Final Push to Ocracoke

I returned to Wrightsville Beach on Friday, May 29th from PA after visiting with family.  Saturday the 30th we had our friends Lara and Brad Hanks, their daughter Haley and her boyfriend Chase to Southern Style.  We had a nice visit and evening cruise on the boat.  Always good to catch up with them whenever we can.  Hopefully they may make it out to Ocracoke sometime this summer.

The Hanks and Mackeys

Sunday morning it was time to head out.  Captain Keith would be taking the boat solo from Wrightsville Beach to Morehead City, about 80 miles.  At the same time, I would be driving our "new" summer wheels to Morehead.

Keith pulling out from our spot in Wrightsville Beach Sunday morning

Below is my ride to Morehead City, our new to us 2005 Jeep Rubicon.

Get ready for some 4 wheel beach driving.

To kill some time before I headed to Morehead, I swung past the Stanley Rehder Carnivorous Plant Garden after helping Keith off the dock.  Some of you that follow the blog may remember my post about this unique garden previously.  I had stopped here while we were in Wrightsville Beach last fall.  It is really a cool place and so nice to be able to see it in the spring.

Yellow Pitcher Plants

Sundrops with their sticky stems

Venus Fly Traps

Purple Pitcher Plant

After arriving in Morehead, I met up with our friends Dave and Janet who had come down from New Bern.  The three of us sat on the outside deck at Jack's Waterfront Bar and had a cocktail while waiting for Keith to arrive.  Here is Southern Style in the background coming into the Morehead Turning Basin as we are imbibing.

Monday morning June 1st it was time for Keith to make the final push up ICW through Adam's Creek and into the Neuse River and then across the Pamlico Sound to Ocracoke.  I drove from Morehead City to Cedar Island to catch the ferry across with the Jeep.

Pengi on the dash of the Jeep while we ride across the Pamlico Sound on the ferry to Ocracoke.  We were first on and right at the front of the ferry.

I could just see Keith and Southern Style off the port side of the ferry.

We both got in before 1:00 and settled by around 2 PM.  It has been quite a trip back from the Bahamas and up the east coast from Florida.  We are sooooo happy to be here in Ocracoke and really looking forward to the summer.

Me, Pengi, and the jeep getting ready to disembark the ferry in Ocracoke

The beach on our walk Tuesday morning (our first full day on island).  Such a shame it is so crowded here.

Sunset over the ferry dock Tuesday evening

Nice to finally be home!