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In February 2001, we enjoyed a weekend at the Atlantis Lodge in Atlantic Beach, wandering around Swansboro and Beaufort.  The Lodge is really attractive, surrounded by the windswept trees and beach thicket that is fast disappearing.  The cuisine at the Beaufort Grocery Company was a delight.  It avoids all of the clichés that we expect to see at the beach, breaded fish with french fries and coleslaw.  Best food I've ever experienced at the beach.

November of 2000 we enjoyed a trip to the Atlantic Towers hotel.  The water was warm enough for kids to be swimming in the surf.  Enjoyed a Saturday cruise across the Cape Fear River to Southport and Brunswick Town.

In June of 1998, we started our visits to the southeast octant with a trip to New Bern. Southeast of the Research Triangle Park is a large chunk of North Carolina.  Included here are the towns of Goldsboro, New Bern, Jacksonville and Wilmington.  For a number of years now, we have visited some of the more reasonably priced motels in Atlantic Beach and campsites at Salter Path.  We did the Salter Path thing again recently and found the campground as sweet as it ever was.

Carolina Beach, then Fort Fisher
Feb. 23rd
 
 
Kay's Megan gets plenty of attention.
Linda and Dave
Nancy, Mary, Jane, Terry and Linda at Fort Fisher
Map of the Fort Fisher to Southport ferry trip.
Southport
Dosher Thrift store
Start of Southport trail
Northrup House Grand old Queen Ann
Brunswick jail
I used the new Sony GPS-CS1 to record our positions.
Examples of the excellent maps from the Sony server.
Street map of Southport
Satellite image of the area
Wilmington
Feb. 24th
Greenfield Park is a lovely 4-mile hike on a paved trail through moss laden trees.
White heron
The merry few
Followed by brunch at the Pilot House
Carolina Beach (thanks to Di Anna for her pictures)
Nov. 3rd, 2007
Di Anna and Jack
Other passengers to Southport
Carolina Beach, NC
Earl and Nancy
Passing cargo ship
Surf'sup since the hurricane passed by
North Carolina Museum of Art
June 9th, 2007
Thankfully, it was overcast when we started out.
Wind Machine (Volis Simpson)
Gyre
(Thomas Sayre)
Crossroads (Martha Jackson Jarvis) looks like an indian corn cob
Beth and new hiker Richard
Somebody forgot to put out the recycle.
Inside the Cloud Chamber for the Trees and Sky
Hiding in the shadows from the unbearable heat
Atlantic Towers at Carolina Beach
Afternoon of Oct. 6th, 2006
First we drive to the ferry to get the schedule and then...
Linda and I visit the new aquarium at Fort Fisher.
Brilliant tropical fish
Nancy, Earl and Linda
Jane and Jack
Evening we celebrate Jack's 60th birtthday.
Give Jack an Elvis mask and he hams it up.
Richard
Everybody wants to get into the act.
Linda and I tried on Monday to get reservations at the usual Atlantic Towers but no vacancy.
So we get a nice room at the more modern Golden Sands for a few bucks more ...and they have wifi too.
We have supper at the Ocean Grill at the Golden Sands.
Ferry to Southport
 
Oct. 7th, 10:45 am
Earl, Gabrielle, Nancy and Linda
Cargo ship passing Brunswick Town archeological site.
Adventurous gang
passing by remnants of a dwelling.
The tale of "King" Roger Moore, ca 1735
12:24 pm
Passing the mounds of Fort Anderson
Explorer Jack sporting sweetgum leaf
We make reservations at Fishy Fishy Cafe
Lily, Kay and Gabrielle perusing menus
DiAnna's picture of Earl, Linda, Dave, Jane
 
