April 2011 A to Z Blogging Challenge

What is the A to Z Challenge? It’s blogging a letter of the alphabet every day the month of April (with Sundays off for good behavior.) It began April 1st, with the letter A and ends April 30th, with the letter Z. You can click here to see who else is participating in this challenge.




Today's post is for the letter:

Let's talk about water today. Every year we visit the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We spend one - two weeks at our friend's house in Kill Devil Hills, hang out at the beach, fish on the sound, and visit the local attractions.

None of this probably sounds amazing, except you have to realize I am petrified of water. Have been since I was a kid. If the water is moving--like the ocean--I won't venture out past my ankles. I don't want water anywhere near my face, even in the shower. I hate to be splashed and wet clothes against my body has to be one of the worst feelings.

So, why do we go?

The first reason is that it's so peaceful down there. While it has grown tremendously since we first started our annual visits nearly 20 years ago, the pace is still much slower than here in New England.

Another great thing about the Outer Banks is that I don't suffer from any allergies down there. The heat and the salt water mean that not a lot of green stuff is growing. I'm also away from our cats, so I'm not sneezing all the time. I could even forget to take my Advair one day without risking an asthma attack.

History abounds. The residents are very proud of their history. From the Lost Colony on Roanoke Island, to pirates, to Civil War battles, this area offers a lot for the history lover in me. I could get lost for hours in some of the used book shops.

The Lil Diva and the Lil Princess at the top of the Cape Hatteras Light

Lighthouses are another big attraction. We've only visited the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, but we've seen others from the road. My girls and their father climbed the Cape Hatteras Light in 2009. During our first visit to the area, the lighthouse was closed. In 1999, they moved it from its original location to protect it from the encroaching waters of the Atlantic. Open to the public from mid-April to early October, the Cape Hatteras Light is the tallest in America.

My dream is to retire to the Outer Banks and live in a house that looks out over the Atlantic. Not close enough to get totally wiped out by a hurricane, but I definitely want an ocean view. It makes no sense considering my phobia, but I never claimed to be sensible.

What is your favorite place to vacation? Would you rather see the East or West coast? Have you visited any of America's lighthouses?

Author's note: If you visit this link - http://www.avalonpier.com/piercam.html - you'll get a view of the Avalon Pier on the sound side. This pier isn't too far from the house we stay in (though it's on the opposite side of the main highway). Notice that it's 78 degrees there today.