On the final full day with Debby – Sarah and Ella – we went to Sunset Beach – the sun was warm –
the surf was somewhat cool – and the family time was great –
FUN DAY AT THE BEACH – FAMILY!
In the surf – left to right – Ella – Sarah – Sherry and Debby – the water was around 55 degrees – the sun was around 70 degrees and very little wind – making for a good day to “BEACH IT”!
They stayed an extra day to catch some “RAY”!
Ella throwing a small football – Sarah defending her mother Debby –
The pass and an almost catch by Debby bit Sarah knocked it away at the last moment!
Fun times – they got their feet wet and also some sun and a warm day.
From left to right – Sarah – Ella – Debby and Sherry – mother – daughter and granddaughters!
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It was in the ’80’s – I believe ’83 or ’84 – we gathered a group of us – my sister and her husband Bill – My brother – my friend Jim and wife Dorothy. And – John Murphy and a few more.
We rented this house at the Outer Banks of N.C. Now – Sherry and I had gone in ’82 – with a whole load of my brother’s friends. And we went back to the same house as it was right across the road from the beach.
Cindy – ( Not there) Jim ( there) Sherry ( there) Dorothy ( there)
We had no children with us – just adults – and a few brews ! The week was friends and family – and it started off with a volleyball game in the sand at the rear of the house. Then – on the second day – we got the news flash – a storm was coming – a big storm – could be a HURRICANE !
Winter in Pa.
Now – we all are from the North – Penna. – N.W. – in the snow belt – where if you mention storm – it most likely is SNOW and or BLIZZARD ! We very seldom get the HURRICANE effect except in ’72 – Agnes !
In NWPA – you live with snow every day – and this was all new to us. We went to the fire department – got a chart – yes – we were going to chart it – when it got close we would leave !
GRAB A BEER – head to the beach – Sun – warm breeze – surf – what else could you want !
As the week went on – the notice got worse – voluntary evacuation – you have to understand –
we had been planning this for a year – it was our vacation – a time where you only got two weeks vacation a year !
RED SKY IN THE MORNING – SAILOR TAKE WARNING
Our chart was up to date – we had the radio on tuned to a station 24 hours a day – the TV also – it was kind of fun plotting the course – seeing the path as it came up from the Gulf.
But we were some 800 miles away from it ! And the weather was beautiful – never mind that NONE of us had unpacked – we were living day to day out of our suitcases !
Then – it changed – to the good – it had turned and was going out to sea – we were saved – no worries – celebrate – it was Tuesday – had the next four days – Sun – brews- unpack – head to the beach.
We turned the radio off – packed the chart up – and got up Wednesday morning to a beautiful RED SKY !
Something was up – turned radio back on – it had turned and was heading right off the coast to where we were. The wind picked up – the roads closed and we were stuck. We could not get out !
There it sat 150 miles due East -the waves were getting bigger – the wind – well some shutters blew off – yes it was scary –
but we hunkered down and then it was over. The beach across the road – part of it was gone with a good five foot drop off.
LESSON LEARNED – DON’T DRINK AND CHART A HURRICANE
Well – it was over – we still had a couple days left – we learned that these things can and are dangerous – we thought we were all right – but they change in a instant.
That was my first and last time with a HURRICANE – today – we still go to the beach – but we always check the weather – and if it seems to be coming – we do not go.
Some have passed on – the rest – we are still friends from all those years ago. We still get together every 4 to 6 months – and last September we were at the beach.
I would much rather go through a blizzard than a Hurricane and or major storm on the beach !
Just another story in the course of my life –
Papa’s World – it came – it left – and it came back !
We both love the BEACH – with its sunrises and sunsets!
Walking the surf – toes in the sand and cold water to sip on!
Our life now consists of two beaches that are close – one four miles and one six miles!
When we were first married – our dreams were beach vacations – but that was not always an option!
Money – we had to save what we could – taking four kids to the beach was expensive.
Our first “FAMILY” vacation was to a rental – off the beach – at Lake Erie!
I really do not remember much about the house – it was one level – sat on a bluff with lots of trees- and you could walk to an overlook and down below and see a small rock-strewed beach.
The boys would go down the side to the beach – the girls not so much.
Later – we would pack up and drive to the beach in New Jersey – having picnics on the way –
saving as much money as we could – Sherry was excellent at that!
The Outer Banks was our later goal in life and we managed to do that with friends and their families-
later my brother and sister and their families.
Today – here we are – Ocean Isle Beach and Sunset Beach – within minutes we are on the beaches!
We also are within a half hour to forty-five minutes of Holden Beach – Oak Island –
and North Myrtle Beach!
Our dreams have come to be – we are now living the “BEACH LIFE” while on the mainland-
away from the storms – Hurricanes can and do have an effect on us –
But – we will deal with it at the time.
Ocean Isle Beach and the pier – this beach is not as flat as Sunset Beach –
but this beach also has a community center with bathrooms – outdoor showers – and free parking!
