Highlights of Cedar Point

Lazy Days RV
Seffner, FL

That’s right…we’re still alive and we’re at Lazy Days getting some warranty items taken care of.  I didn’t want to publish our intent to come here for reasons to be disclosed in my next post.  Leave ya hangin’ on for more.

Our internet connection hasn’t been the best in the world lately but I want to share some highlights from our recent time with Nancy and Bill at Cedar Point.  Needless to say, we sat around discussing the world’s problems and came up with several viable solutions.  I just don’t know why the politicians and other powers to be don’t understand how simple the solutions are.  I bet they don’t spend any time chatting around a campfire or going camping for that matter.  We played cards, Sequence, Hand n Foot, and ladder ball.  Gin and I lost most of the time but enjoyed the friendly competition. 

There were a couple of day trip activities that were really the highlight of our time together.  We paddled on the White Oak River one day launching at Haywood’s Landing and another day, we went to Bear Island which is part of Hammock's Beach State Park.

First our river paddle.  Haywood’s Landing is about 11 miles from the campground off of Hwy 58.  You turn onto a forest service road which is gravel but in pretty good shape.  Travel another couple of miles into the woods and make a right at the stop sign.  (Yes, there’s a stop sign in the middle of the woods…for the educated deer ).  There is no road noise at all when you take this paddle.  After lending Bill one of our paddles, we launched our SeaEagles.  That’s right…Bill left their paddles at camp.  Nancy usually doesn’t paddle much due to her bad shoulder, but Gin got real lucky since Bill used her paddle.

 

Roamin never uses a paddle either and he really liked his spot up front between Gin’s feet.  Not a bad view of the tall grass growing at river’s edge.

 

As you can tell, there was only water and trees.  Beautiful day and very relaxing.  Not that much wildlife but there was the majestic Osprey looking for lunch and the typical turtle on a log.

 

Since we were well inland, we didn’t have to try and figure out the tides.  It was a very nice and relaxing paddle.  On another day, we went to Hammock’s Beach State Park in Swansboro, NC and took the passenger ferry boat ride over to Bear Island.  This was our first time there so it was an adventure indeed.  There is quite a bit of walking on the island when you get off of the ferry so I’m not real sure we would do it during the hot, humid summer.  We’re spoiled.  After a while, you approach the facilities.  There are several covered picnic tables, a bath house, and a concession stand that is open during the summer.

 

While Gin and Bill were surf fishing, Nancy and I walked towards the Bogue Inlet point of the island.  We all felt like we had the place all to ourselves.

 

It’s an unspoiled island but they do have about a dozen tent camping sites that are right on the dunes.  You would have quite a distance to go to get to the bath house but you are the first one to see the sunrise.

 

Seagulls were plentiful but we did manage to capture a few other shorebirds.  I know Nancy took many more pictures, but here’s an Oystercatcher and a Black-bellied Plover.

 

It was a wonderful sun-filled day at the beach that I would gladly do again.  Put on lots of sunscreen and keep the Springtime temperatures and breezes, and I’m there!

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Carolina Clan

Cheraw State Park (site #15)
Cheraw, SC

Sorry I haven’t posted in a while (not really), but we’ve been busy.  After a little more than a week at the house, we had to get back on the road for a while.  When we went to the RV-Dreams Rally last April, a group of us from NC and SC had decided to get together some time in September and enjoy a few days together.  We all enjoy nature and kayaking on calm waters, and Nancy and Bill knew of a perfect place; Cheraw State Park in Cheraw SC.  It’s a small cg (only 17 sites) and it’s on a calm lake.  There is a golf course on the other side of Lake Juniper but I don’t think anyone made it over there for that. 

The first to arrive were Gail and Rick who got here on Tuesday.  We arrived on Wednesday along with Paul and Jill and Dan and Tricia.  Others arrived later for a total of 7 couples on site and another couple (Steve and Evin) who have ordered a new rig, staying nearby.  Here’s our site #15 right on the water and the views from our spot.  As always, if you click the pic, it gets bigger.

 

This is definitely our kind of place with the squirrels running around and the water lilies blooming.  Too bad the hydrila is thick in the water.

 

Most of us were here on Thursday and decided to take a paddle on the lake.  It narrows a bit near the headwaters and the Cypress trees grow in the middle of the water.  It’s really a nice place, but swimming isn’t really allowed.  Here’s Roamin P. Duck keeping an eye on Ray and Kris and Gin chatting with Dan and Tricia near the spillway.

 

All of the inflatable kayaks are different models of Sea Eagles.  Paul and Jill are ready to row and so are Gail and Rick.

 

And one last shot of the group as we get our oars wet.

