Update 47 Hubert NC

Update 47  Hubert NC  Dec. 5-8

The place I wanted to stay to explore this part of the outer banks closed Dec. 1st.  So I took a place called Hawkins Creek in Hubert, which is really just south of Jacksonville, NC and the Lejeune Marine Base.
When I called for a reservation the man at the other end of the phone said he was the mailman, but he would write it down. I'm not sure I heard him correctly.

The day we left Rodanthe, hoping for somewhere warmer, the sun shone brightly.

We drove south  around the Alligator River Wildlife Refuge.  A creek like body of water flowed next to the road. The scrub bushes of the beach gave way to trees and the swampy lands. 

We  passed several houses with snow on their roofs. The sun was out, but it was still cold!  The road conditions were good, but we were the only people out here. I think we only saw a couple of cars in over 50 miles. What we didn't expect this close to the coast were field upon field of farm land that looked like it produced cotton and tobacco.

We were looking for a gas station too.  We had bought diesel in western North Carolina for $3.23.  Most of the station since then advertised diesel at $3.15 and up.  Waiting to see if South Carolina was cheaper would be pushing it too far. So we gave in and bought it at $3.15.   We will later discover that South Carolina runs $2.98 to about $3.06.

 Hawkins Creek RV sits tucked in behind mobile and modular home park and one really nice home. Just beyond the main gate to Camp Lejune Marine Base you turn down two side streets, follow two questionable roads and enter the RV Park.  A big sign says find a spot and someone will come to collect money.  We drove around looking at this dumpy RV Park.  Finally we found the only place big enough to fit us comfortably. I had receive a voice mail earlier in the day but didn't check it until we had arrived in Hawkins Creek RV. The caller left no identifying information. When my return call went to voice mail, I explained that I didn't know who called, but I was returning the call.  Almost immediately my phone rang and the man from Hawkins Creek was wondering when we would be in. I said we were here.  His response: "Gol, durn!  You here already? Where are ya'?" We gave him the site number. "Oh, I see ya now.  That's right where you're suppose to be. I'll be over in a minute".  I knew he wanted cash money so were ready.  Cheap rate.  Cash only.  No receipt. No paper work.  (grins)  I was glad we only had this night and one other.

The house was the only one of its kind in the neighborhood. A large RV is next to the house.

From this site we explored the Crystal Coast, the Barrier Islands, in this part of the state.  Driving east we passed the cute community of Swansboro. We assume that with this community just a few miles from Camp Lejeune Marine Base, military families and government workers probably live here.

Cedar Point lies across the bridge from Swansboro. In Emerald Isle I spotted the RV park I'd hope to say at....much nicer than our current place.

Brightly painted homes towering over the road from their stilted foundations caught our attention as did several gated condo communities. I'm not sure what happened to this photo, but I may have taken it as we rounded a corner.

In most parts of the Crystal Coast the land looks about six blocks in width. At a couple of places the island narrows to allow just a house on each side of the road. One house faces the intracoastal waterway, the other faces the ocean.

Mobile home parks or individual mobile homes filled some spaces.  One resort rented only mobile homes in their park. All along the island Regional Public Access to the beach appeared with parking.  Nice to see!

Pine Knoll Shores looked upscale with beautifully landscaped entries.  Large complexes of condos stood behind addresses like Sea Spray, Southwinds, Sea Dreams, Island Quay, etc. The huge homes that sat up on their stilted bases and faced the ocean didn't block the view of the homes across the street as happens  in most places.

In Pine Knoll Shores a second dune considerably higher than the one on the ocean front, places these home higher than their neighbors with beachfront.

Atlantic Beach provided the largest city on the island. Several big name hotels located here. Shopping malls, strip malls, gift shops and a hospital filled in space between the hotels, motels, condos and homes. A Lutheran church stood out, since I hadn't seen one for quite a while.

North of Atlantic Beach on the tip of the island rests Fort Macon, one of the few forts built of brick.  In 1862 it provided a Union Artillery base for the Civil War. It was too cold to stop and visit.  The daytime temperature today is 38 degrees with a strong wind, and thus a wind chill factor making it even colder! Brrr. A large Coast Guard Station sits next to the fort. Large ocean freighter-size Coast Guard ships waited at the dock for an emergency.

We crossed the bridge to Morehead City.  Sunlight bounced off the glistening white sides of the fishing fleet. From here we crossed another Intracoastal Waterway onto Cedar Island. The town of Beaufort sign told us the city first was established in 1709.

 Cedar Island's motto states: Gateway to the Outer Banks. From the south end of the island a ferry takes visitors to Cape Lookout National Seashore.  From the north end of the island, a ferry takes visitors to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We could have taken the RV via ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island, driven down the island to the city of Oracoke Intracoastal Waterway onto Cedar Island. The town of Beaufort sign told us the city first was established in 1709.  Cedar Island's motto states: Gateway to the Outer Banks. From the south end of the island a ferry takes visitors to Cape Lookout National Seashore.  From the north end of the island, a ferry takes visitors to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We could have taken the RV via ferry from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island, driven down the island to the city of Oracoke and then ferried here to Cedar Island. We decided to drive around, and we're glad we did. We enjoyed the inland views and the back roads. About a mile from the northern ferry dock we passed a general store and deli with a large sign on the fence. The sign read: Last clean bathrooms before the end of the island.

People both here and on the mainland either had no Christmas decorations or very few. Others seem to over decorate. It was not uncommon to see a nativity scene, 3-4 inflatable Santa displays, reindeer, snowmen, lights, etc. etc. all in one yard. The yards looked like an after Christmas clearance sale.

Along the way to the city of Cedar we passed by an assortment of home styles. Some people lived in the large plantation style homes. Other homes were small home with wood siding.  Neat and tidy brick homes, modular homes and mobile homes appeared along the way.  A few dilapidated homes barely stood on their foundations.

We passed the small blip of a town called Sealevel and another called Snug Harbor.  Snug Harbor offered Luxury Retirement Living on Nelson Bay for Active Adults over 55 years of age. It seemed somewhat appropriate that right next door to the retired community, a modern large pharmacy sat in this remote place. Then next to the pharmacy was the hospital and large medical center.

Somewhere on our way out to the tip of the island we rounded a curve and there in the creek were a flock of brown pelicans. Derrille pulled over for my photo op.  We could just hear the locals who zipped around us say, "Look at those crazy people from Washington, photographing pelicans!"

The marines have a landing zone area on Cedar Island. We had seen them doing maneuvers with their helicopters.  While in the area we had also observed them with a flying machine that has the propellers tipped upward above the cockpit on the fuselage. Derrille said these Tilt Rotor Aircraft, the Osprey perform helicopter like maneuvers. We could have swung up to Silverdale before returning home,  but chose to head back.

Goodbye North Carolina!

Next:  Myrtle Beach, South Carolina