Ocracoke Island

I am always looking for new adventures. So when making winter plans I included Cape Hatteras NS and Ocracoke Island as part of our travels. Part of this adventure requires taking a 1 hour ferry ride from Hatteras to Ocracoke Island for our 2 night stay in the Orcacoke Campground where there are no hookups.

Waiting for the ferry

Identical ferry like the one we are on

Our site at Ocracoke Campground 

Very few people in the campground

The Orcacoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina. In 1798 a 54 foot wooden tower was built on Ocracoke Inlet Point. With constant shifting of the inlet the lighthouse became obsolete. It was replaced by a light vessel in 1820 but it to became obsolete in 1822 due to the shifting channel. The present whitewashed tower was completed in 1823 and stands 75 feet tall. The beam is still operational and can be seen 14 miles out to sea.

Ocracoke Lighthouse

The Ocracoke Keepers' Quarters was built in 1823 and expanded in 1929. For over 200 years the building has faced mother natures violent hurricanes and Nor'easters. In 2019 Hurricane Dorian brought record storm surges to Ocracoke Island. The Keepers' Quarters was flooded with 18 inches of water causing severe damage. Over the next 12 months at a cost of $3.6 million the Keepers' Quarters will be raised and repaired along with several other buildings.

The undeveloped, natural shoreline of Ocracoke Island spans 16 miles of beautiful beaches. However, they do not call these waters the graveyard of the Atlantic for no reason. The rough surf and rip tides can be extremely dangerous.

The Ocracoke ponies also called "Banker" horses have been documented on the island since the first Europeans arrived in 1730. Legend has it they were left behind by shipwrecked explorers in the 16th and 17th century.

As tourist began to increase, these free roaming horses were becoming victims of vehicles crashes. So the NPS developed the now Ocracoke Pony Pen to help keep them safe. The historical herd size stand between 9 to 20 horses with the last foal being born in 2018. There are currently no plans of expanding the herd.

After two days of beautiful but very windy weather we left the island the same way we came, on a much larger ferry at the south end of the island. This one cost us $45 and took roughly 2-1/2 hours to cross to the mainland of Cedar Point NC. We had 4-5 foot swells but the ferry ride was very smooth with only a little bit of rocking and rolling. Chalk it up to another wonderful experience.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Visited: 8 - 11 November 2024

Nights: 3

Campground: Oregon Inlet

Cape Hatteras National Seashore is made up of barrier islands covering 30,00 acres extending from South Nags Head to Ocracoke Island some 70 miles (110 km). On January 12, 1953 Cape Hatteras National Seashore was established. Over thousands of years the forces of water, wind, and storms have shaped these barrier islands which include Bodie Island, Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island.

Our campsite C-15 with electric & water

Beautiful beach just over the dunes from our site

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was constructed in 1870 on a hill 1,500 feet from the shore. It remains the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States standing at 198.49 feet. This lighthouse stood tall and fast but the island around it moved. Sand is carrier across the island from east to west due to wind and water causing the island to move westward. By the mid 1990's sand migration reduced the width of the beach in front of the lighthouse down to 150 feet. In 1999, after years of studies and debates, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved to its present location. The lighthouse started it's move on 17 June 1999 at a cost of $11.8 million dollar. The light station moved 2,900 feet taking 23 days and now lies 1,500 feet from the seashore, its original distance from the sea. A relighting ceremony took place on 13 November 1999 to celebrate the successful relocation.

After 150 years the lighthouse has withstood numerous hurricanes, nor'easters, earthquakes, and millions of visitors. That being said the tall giant is undertaking a $20 million renovation to repair damage, restore historical features, and repaint to former glory. This renovation has started and is scheduled to take 18 months. So if you are wanting to climb this lighthouse...you have to wait.

Located south of Nags Head NC, Bodie Island Lighthouse was completed in 1872 and stands 150 feet high. It was partly built from leftover material of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The first-order Fresnel lens flashes and can be seen 19 miles away. The lighthouse was not open for climbing which is unfortunate but I had the opportunity to climb it many years ago.

While on the Outer Banks we will be visiting the Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site which I hope to blog on next.

Day 10 - Carleton-sur-Mer

Length of Stay: 5 nights
Visited: 21-26 August 2023

The drive to Carleton-sur-Mer campground went pretty much as planned. Left at 10 and got here just after lunch. We stopped a few times for doggy pee breaks and a scenic lookout moment which turned out to be not so scenic.

Carleton-sur-Mer campground is almost totally surrounded by water. On one side you have Chaleur Bay and on the other is the barachois(a shallow lagoon formed by a sand bar). There are a total of 305 sites ranging from dry campsites to sites with all amenities plus an outdoor covered kitchen area. Our site backed up to Chaleur Bay with New Brunswick visible on the other side of the bay. All sites are very spacious with lots of room between your neighbour.

Check in was one of the fastest I've ever encountered. In and out in 3 minutes with map in hand away we go.

