OBX "school-cation" {north from Hatteras}

**Saturday late afternoon, 10/17**

While it was a beautiful day, the wind and chilly temperatures made us decide maybe it wasn't the best day for playing on the beach.   

The drive north from Hatteras back to Kill Devil Hills went right past the road to Bodie Island Lighthouse.  And while most threatened to just stay in the car and look, everyone ended up piling out to get a closer look at Bodie Island Lighthouse (also closed to climbers because of Covid).

While situated further inland, about a half mile from the Atlantic (quite far when compared  to the other lighthouses in the area), this beacon of light and direction for ships can be seen for 19 miles on a clear night.  

And we also learned that despite our reservations to do so, it is actually pronounced "Body," and not "Boh-die" like we southerners are want to do.  Apparently the name came from an original settler of the area though local legend holds that it is from the numerous bodies that washed up on shore from shipwrecks, therefore giving street credibility to having a lighthouse.

At any rate, once we got to Whalebone Junction we decided to stay on Hwy 12 and ride up admiring all the ocean front mansions with an occasional original salt box thrown in.  Mom and I both had to smile that the Sea Foam ~ where we spent several Thanksgivings ~ is not only still standing, but apparently is quite the "retro" oceanfront Nags Head destination these days.  If only one of the efficiencies was open for tours.  I'd love to get a look at that kitchen, now as a grown up I have to marvel that Mom was able to pull of a Thanksgiving dinner from a tiny motel oven and stove.  

Driving up Virginia Dare Trail also gave us the excuse to stop for art...

...and ice cream.  

Yeah, it was just before dinner, but as Ian likes to say, "You never know when Jesus is coming back, eat dessert first."  So we did.  

We arrived back to the house around 5 and pulled the Chinese BBQ pork out of the crockpot.  Just as we finished dinner we were treated to a lovely sunset from the back of the house.  

Couldn't have asked for much more on our first day...