting around; it's not really a car-friendly place).

We also paid a visit to the famous wild Banker pony pasture outside of town, but as it was 90+ degrees, the ponies themselves had decided to hunker down in their shelters for shade, like any smart mammal would. We didn't get to see as many as we wanted and we definitely didn't get any good photos of them. But as my 13-year-old cousin, child of the internet age, reminded me, I could just Photoshop them in to the pics we did get. (Sadly, my skills aren't quite up to that yet.) So...

This is the part you should definitely read if you are thinking about visiting Ocracoke: With the tourist season in full swing, and the waters in the Pamlico shoaling up as a result of recent storms, the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry ride can take a little more time than anticipated. Wait times to get on one of the three free ferries can be upwards of two hours, and the ride, which is supposed to take 40 minutes, is actually more like an hour. My advice is to get there early, when the ferry opens at 5 AM, or else wait until the afternoon to cross and stay overnight on the island. I wish somebody had told us before we tried it -- we could have saved a lot of time (and sanity -- there's only so many times you can sing your toddler the "What do you do with a drunken sailor?" song before you feel like you might lose it).

But I would have done it all over again for the sight of the beautiful Ocracoke beaches. Stay tuned for the fourth (and final, and my favorite) installment of our OBX trip for more on that.