Kayaker amidst the yachts in Southport

 
J. Pearce House 1877-1893

 
Shopping with Linda and Jane

 
Jack and DiAnna on the return ferry
Richard and Jack fighting digital flash war!
Kids?
Cape Carteret, NC
June 30th, 2006
Arrived on Friday early
Harborlight Guest House
Bob Pickens and the dog that won't let go... of that ball
Daughter Deb arrives -  Wine and Cheese
A wonderful evening concert at Gallants Channel with NC Symphony Orchestra
Next morning brought an unbelievable French toast breakfast
Beaufort!
Lovely old Compass Rose
This wasn't the Beaufort we visited before.
We were enveloped in crowds of tourists.
Pirates lineup
Crowds in front of the museum
The place to eat is the Beaufort Grocery Co.
Gorgeous Harborlight Guest House
NC Museum of Art - House Creek Greenway Trail
May 27th, 2006
Curving around the Large Spindle Piece by Henry Moore
Wind Machine by Vollis Simpson
Musing at the Gyre by Thomas Sayre
"My, that is a big pile of brick!"  20,000 lbs!
"Crossroads" Martha Jackson-Jarvis made this slender, towering piece with broken-up bricks from the Polk Youth Correctional Facility
Woodland Trail
10:31 am
Steven Siegel created this site specific sculpture
"My, that is the biggest pile of newspaper I've ever seen."
Nick and friend cross shiny new bridge over House Creek.
We turn and see a snake sunning himself on the Prairie Trail.
Just how did Dave arrange a visit with a copperhead?
Museum Green Trail
10:57 am
From inside Trail Heads by Patrick Dougherty
Tom and Steph admiring the art
Blue Ridge Restaurant interior
Earl wants to make this a regular part of our hiking schedule.
Atlantic Towers, Carolina Beach
 
 
Feb. 17th, 2006
Our last visit here was in the year 2000.
We walk along the beach.
A surfer braving the icy waves.
Feb. 18th
 
 
 
Breakfast at the Old Pier restaurant.
The ferry didn't leave until 11:30 am.
Finally, boarded the ferry at Fort Fisher.
Southport!
Disappointment that our expected lunch place closed down.
We wandered aimlessly.
But we found the Fishy Fishy Cafe,
which proved to be an even better venue,
and pelicans, too.
Earl bemoans the loss of the old oaks.
Jane and Mary enjoy the view from the gazebo in the salt marsh.
One man's opinion.
What a glorious Victorian decked in black raspberry and blueberry.
A lovely camelia closeup.
Earl's favorite source of shirts - the thrift.
Umstead Park, Sycamore Trail
March 17th, 2001

Steve

Just crossed one of the bridges

Earl with a newbie

Nancy, Linda, Dave hike along the trail
Our St. Patrick's Day outing!
Core Banks and Beaufort
Sept. 24th, 2001
Took me a speedy ferry to get to Cape Lookout.
Gift shop manned by a couple that stays for the season.
Unique working wooden boat puts in across from the Maritime Museum.
Sun setting on the skiffs
Captain Bob, who will take you for a sail on Sunday.

Atlantis Lodge, Atlantic Beach
Feb. 23rd, 2001

Michael, Deb, Mary, Bill at Clawson's

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Is this Death by Chocolate?
This is our first visit to this nicely landscaped motel which allows pets.
Swansboro and Beaufort, NC
Feb. 24th, 2001
 Marilyn is part of the 50s decor at Yanna's brunch in Swansboro. Capt. Otway Jones points the way at the boat dock. This is where they display the artifacts from Blackbeard's Flagship, Queen Anne's Revenge.
Here is a link to Swansboro!
Here is the link to Beaufort!
Beaufort
Feb. 24th
 180 degree pan of historic Beaufort site We watched the sails at sunset while sipping wine. Diana and Jack at Beaufort Grocery Co. - finest dining I've had at the beach!
Carolina Beach Nov. 4-6th, 2000 Pelicans in the AM at Carolina Beach Earl overlooks the waves with the Captain Earl, Linda and Margaret enjoy the Fort Fisher/Southport ferry ride

Mary and friend
A NC beach vacation
Southport website
Umstead State Park, Sycamore Trail
Jan. 16th, 1999
 Our favorite 6.5 miles of trail Encounter with the passing horseback rider Waving from the bridge
William B. Umstead State Park
Umstead maps
Salter Path Family Campground
Oct. 16-18th
 Ken with the dogs The gang at sunset on Bogue Sound Sunrise over the ocean
Our favorite rendezvous on the Outer Banks. Next week, the Pacific Ocean!
New Bern, NC
June 13th 1998
 This is the front of the Tryon Palace Tryon Palace gardens Sunset over the Neuse River
This is a link to the New Bern site with an  interactive map linking to other towns in this octant.