After all the going, going, and going of the summer, we drove to the Outer Banks after Labor Day for respite.
While my hubby totally did nothing but hang out with his books and laptop, in the condo, at the pool, or at the beach, I did a little of everything at leisurely moments.
Grouping all my favorite photos of the week, I’ll share how I spent each day.
CURRITUCK LIGHTHOUSE
Every morning we awoke underneath the Currituck Lighthouse, and every evening we were protected by its flashing beams…a lovely metaphor of our Saviour.
TOM CRUISE
Last year while taking the Corolla Horse tour, we learned that the furthest most house (green) on the right, once belonged to Tom Cruise.
This time I looked for it on my morning walk and found from the beach side.
The sand dunes afford it great privacy…except too many people knocked on his door, etc, so he sold the house.
WALKING IN THE SAND
All but one morning I walked barefoot 3 miles on the beach, round trip, before 10am, to get my morning sunshine and grounding.
Although the first morning was quite windy with red flags out due to rip tide warnings, the rest of the week was so calm that I willingly walked near enough to the water for the waves to lap over my feet.
Amazingly, I found this gorgeous sand dollar intact! That’s a first for me!
Although one of the women on the beach was collecting them, I was content to leave that squishy alga or whatever there.
I’ve never seen one of these before!
A broken horseshoe crab!
These cute little birds are everywhere, running with the waves.
This gorgeous scallop shell was also intact! Two new intact finds in a row!
My destination is this fence line that separates the public beach from the private preserve where the wild Corolla horses live.
And one of those mornings I found one on the beach, eventually joined by three others! My favorite moment of the trip! (see header photo)
SHOPPING
After my walks, I returned to the condo to clean up, relax, and grill some lunch.
After lunch I enjoyed some window shopping, because there are so many cute shops around.
Although I returned to an old favorite on my first day, on my second I came to the Duck Waterfront Shops on the Sound.
Located near the town boardwalk, I hope to take that one evening (since I really don’t like to be in the direct sun in the middle of the day) to enjoy the sunset views. So that’s for next time.
On the street side of the Duck Waterfront Shops is a pond with water fountains…all surrounded by beachy architecture, live oaks, and roses.
DINING
This time we grilled most of our own meals, however, we did enjoy dining out for a few of our meals.
For one of our dinners we easily obtained reservations to our favorite from last time, the Lifesaving Station Restaurant in Duck, just to our south.
Looking for some new places to eat, we found our favorite choices completing booked.
When I found the NC Coast Grill and Bar in Duck and on the Currituck Sound, I soon learned they don’t take reservations at all.
Although my hubby preferred going out for dinner, he suggested we try to do lunch there on our last day, getting there when they first open to hopefully gain seating.
We easily found a seat with stellar views of the sound!
Although the lunch menu wasn’t as fancy as the dinner menu, my hubby was eyeing the chef’s smorgasbord sampler, lunch had different offerings than most places, which were quite tasty!
WHALEHEAD AT COROLLA
Near the Currituck Lighthouse lies a huge hunting lodge from the 1920s, called the Whalehead, which we couldn’t fit into our busy schedule last time.
Saving this for our last day, on Saturday, I learned it is closed on weekends.
So on Friday afternoon we took the tour…but no photos allowed.
Since all of the Whalehead’s marketing describes the extravagance of the home, I was intrigued to see stunning Art Deco at the Outer Banks, like other extravagant places I’ve visited.
Instead, I found a simple hunting lodge.
Certainly, they have a few nice things there, but mostly it’s a plain building with simple furniture, the grandest of which was the grand piano in the conservatory.
I thought the hugeness of the lodge lent to the Gilded Age extravagance, but items within are rather common.
However, the huge kitchen is most uncommon.
It’s pink because it was the cook’s favorite color, and has huge picture windows for her to enjoy the best views of the Currituck Sound!
Quite frankly, my favorite things about the house was the grand space in the kitchen and conservatory, both with massive picture windows allowing for grand views of the grounds and sound…and the grand piano.
After the tour we were taken to the basement, which is now a museum, which my hubby had a grand time exploring.
However my back had been aching me during the tour, so I sat on the back veranda on the rocking chairs, enjoying the scenery as the homeowners might have!
Although it was quite hot in the sun, the cool breezes made it a comfortable experience.
WHALEHEAD CLUB HISTORY
In the early 20th century, the Outer Banks became famous for hunting clubs…hence the name of the town of Duck.
In the 1920s, Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife, Marie-Louise Lebel, purchased this property, called the Lighthouse Club, that was built back in 1874.
Spending $383,000, they tore down the existing club and built a new one, that they ensured everyone knew was a home, because they did not want it to be called a club.
Building in the Arte Nouveau manner, they apparently used the finest materials around.
When the various works of craftsmanship was pointed out on the tour, they explained how things like the plasterwork were faux…which were obviously not real.
Additionally, they created a waterway from the sound around their new house, that would allow boats to dock along their new island, which they named Corolla Island.
According to my research, by the 1920s Art Nouvea had phased out to make room for Art Deco.
So I’m glad to know I wasn’t crazy to expect Art Deco! 😉
Shortly after their death, the new owner obtained the property…then WWII began.
With Germans sinking boats daily off the North Carolina coast, the owner leased the property to the Coast Guard for the duration of the war.
Although the Coast Guard employed mundane tasks like providing lodging while recruits awaited reassignment after basic training, some intrigue did abound.
Most fascinating as the Coast Guard’s work to patrol the beaches to prevent landings from enemy agents.
More intrigue followed during the Cold War, when the area was classified specialists developed solid rocket fuel to provide America an edge with large booster rockets.
WHALEHEAD PARK
Because the sun was so harsh, I skipped my beach walk on the last day, to walk around Whalehead Park.
Also I wanted to explore all the nooks and crannies around the Whalehead, without the blazing sun and heat.
The large house behind the tree is the Whalehead, and the water is where they docked their boats.
On one side of the Whalehead, where the water enters from the sound, are huge homes that I found quite intriguing!
Meanwhile, behind me is the Whalehead.
Ah ha! I discovered the entrance point of the sound that creates this island.
With the Whalehead still behind me, the sound is now in front of me, with this great boardwalk allowing me to easily walk the property.
This blue heron joined me, which I loved, since I have a metallic one in my garden back in Virginia.
Another view of the Whalehead, with the sound behind me.
If your eyes are good, you might spot the blue heron near the water.
SUNSETS
While eating dinner out two different nights, I grabbed the other two evenings to take sunset photos at Whalehead.
This is the entrance to the park, with Whalehead behind those trees.
On the far left is the Whalehead, the iconic bridge on the far right, and in between people are setting up a tent for a wedding the next day.
And this photo is the next day with the wedding guests celebrating under the tent.
