Back from Hatteras

We are back on the boat at Salt Ponds Marina after spending a week in a beach house on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. The house is located at the south end of Hatteras Island right across from the Ocracoke Island ferry terminal and the U.S. Coast Guard station. Sandy's brother, two sisters and their spouses were all there. The ocean beach was beautiful with soft clean sand. The surf was up most of the days as the wind was blowing 15-20 every day. We mainly swam in the pool at the house but did long walks on the beach. We ate lots of seafood at Dinky's and Teach's restaurants. On the nights we didn't go out to dinner each couple cooked the meal for all the others. Needless to say we ate really good. The house has a karaoke machine so we had a karaoke night. It was pretty wild. We all agreed that what happens at Hatteras stays at Hatteras.

There are historical markers along the island drive. One of them at the south end of Hatteras is about the U.S.S Monitor, the Union Civil War iron clad boat. It sunk in a storm just 16 miles off the coast from where we were staying. We wanted to learn more about the Monitor so when we returned to Hampton we went to the Mariners Museum in Newport News where the remains of the Monitor are being saved. The Monitor's resting place was discovered in 1974, 112 years after it's sinking in 1862 on New Years Eve. It was not salvaged until 2002. The ship was upside down on the bottom in 250 feet of water. The gun turret was the largest piece salvaged and is resting in a bath of solution to keep it from rusting anymore than it is. Both of the guns were recovered, the anchor and some chain, 100's of other smaller items, the steam engine and the remains of two sailors. We spent almost 4 hours just touring the Monitor section of the museum. You walk thru a timeline from when the Monitor was first designed and constructed, the battle of Hampton Roads where she battles the Confederate iron clad the Virginia, thru the sinking, the discovery of her resting place and the recovery. There was much more to see but we didn't spend a lot of time on the other areas.

Here are some photos of the house on Hatteras.