Buxton and Hatteras

Today we decided to check out the Graveyard of the Atlantic museum in Hatteras, which is clear at the southern end of the island.  When we went to the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, we read about all the ships that have sunk right off these shores, many, many at the hands of German U-boats.

On the way down, we passed through Buxton, where the Orange Blossom Bakery and Cafe is located.  The Orange Blossom is home to the Apple Ugly, an amazing treat we had been told about.  

This thing was like an apple fritter on steroids!

Pretty ugly, right?  But when you break it open...

Oh my goodness!!  It's a good thing we decided to just get one and split it!  So yummy though!!

We drove on down to Hatteras and the museum.  The building is pretty cool looking, kind of shaped like a ship.

I have to say, I was a little disappointed with what they had inside.  This was cool... The original light from the Cape Hatteras lighthouse, which had been sent off to get repaired at one point, and was misplaced forever.  In the meantime, a different light was sent to be installed after repairs to the lighthouse were made, and eventually that one was replaced with a more modern light. Years and years later, when a man did some research, it was discovered that the light they thought was lost was the one that was sent back to the lighthouse.  It had been stored right under everyone's noses, and no one realized it.  Now it's at this museum.

They really didn't have a whole lot about the ships that were sunk out in the Atlantic.  They did have this bell.

They had quite a large display of Civil War memorabilia, a history of scuba diving display, a display about fishing... (and you were not allowed to take pictures in that room) but really not a lot about the shipwrecks at all.  Kind of underwhelming.

As long as we were at that end of the island, we decided to walk the beach for a bit.

I thought maybe we'd be able to walk to the very end, but we finally gave up and turned around.  Good thing!  We would have had a ways to go! (The museum is where the red mark is).

On the way back we stopped for grocery supplies, because we'll be taking off in the morning.  Not sure about the wisdom of traveling on Friday of Memorial Day weekend, but hopefully, most of the traffic will be headed towards us.  We've also heard a storm could be brewing out in the Atlantic, possibly headed this way, so maybe our timing is just right.  For today, it is warm, sunshiny, and not a cloud in the sky!

This evening we took our last beach walk for awhile... We'll be heading inland, and won't get back to the coast until after Christmas.

These were a couple of surfers we saw this evening.  It's been fun watching the surfers, kite boarders, and wind surfers.  Apparently this is a big area for all of those activities.

I don't know why I feel such an attachment to the ocean when I grew up in the south and Midwest... But I feel like I belong here!

We stopped at Oceanas again tonight for dinner.  One of the drink specials was called a Mermaid Martini, so I had to try that!

Another special was called the Shark Attack.  Both were very good!

Brad had a Bud Light... Shocker, I know!  We liked the glass it was in.

Brad had a tuna steak sandwich for dinner.

I had what they called a Tuna Griller.  It was on a tortilla, with cheese, tuna, black beans, corn, onions, and tomatoes.  So good, but I could only eat a couple of pieces before I was full.  Good thing I keep Brad around!

Tomorrow morning will be "so long" to the Outer Banks, but I have a feeling we'll be back.  It's a very cool area!