Ferry To Ocracoke, Outer Banks, North Carolina 5/13/2011

We woke up at 7:30 to hit the road. That is early for me, who usual sleeps to 9AM.

We took Hwy 70 Northeast. Joe didn't like the road, because it was windy,with no shoulders.

It was mostly marshland with many very small bump- in-the- road towns.

We were told that the drive would be 1 1/2 to 2 hours. We did it in 2 hours and 15 minutes going mostly  45 miles an hour. 

We are took the ferry over to Ocracoke Island at 12:30. The forecast was for storms, but we just had a gloomy day instead. No rain, and temperatures in the 70's

There was a campground right across the street from the ferry station. We could have stayed there and slept in.We were also told later, that you could arrive a day early and dry camp in the ferry parking lot.

Very small campground, but sufficient.

We are first in line at row #4.This is a new adventure for us. We have been on a ferry with the Honda, but not the Nest.

There is a Information Center with restrooms available while you wait, as well as a very small gift shop.

We were first in line until they put a motorcycle in front of us.

The ferry arrives, and they unload the cars and RVs.

Time for us to board. The ride cost us $45.00 for our nest and the Honda. What a deal!

We are guided aboard.

Joe concentrating and driving very slow not to hit anything while boarding.

We are parked right next to the door into the ferry lounge.

Then they board the cars next to us.

Ahead of us, we have a group of young party boy's and one girl in the four vehicle in front of us.They mind their manners and never get out of control. They were drinking beer, even though there are signs, saying no alcohol. They probably have done this many times, and know, if you don't get out of control, no one bothers them.

We go into the door to the lounge and check out how close we are to the ferry wall.

As we leave, Malley says, " Don't leave me, this is all new to me too!"

At the top of the lounge, there is a window to see out front. This is the best view on the ferry.

A seagull catches a ride.

I barely get to the top to see Cedar Island in the distant.

We look down to our nest from the top balcony.

Mallery never gets comfortable on the ride. Not sure if it is the sways of the ferry or the fact that we have not put out the slides, like we do, when we stop driving.That always seems to signal to her, we are here.I did have to play ball with her once while on the ride.

Joe said he really enjoyed getting to ride in the nest for the first time and not have to concentrate on the road. It was a 2 1/2  hour ride across the Pamlico Sound to the island.

I put Mallery on the dash hoping she would calm down and  relax. She didn't seem to enjoy that either. She never has been a dash dog.

Another ferry passes us midway on our trip. The ferry makes four trips a day.

After a while, Joe decides he feels like he is the captain of the ferry and pretends to be driving the ferry. After all, we have the second best seats on the ship.

The seagulls would fly ahead of us, like they were guiding the way. 

I go to the front of the ferry to get a view of us from the front.

Captain Joe steering the ferry!

We get a view of Ocracoke Lighthouse.

Time to get off the ferry and back to dry land. Thankfully  neither of us got sea sick. I couldn't read,as it made me sick to my stomach.

Ocracoke island

After driving through the small village, we drive four miles to the state park campground. There are no hook ups at all and it is $23 a night. Generators off at nine.

We pick out site A-18. While Joe, is setting up outside, he meets some campers, who say they would like to see our Nest and might be interested in buying it.

We showed them the place, then afterward we climbed the sand dunes to the beach. Looking back at our Nest. She is in the middle just to the left in the picture.

Down the hill is the beach.

High tide and the beach is all ours.

Dogs are allowed on the beach on a leash. We let her run for a few minutes, to burn some energy, then she is ready to walk beside us again on a leash.