I didn’t take many pictures because I couldn’t keep pace if I stopped.  There were a ton of water lilies and this Egret is just walking in a very thick batch of those lilies.

 

After getting a bite of supper, we all met at site #11 for a campfire.  That’s Nancy and Bill’s site but they aren’t scheduled to arrive until Friday.  We just had to initiate the place with multiple outbursts of laughter.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Paddle and Evacuation

Cedar Point CG (site #12)
Croatan National Forest
Cedar Point, NC

Tuesday was our day for enjoying the kayaks.  Gin and I paddled around in the sawgrass of the Intracoastal Waterway near Bogue Inlet.  The inlet is kinda busy but it’s quiet amongst the islands.

 

The Charter boats were just coming in to dock so the inlet area got a bit choppy.  Roamin found a quiet place to swim though.

  

We beached our boats on our own island and walked around a bit to stretch our legs.

 

 

It was a beautiful day with just the right amount of breeze to be comfortable.  Once we got back to camp, we cleaned up and enjoyed a steak for supper.  The camphost, Julie came around to let the few campers that are here know that the cg will be evacuated by Thursday morning for hurricane Irene. 

So today, Wednesday, we packed up the outside stuff and relaxed some.  We rode over to see the ocean before going out for supper.  It’s still beautiful but I’m sure that it will be very windy and rainy here by Friday.  We will be leaving here a few days earlier than we planned but we need to do a few things at the house. 

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

More Family at Cedar Point

Cedar Point CG (site #12)
Croatan National Forest
Cedar Point, NC

Doug and I decided to get up early today and take our hard kayaks for a paddle in the nearby sound.  There’s an NC Wildlife Landing near the bridge going over to Swansboro.  He did a little bit of fishing and caught 4 small ones.

I enjoyed just paddling around leisurely.  There was a working shrimp boat unloading their catch and doing some work.  Once again, the waves make it hard to get a good shot so I didn’t get the full height.

I loved watching the seagulls near the docks.  One house was watering the lawn and I could tell that this gull enjoyed the fresh water because he was standing right under the spray.

 

Romain enjoyed the paddle too but didn’t know which way to go, stay near the docks or go to the nearby islands.  He said the water was awfully salty tasting too.

 

One of those islands had a geocache on it in the past but not now.  It also has a large cross erected on one end that leads out to the Bogue Inlet which leads to the Atlantic Ocean.

After enjoying our morning paddle, we went back to camp and had a quick shower.  We joined Doug and Carla who fixed hot dogs for lunch.  My sister and BiL, Judy and Keith who live in Raleigh, called to say that they were on their way.  Once they arrived, we visited with them a little bit.  Judy and Keith wanted to go to the ocean to swim so I drove them over there since we didn’t know if the public parking lot would be full or not.  About that time, Gin’s parents arrived in their site so we helped them get set up.  They are taking a break from their doctor appointments and have some of their friends here with them to enjoy the beach.  After a little while, my other sister and BiL, Virginia and David who live in New Bern, pulled in.  We all visited some and I went back to the shore to pick up Judy and Keith.

 

Hmm…notice how the women were enjoying the air conditioning inside the MH while the men are sitting out in the heat and humidity.   I called a nearby restaurant to see if they would save a spot for eight adults, and we all rode over to Captain Charlie’s in Swansboro for a delicious seafood dinner.  We enjoyed our food, but we enjoyed our family time even more.  Since Judy and Keith had a long drive ahead of them, they left before the rest of us did.  We still lingered in the parking lot before bidding farewell to Virginia and David.  After riding through the quaint seaside town of Swansboro with Doug and Carla, we came back to camp.  We walked our dogs and they came over for a game of Phase 10 cards.  It was a good way to wrap up another wonderful day.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.

Stowaway and a Sylville Kinda Day

Jordan Lake State Park
Poplar Point CG (site E95)
Apex, NC

Meet our little stowaway, Roamin P. Duck (RPD).  We’re not sure what the P stands for, any suggestions?   He doesn’t require much upkeep and he really seems to like water.

 

We like the water too and spent most of the afternoon floating in the cove.  Roamin encouraged us to go for a paddle late in the afternoon since it wasn’t too hot so we obliged him.  The water was like glass.  Don’t let Gin get too far away.

 

Unfortunately, there are several dead fish washed up on the shore around here and it smells like Smudge’s breath.  I didn’t know that Ospreys would let Buzzards get this close to them, and this Heron screeched at us as he flew away.

 

We could get used to this kind of life.  We were so at ease and comfortable all day.  It’s what we like to call a Sylville kinda day.  Serenity personified.

Thanks for dropping by, and enjoy each day of your life’s journey by finding beauty in the ordinary.