Mother’s Day Adventures 💐2 days on Ocracoke Island

7am – 70* Cloudy, overcast day! Ruby is filled up, flushed and ready for her first Ferry ride & to boon-dock on Ocracoke!

⛴️ Here we go…. We’re in line 4 waiting for the ferry. This is so exciting! 35 years ago we went on a ferry with our Motorhome but this is a truck & travel trailer! 😱

Boarded at 10:30am, followed behind another smaller trailer and then there’s another directly behind us….we’re right up against the center wall. Like little kids, we got out and went up stairs, first in the front, then the back then settled down in the passenger lounge at a table. 2 1/2 hours later we drove off the ferry to Ocracoke Island. Our row was last to exit so it was so cool watching everyone getting off along with all the sounds…especially all the birds flying overhead.

Okracoke is Beach vibe village that has really grown since our last visit. Shell shops, restaurants on the water, ice cream shops, beach shops, lots of bike and golf cart rental shops, condos, rentals, etc. 🏖️

We arrived at Ocracoke Campground – Cape Hatteras National Seashore…site A-3. Beautiful site with the sand dunes as our backyard. No amenities for 2 days. We walked the loops of the campground then over the sand dune to the beach. We collected a few shells then drove back to the village where we started our adventure at the museum. Only able to see the outside exhibits. Then had an amazing meal at Smacnally’s Waterfront Bar & Grill. Tim had a scallop Po Boy sandwich with a local beer. 🍺 I had the most amazing fresh grilled dolphin with roasted vegetables. Highly recommend this place! We then walked around the village and stopped into Howard’s Pub. There Tim had a margarita & I had a Chocolate Martini 🍸 and we split a piece of key lime pie. 😋 Sat up on the roof top for a few minutes but it was so windy and overcast we called it a day. I picked a bunch of roses a long the way. We relaxed the rest of the evening by watching a movie. The wind was still blowing and we could hear the waves crashing on the beach.

Total of 15 miles for the day

Day 15 ~ up at 8am – 68* sunny & breezy ~ Slept with windows open and inside was 71* We enjoyed our coffee and tea sitting outside listening to the waves crashing. This morning was for repairs & reorganization. After lunch we checked out the small island grocery store & hardware store. Then went to the Ocracoke Lighthouse. Saw our first nutria. Next stop 1718 Brewery. Tried their fried cheese curds and Tim tried a few local beers. By 3pm we were back at the campground and we took a walk around all the loops. When we got back to our site, to our surprise the camp host came over to say she’s met us before. She remembered talking to us about Ruby because she had never heard of that brand before! After reviewing both of our travels we figured out we had met a year ago in Cades Cove! Small World! We then took a nice long walk on the beach. Met a really nice couple, Danny & Angela who also had a Rockwood so they looked at our upgrades then we went over to theirs. Cool & breezy with temperature of 70*. Later on while relaxing, all 3 boys had called to wish me a Happy Mother’s Day! 💐

Good night all! 💤 Today we drove only 7 miles

Ocracoke – unincorporated town located at the southern end of Ocracoke Island. North Carolina’s Outer Banks. Elevation 3 feet! Only 16 miles long & 3miles to less than 1/2 a mile wide. The population was 948 in 2010 & in the 2020 census, the population had dropped to 797 people. No bridges connect Ocracoke Island to the mainland, ferries are used to connect to Hatteras Island, Cedar Island and to the mainland at Swan Quarter. The economy of the island is driven by tourism and commercial fishing. A unique dialect of English, known colloquially as the Hai Toider accent, is spoken in Ocracoke, but mostly American language is spoken. Ocracoke Island was the location of the pirate Blackbeard’s (Edward Teach) death in November 1718. Though it saw no direct military action, Ocracoke was the site of a Confederate fort during the US Civil War, as well as several naval battles that occurred off the coast of the island during WWII, the remains of British sailors killed during these engagements occupy a small cemetery on the island

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Ocracoke Light was built in 1823 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter. The lighthouse stands 75 feet tall. Its diameter narrows from 25 feet at the base to 12 feet at its peak. The lighthouse was built to help guide ships through Ocracoke Inlet into Pamlico Sound.

Ocracoke Light is the oldest operating light station in NC and the second oldest lighthouse still standing in the state. The lighthouse was automated in 1955. During the summer months when there is a U.S. National Park Ranger on duty, visitors may access the base of the lighthouse. Access to the top of the lighthouse is not allowed due to the simple steel spiral staircase being safe only for maintenance activity. The lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as Ocracoke Light Station.

Ocracoke Campground has 136 sites. Sandy soil sites, no amenities, flush toilets & cold water showers! Brrr🥶 Our site backed up to the sand dunes which was a beautiful site! Cool breeze throughout our stay!