Away - Family, Reunion and to the Beach

September 20,21 and 22, 2019

Kingsport to Durham to Hunting Island

We left Kingsport and headed up I 81 and then turned east and south to Durham for a short visit with son Jeff and his family.  Lots of catching up, good food, and a movie filled Friday evening.  On Saturday we headed to the NC State Golf Club in Raleigh for the annual reunion of Ben's college friends.  A good time was had by all those in attendance, We missed several folks not there for health reasons.  The crew has certainly all gained lots of gray hair!  

H2 Friends for over 50 years - l to r Bowie Gray, Stanley Smith, Gene Hendrickson, Tom O'Bryant, Ben Harris, and seated Buck Pickard

 We headed back to Durham for more visiting - it is amazing how our little grandson has become a teenager - does not seem possible.  Also seems impossible but no photos were taken - grandmother falling down on the job!

Sunday am we left Jeff’s in Durham about 9:15 and headed east and south to Hunting Island.  The trip was primarily on Interstates 40 and 95 until we reached the exit to Beaufort SC.  We listened to the remaining half of a Stone Barrington mystery and had a quick taco lunch at The Sombrero Restaurant at South of the Border.  South of the Border is about as I remembered it from several years ago – a tourist trap that has past its prime.  Forty years ago it was an in place – not so much now.  The restaurant was in good repair and had nice furnishings and tile work – so someone cares for it – the food was OK. Nothing special but it was not bad.

Ben wanted tacos

We arrived in Beaufort and made our way out to Hunting Island.  Only thing I noticed different from last time we were here was a new WalMart Shopping Center the last thing before you leave St. Helena Island for the 15 or so miles of not much till you reach the barrier islands – just the way we like it!

Hunting Island Campground was in better shape than I was expecting.  Before the Hurricane that almost destroyed it several years ago the camp store/office was in the middle of an about 250 site campground.  Now the camp store/office is about 100 yards from the beach – half the campground is gone.  It is very obvious how many trees are gone.  We always camped on the loops that are gone – I remembered the area where the main campground is now as very wooded.  From where I am sitting typing this – I can see 8-10 huge stumps and that is only 3 campsites.  We are on the second row from the main road and can see the waves breaking beyond the camp store.   The bath house is not far – one campsite away but it is a berm not a site so we have no really close neighbors. Getting the sprinter set up is going OK.  We have not been camping in nearly 2 years so it is taking a bit longer than it did 2 years ago!

Had planned a hot roast beef sandwich for dinner and all went well – nothing forgotten.  The TV and computer system worked and Ben was able to find us a session of As Time Goes By from his hard drive of shows….some reading and out like a light for some very good sleeping.

View towards ocean - this area no longer active campsites