This was my third year going to the Outer Banks in North Carolina for a week, and it was just what I needed. To me, the beach is my version of Heaven. The sand, the waves, the water, the salty smell, the peaceful, relaxed feeling...bliss. I really want to move there, but finding employment is presenting quite a challenge.
The first day of my trip I ate some alligator tail. It tasted like chewy chicken with a fishy aftertaste. Everyone else liked it, but it pretty much skeeved me out.
Day 2 we were at the beach and there was an incredibly gorgeous, tanned, quintessential "Baywatch" lifeguard. He kindly removed his shirt for a dip in the ocean to cool off while we were in the water. I had an overwhelming urge to get a cramp in my leg. Sadly, I chickened out.
Day 3 at the ocean I got intimate with jellyfish. Not by choice mind you. This is the first time I've been to the Outer Banks when the water was just FULL of jellies. In the past there would be an occasional dead one washed up on the beach. But there were so many jellies in the water you constantly felt them rubbing against your legs without your consent and could just scoop them out of the water. The little kids on the beach were collecting the dead ones in their buckets. When you got out of the water you had to empty your pockets and check your suit for lurkers. They luckily didn't sting, but I would have been okay without getting that close to them. Luckily they were only bad that one day.Day 4 we went to Outerbarx which is a store catered for dog lovers (and cat). They make organic human-grade treats for dogs and they let me sample a Wisconsin cheddar dog biscuit. A bit bland for my taste, but Chloe, the English Mastiff that was with us wasn't so picky.
There was lots of shopping, buying stuff I don't need. I love going to all the beachy shops. We went to one particular shop in Maneo called the The Christmas Shoppe and it was AMAZING. Not just Christmas stuff...hard to describe the awesomeness inside. I can't wait to go back.
(Cool beachy bookmarks)
Turtle soap dish and starfish incense holder.
My new drink cozie. Guess I'll be doing a LOT of drinking.
We went to Jeanette's Pier one day, which was cool. People were inadvertently catching skates and sting rays off the end. Years ago a man caught a 700 pound Hammerhead shark and a 600 pound other shark off the pier. One day the people in my group decided that the usual area we went swimming was too crowded, so let's go swim at the beach RIGHT BESIDE THE PIER where the SHARKS were caught. Smart thinking. I kept waiting for jaws to sneak attack me. 
This incredibly skinny girl caught 2 skates at once! She had to throw them back thank goodness. 
Overall a wonderful, relaxing vacation that, like usual, went by too quickly. For all the people that get to live by the ocean year-round I am insanely envious.
I end with a picture of Chloe...she thinks she's human.
Wow! I live about an hour from the coast in NC. I love it here. It looks like you had a great time on the Outer Banks. We've had two big forest fires here in coastal NC in the past few weeks, which is kind of odd for this area. One is contained after burning for a few weeks, but the other is still burning after burning for several weeks already. I smelled it outside today, tonight, and I can still smell it right now as I am typing to you. When we took a day-trip to the beach last weekend, it was smoky. The news says it has mostly blown inland and shouldn't affect the mid- and northern OBX. I don't know why I'm telling you all of this. I guess: 1) I think it is cool that you vacationed close to where I live. 2) I hope you didn't get smoked out while you were on vacation.
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