The Community Center has a large open-air covered porch with many picnic tables.
There is a nice beach entrance and a large volleyball net and court.
This beach is also where we shell hunt and the month of April is known for the large Counch shells!
There also is a large park with a stage and live music all summer long!
There are more places to eat and ice cream – slushes and stores here!
Sunset Beach is my favorite beach to walk on – it is flat and easier to walk – we often go here –
They also have live music on Thursdays with the band on the pier and you set up below on the beach!
It also turns into Bird Island – a protected area and where the “KINDRED SPIRIT MAILBOX” –
This is a mile and one-half walk from the pier –
and has been there for over forty years!
Two benches and the mailbox sit up near the top of a dune.
There are plaques for remembering those who first put this here and a large piece of driftwood-
with a plaque in honor of those two people all the years ago.
In the mailbox is a journal and a pen for you to sit down and leave a message.
these are collected-
and are at a University for recording the history of “THE KINDRED SPIRIT MAILBOX”!
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PAPA’S WORLD – A DREAM OF LIVING NEAR THE BEACHES!
Oftentimes we will come to Sunset Beach just to see the Sunset – but – you also can come at dawn to see the Sunrise – above is the Sunset – next to the Sunrise!
At low tide, the expanse of the beach is flat and wide in the early dawn of the day.
Quiet – almost deserted as the Labor Day weekend has passed.
The water is still very warm – and we saw a lot of fish jumping in the surf and a little farther out two Dolphins!
The Sun just peeking above the horizon and a jet plane leaves a white trail across the sky!
Just enjoy the quiet walk – the sounds of the surf and the wide wet sand of SUNSET BEACH AT DAWN!
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WALKING SUNSET BEACH TO SEE THE SUNRISE in N.C. HAVE A GREAT DAY!
DISCLAIMER: The work for protected Sea Turles is authorized by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission – PERMIT ST020232
We now go to the beach at dusk – joining other teams in helping where ever we can!
So goes our Senior living years!
Below is a beach sunset at Ocean Isle Beach, N.C. Warm – water is warm – crowds have gathered –
and we are assigned the edge of the water – keeping people informed and back from the trench!
The beachgoers line the ropes and peer up the trench – which was made for the baby turtles to make their way to the ocean – LOGERHEADS!
The nest was being opened after 75 days!
It was colder than usual in Spring and early Summer with lots of rain.
This formed a crust at the entrance to the nest making it hard for the little turtles to break through.
Being not hot also made the hatching go up to day number 75 which at that time the OIBSTPO is given permission by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission to “OPEN” the nest!
When this happens the team goes into training mode – each with duty and as in our case –
lend a hand and foot to help out!
They emerge from the nest and head for the Ocean – sound and sight guide them – the ocean WHITE CAPS – their instinct is to go toward the light!
The White Caps represent that.
Heading toward the ocean along the trench made just for the reason to get them to and into the surf!
Team members are there to guide them by placing a gloved hand down on the sand to direct them if they try to climb the edge and go in another direction.
If they flip over – do not help them – they are ingrained to right themselves.
Bright lights from outdoor lights can draw them to that direction so we ask that vacationers turn out the lights outside.
Most accommodate – as foxes wait in that direction.
Getting them to the water and into the surf is what volunteering is all about –
being educated along the way – three to four nights of information from the training leader.
Going down the trench – heading for the water – the crowd is now in the hundreds – lining the trench and
spread out along the beach –
we now have eight volunteers lateral along the dry sand spaced out to keep the people back and to keep everyone calm as the surf washes the babies back among their feet!
“FREEZE – DON’T MOVE we calmly say together!
We keep our eyes glued to the babies – and they make it into the water and ZOOM out to sea!
One more baby SEA TURTLE makes it thanks to volunteers – the satisfaction of being a help in the protection of an endangered species!
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PAPA’S WORLD – WE HELP ANOTHER SEA TURTLE NEST TEAM ON OIB!
The first thing they wanted to do was walk the beach!
Now – wouldn’t you know it that it got cold and windy the day they arrived!
It was so warm the day before people were sitting on the beach and wading in the water!
So we pressed on and walked down and onto the beach.
The wind was the culprit – making it very cold.
Even Bode has enough even though he had no shoes on!
Cassidy Taylor Bode after he put his shoes back on!
We walked to the next beach entrance and exited!
MorMor Bode Cassidy Taylor Tammy
It was a very short walk – but they got to see just how close we are!
Tammy said the kids were great – she had told them she would not stop and she didn’t making the seven hour drive in a little over six hours and they never complained!
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WHERE FAMILY MEETS FRIENDS
FRIENDS MEET FAMILY!
And that night after the kids went to bed – we relaxed and watched a playoff game
We are all from Western New York
and were huge fans when Buffalo Bills made their four straight Super Bowls!
One of my favorite beers from back in Western New York!
I 