The Outer Banks

Branyon and I recently had our 10 year anniversary!  To celebrate it, we decided to take family vacation to North Carolina's Outer Banks.  There wasn't a particular reason that we chose this destination, but after doing some looking, we thought North Carolina would be a  fun and interesting place to visit.  Both Branyon and myself were unfamiliar with the region, but after getting to our destination city of Kill Devil Hills, we quickly realized how much there was going to be for us to explore.

As you can see from the map below, the Outer Banks is a thin strip of island along Atlantic Ocean.  From where we stayed, down to the southern part of the Outer Banks is about 90 miles.  Each day we were there, we found something new and exciting to do.  I had no idea how much foundational U.S. history was in the small strip of land!

Monday:

We chose to go to the North Carolina Aquarium at Roanoke Island on this day because it was raining.  The girls had lots of fun seeing the fish and other marine animals.

Branna's favorite part of the aquarium was "saving the turtles".  The aquarium had a mock turtle rescue station.  After choosing the turtle that you were going to diagnose, you took that turtle to the "scanning" station where you found out what was wrong with your turtle.  (I think each turtle must have had a computer chip that was scanned.)

After your diagnosis was made, you took your turtle to the next station where you administered the appropriate medicine.  (i.e. If your turtle had a shark bite, you but a pretend antibiotic wash on it. If your turtle had a gut impaction, you gave it an enema.  YIKES!  I'm glad Branna didn't ask what that was...)

Once you were satisfied with your turtles recovery, you returned your turtle back to the sea and returned your lab coat. :)  Branna did this activity about 10 times through out the day.  She loved it!

We also got to go to a program called Dialog with a Diver where the audience got to ask the diver questions.  Branna had lots of good, curious questions.

Tuesday:

Wright Brothers National Park and Museum

Tuesday was a day at the Wright Brothers National Park and Museum.  Just a little more than a stone's throw away from our rental house was where the Wright Brothers made their famous flight.  It was so neat to see the history there.

Branna was able to earn her Junior Ranger badge after she completed a questionaire about the Wright Brothers from information that she learned at the park.  (Behind Branna is one of the models the Wright  Brothers used.)

Wednesday:

On Wednesday, we decided to explore more of the outer banks and see some of its light houses during by taking a day trip down the island.  As I mentioned, it's about 90 miles from Kitty Hawk to Ocracoke.  However, with a low speed limit and lots of little towns along the way, it took us about 2 hours one way.  

We didn't get to make many lengthy stops along the way because we were trying to catch a ferry, but we did get to stop at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, also known as America's Lighthouse with its familiar diagonal black and white stripes.

Once we got to Ocracoke, we stopped at another lighthouse the Ocracoke Lighthouse, which is North Carolina's oldest working lighthouse.

Our last stop was at Teach's Hole, a museum about the pirate Blackbeard.  (Blackbeard's real name was Edward Teach.)  Apparently, Ocracoke Island was one of his favorite stopping grounds and he was eventually captured and beheaded here.

   

Thursday:

About 10 minutes south of Kills Devil Hills, is Roanoke Island.  This is the region where Virginia Dare, the first American, was born.  We went back to Roanoke Island later in the week to visit the Roanoke Island Festival Park where they had mock Native American villages, colonist settlements, and even a ship that we could board and explore that was a third the size of the original Elizabeth II.

Demonstrating the language barrier between Native Americans and the English

through a pictionary type game.

Hollowing out a canoe with sea shells

Branna was able to help make a chair leg at the English settlement...

and shave some wood.

Branna also got to try on some armor. When she put it on, she said that she looked like David when Saul gave him his armor and it was too big.  The man showing us around was VERY impressed that Branna knew that story and started reciting Ephesians 6:17.

My knight in shining armor...

Friday:

We took it somewhat easy on our last day and went to Jennette's Pier which was only a few minutes from the house we were staying at.  It was neat to walk out so far away from the shore (about a 1000 feet) and see some of the fish that were being caught.

We had such a great time and learned and did so much!  This was the scene after each excursion.  (Aisley looked the same... you just can't see her since she's rear facing. :) )

We did take some time to make it over the the beach as well.  Our house was actually right across the street from the beach, but due to it being so cold (mid-50s) we didn't go very often.  While we were there, the girls built sand castles and flew kites.

Branna couldn't resist being at the beach and not getting in the water.  I don't know how she stood it!  I stuck my toe in and couldn't stand it because it was sooo cold!

I think we made lots of memories to look back on.  Atlie still prays for North Carolina and getting on the airplane... that might have something to do with Branna hyperventilating during our first flight. :)