Outer Banks Update

So much has been going on that I haven't been able to post updates. It's hard to believe that our two weeks is almost up. Tomorrow we will celebrate my birthday--hopefully with a trip on the ferry from Cape Hatteras to Ocracoke Island. Ocracoke is the only lighthouse here I haven't seen yet.

The water has been between 72 and 81 degrees our entire trip, but we had rain yesterday and most of today so far. When we went to the beach yesterday, we couldn't really swim much because of the riptides. The water was rougher the past two days than we've seen it since we've been here. I did manage to take the Lil Diva (10) fishing yesterday. I hope to bring both girls out again tonight. We bought the Lil Princess her own fishing rod this week.

Last week, we visited the North Carolina Aquarium on Roanoke Island. We thought our 17-month-old nephew would get a kick out of it. The girls also enjoy going. They no longer have the inside waterfall in the lobby. It has been replaced with a huge aquarium full of sea life. They have also done away with their room dedicated to hurricanes. Instead they have a huge room dedicated to news about the planet, which also includes information about weather patterns. Another newer addition is the sea turtle lab, where computers help youngsters diagnose sea turtle ailments, learn how to treat them, and then release them back to the wild. These are rubber sea turtles, but the kids still get a ton of information. The tank of sea otters was a huge hit with everyone. Some of those sharks were scary, though.

We ate at Big Al's Soda Fountain and Grill for lunch before the aquarium. We ate there last year, and were so thrilled with it, we knew we wanted to share it with the rest of our family. It's set up like a 1950's soda fountain and burger joint. They have tons of Coca-Cola collectible items and other memorabilia in their gift store. You have to stop by even if you don't plan to buy anything. I had a scrumptious philly cheesesteak sandwich and classic fries. It was so-o-o-o-o-o good, I ate every last bite, but I couldn't even think about trying to fit in desert after that.

Here's hoping you've had a great week so far. I'll bring you more of our trip soon. I'll also discuss some of the places you need to see if you plan a trip to the Outer Banks--which I highly recommend. I'll probably save that last one for once we return.