We just got home from our vacation on Atlantic Beach. I have to blame Christy for this one, she picked out this destination in March. We had talked for years about going to the outer banks, and Emily has been begging to go to the beach for a couple of years now. So this week long get away was perfect.
We were a little unsure as to how Ella would travel at just a year old, for a 7 and half hour trek. But she really did well. Of course that 7 and a half hour trip quickly turned in to 9 hours, but that’s ok too. Once we arrived we quickly unloaded the car and headed to the beach. None of us knew what to expect once Ella got to the beach, Emily was not a fan her first time. But Ella loved it. She began to scream as soon as she saw the waves crash in. She also laughed as the water came over her feet with the tide, it was all a perfect first experience for her.
I looked at the surrounding area on google maps before we ever left home, and knew we had a pier next to the Inn we were staying at. So of course, I had to attempt an early morning sunrise picture. I had never tried sunrise photography before so I was excited, but really wanted to nail a shot too. I was very happy with what I got. The first one to your left was take before the sunrise, at around 5:30. It was a 35 second exposure at 17mm, f11. With a longer exposure the sky reflected on the sand which caused the blue cast, with the white balance set for the incandescent lights on the pier so that the wood would be correct. Of course with the long exposure the waves blurred together to make for the soft look of the water. The one in the header above, was taken once the sun had rose a bit at 5:55, 1/6 of a second at 24mm and f11. I think that is my favorite of the two. The colors were beautiful, and I am very happy with the captures.
By the third day we were ready to head out in hopes to see the Wild Spanish Mustangs of Shackleford Banks. These horses are descendants of Spanish horses that landed there from a Spanish shipwreck hundreds of years ago. They offer a glimpse in to how wild horses survived before they were domesticated. They survive completely on what they find on the nine mile island. They dig holes in the sand some 3 feet deep for fresh water. They are protected by the state and the only thing man does for these horses is vaccinations to further protect them. There are over 100 horses on this island. They truly are a thing of beauty and I was so caught up in seeing them, I didn’t really pay much attention to my camera, so I only got a couple of shots, this one at a little wider angle to show the number we saw on the beach. The ferry we were traveling in also offers service for a drop off on the island, but with no shelter and no shade, it would prove to be a rough couple of hours on a 1 year old. So we elected to just view the horses from a distance, and perhaps visit the island again once Ella is older.
After the stop at Shackleford, we were on our way to Cape Lookout. We didn’t think there would be much to offer on the island other than a tour of the lighthouse, and some searching for seashells along the beach. So we had the ferry scheduled to come back for us in a couple of hours. That was a huge mistake. We could have easily spent a full day at Cape Lookout. The lighthouse is beautiful and the history is grand. We all enjoyed our visit, and Emily accidentally learned some stuff on her summer break by interviewing a Ranger as part of her Junior Ranger requirements. Emily and I also climbed the 207 steps to the top of the lighthouse which reveled a beautiful panoramic view to us. It didn’t take us but about 5 minutes to climb to the top, and that was with stops at every window to feel the cool breeze flowing in. Emily said it was the highlight of the trip.
Christy wanted a family portrait taken here, so we had to scout out a spot quickly to make our scheduled tour. It was around 11:15 when I started taking the pictures. So the sun was harsh, but we did the best we could. I set up the camera and framed my shot, then set the timer to go off in 20 seconds. Seemed easy enough, but with the sun glaring down on us, the 90 degree heat, and a baby that got understandably fussy with a little too much exposure. I only got a chance at 2 shots. Also, it’s hard to look cool and refreshed when you are pouring the sweat. So this portrait is the best I got. It is not the best in the world, but it’s us at a National Landmark… A great capture to document our visit for our National Parks scrapbook.
Once we left Cape Lookout, it was on to Fort Macon. We stopped by the evening before to kind of just scout around, and check the hours of operation in hopes of see a reenactment. Unfortunately none were scheduled. But, what we did see excited us enough to definitely come back for a grander tour. The Fort is a beautiful park, hard to believe there was so much beauty in a place built for war. But the lines, the grounds, the glowing green grass against the brick, and the American flag flying above it on a white pole was truly just a thing of beauty. Emily wanted to cover every square inch of it, and I believe we did. If anything I think it has sparked her curiosity more in visiting our National and State Parks. I think, thats a pretty cool thing and I look forward to our next adventure together.
Once again thanks for visiting and reading my wasted space on the web.