We knew we were near our destination when we got to Swansboro. We stopped at the fruit stand near Cedar Point and loaded up on Carolina peaches, fresh corn and boiled peanuts. As we go over the bridge, the green patches appear and the chanting from the back seat begins:”Emerald,emerald. Look at the birds”.
Our cottage is ready, and the grandkids are in swimsuits before we can unpack. They have flown in from Utah and become Tar Heels for a week. My son caught a fish for dinner and added fresh shrimp from the the nearby seafood market.
Our plans included our annual visit to the aquarium. This year the grandkids took the marsh tour and netted crabs and various sealife.
Several visits to the Food Lion always meant a quick run through the commons area to feed the birds and turtles. This was a favorite place to visit.
Both of them had just discarded their training wheels, so we rented bikes to try out the bike trail. This became a daily trek and always ended up at EIR to get an ice cream treat.
The ocean energized us, and we soon realized we were all children again—with no clocks or deadlines, justwater, sun, sand and plenty of sunscreen.
We met our next door neighbors and the kids became acquainted and had joint ventures planned, like nightly walks on the beach to search out crabs. This led to a sleepover and pizza. The adults told us they had so much fun that week, they were renting the same place, same week next year, and asked to do the same.
We traveled to Swansboro and Hammock State Park to look for turtle nests, and then met for a meal on the waterfront. We went back to this quaint little town another day to shop the art shops. My daughter found a painting of the Bogue Inlet Pier to take back to her Salt Lake City home. A trip to Yannas’ was a must do. I was not expecting Elvis in the ladies’ room.
The folks at Emerald Isle Realty took care of us to make this family vacation truly memorable. I truly hope we can continue this tradition.
Shirlie Baxter
Elon, NC