To the Hatteras Light

 September 18, 2024

Slept well but after eating breakfast we spoke with the desk about the air conditioning.  After a visit from the maintenance guy, they determined it would not be fixable. There was some water in the floor near the window and air unit; so we think that was what shorted out the unit.  So, we moved down the hall about 4 rooms and settled in.  The sun was trying to come out and we decided to head south to the Hatteras Lighthouse for lunch and a stop somewhere along the way for Ben to get a touch of the “wild” coast.

 

The water had washed sand across Rt. 12 not from the ocean but from standing rainwater along the road.  The heavy equipment was out pushing sand off the roads – I bet they move that sand around every time there is a storm.   

Trucks, bulldozers clear the road 

Numerous places with standing water

Nice drive to Buxton and surprise there was scaffolding around the entire lighthouse!  They were sandblasting it, would point any areas in need of care, and will then paint it.  They are 9 months into the project according to a workman Jane spoke with.  Looks like they are ¾ of the way down with the sandblasting and expect to continue work for 2 years longer.  Very interesting to see all the scaffolding on the lighthouse.  

First View of Lighthouse

View from the museum side

We visited the gift shop and museum before heading to locate the good restaurant we remembered from our last visit here. But we did not recall the name and it did not pop up on Jane’s Trip Advisor.  We finally found – Diamond Shoals – minute we went in the door we remembered it!   Jane had crab – tomato – basil bisque and some fish bites.  Ben had an oyster basket.  Very good food.  

excellent crab soup

fish bites

 

Driving back north we stopped at one of the beach access sites and climbed the dune to see the “wild” ocean as Ben calls it.  Very hard going up the dune in soft sand but we made it.  Nice beach but a steep climb to see it.  

Climbing in soft sand is hard

Wild beach

As far as the eye can see...

We headed on back to our hotel for some beach viewing.  Day cleared up nicely.  Ben likes his status with Comfort Inn's.  He has a spot right next to the door for parking and has a great discount on rooms.  His points all come from his stays while on the job with his inspections - this year mostly in West VA. 

Jane made 3 restaurant selections for our next 3 nights.  First one Collingswood Café -very highly rated – got there all reservations full so we made one for tomorrow night.  Second one Awful Arthur’s Oysters -closed on Tuesday and Wednesday – so moved on to third – Beachcombers TiKi Hut which was at the Ramada right next to our hotel.  It was interesting as it was outdoor beach view informal bar type place.  We were seated and ordered some duck Rangoon for starters.  Good but not excellent.  Then Ben had crab cakes and Jane had shrimp tacos.  The tacos were good, the crab cakes not so much. 

Fish Tacos

Crab Cakes

It was a fun evening people watching.  Next to us was a table of two young couples with 7 children all under the age of 7 or 8.  They were all remarkably well behaved until they weren’t.  Guess they had their limit.  Have to hand it to those parents to come to the beach with that group of children!