Check in office

Washrooms

The lighthouse near the campground is located at Pointe Tragadigache. It is a replica of the original that burnt down in 1970.

Playground for kids

The view from the front of our site is of Mont Saint-Joseph. We are hoping to make the climb up there tomorrow...in the truck of course.

After supper we took a nice walk along the beach, the wind was still quite blustery but it was warm. Susan said I did good in choosing this campsite.

Day 6 - A Lighthouse, Submarine, & Hike

Today takes us to Site historique maritime de la Pointe-au-Pere in Rimouski. Our first stop is the Pointe-au-Pere Lighthouse which is a Parks Canada NHS however it is managed by the maritime museum. Along with the lighthouse, there is a submarine, and a pavilion with artifacts and stories of the Empress of Ireland. Since I was on a submarine during my active military days and have visited Halifax's maritime museum we opted for just the lighthouse today.

Even before Pointe-au-Pere's first lighthouse which was built in 1859, several pilots operated from this area offering their services to guide incoming ships. In 1867 the first lighthouse was destroyed by fire consequently a second was built on the same site at a cost of $1600 to $2000. The second was built identical to the first. In 1909, the construction of a more modern third lighthouse rendering the second one obsolete. The lighthouse is 33 meters(108 feet) tall and is built from concrete with eight reinforced concrete buttresses. There is a total of 128 steps which include 2 ladders to reach the top.

In 1975, a fully automated 115 foot fourth lighthouse was erected just east of the third light. In 1976 the jurisdiction over the third transferred from Transport Canada to Parks Canada thereby becoming a National Historic Site. With new GPS and radar systems the skeleton tower was decommissioned in 1988. The view from the top of the lighthouse. Susan opted for the Red Chair below.

We opted not to tour the HMCS Onondaga instead I took some pictures and walked out onto the pier. The Onondaga is a Oberon class submarine built in 1965 in the UK. It was owned by the Canadian Navy and in service for 33 years. During this span it travelled 500,000 nautical miles which is 23 times around the earth. Staff included 68 crew members of these 6 were officers.

After a full morning of sightseeing and a little bit of grocery shopping we headed back to Bic for lunch. After lunch and a little snooze I went for another hike. This trail is the Le Chemin-du-Nord considered an easy out and back 3 km hike. The trail is depicted in red on the map.

The Chemin-du-Nord starts at the Ferme Rioux discovery and visitors center. This is a wide trail composed of fine gravel that follows the coast. The trail is a very popular one due to it's low level of difficulty. Passing by Anse a Wilson people were swimming in the cove...to cold for me.

The shear beauty of this park amazes me. Around every bend and curve it's a wow moment. Wind swept trees from salt water and erosion causes them to die.

In the early 19th century several Englishmen built houses and/or cottages along the shores of Anse a l'Original. The Feindel cottage is one of these houses. The ownership has passed to the park.

The park has a plethora of wild rose bushes

In the 1920's Walter Lyman, a colonel in the Canadian Army acquired 350 acres of land along Cap a l'Original coast. Because of the peace and tranquility they had 5 structures built, a cottage, boat house, stable, sauna, and wood shed all with no electricity or running water.

The view to the east from the Lyman cottage deck...it is breath taking.

Continuing along the very flat trail with tall pines overhead. It's nice because when the sun broke through it was hot.

Reaching the end of this portion of the trail was breathtaking. Large rocky cliffs meet the water can't get any better than that. If you are an experienced hiker you can continue around the Cap-a-l'Original but it has to be started an hour before low tide. The trail is not marked, has steep dangerous cliffs, and rocks to climb over. Nope not for this girl besides it's not low tide. Yeah

Another hike in the books, what a great day. Last day tomorrow at Parc National du Bic, I will have to see what is in store, a bike ride, hike who knows...I will decide in the morning.

Bonavista, NL

We started our day heading back up the Bonavista Peninsula to explore the town of Bonavista and the surrounding area. It is here in Bonavista where John Cabot was thought to have first spied land in the New World in 1497. At the very top of the peninsula is Cape Bonavista Lighthouse. The lighthouse was constructed between 1841 and 1843. In 1962 the lighthouse was decommissioned when the light was automated and placed on a steel tower. Today the lighthouse is a provincial historic site.

Cape Bonavista Lighthouse

Looking out to sea

John Cabot Landfall
Statue

A short distance down the road is Dungeon Provincial Park. The relentless wave action of the North Atlantic against the rocks has formed this rugged coastline. Unfortunately we did not continue down the road far enough to see the collapsed sea caves but still managed to see some amazing rock formations.

Horses and cattle roam the provincial park

Rugged coastline

Dramatic rock formations

Caves formed by the continuously pounding surf 

Along the shoreline of Bonavista there are scattered remains of fish flakes and stages. I’ve mentioned flakes before but not stages. They are the primitive wooden buildings that were essential for the cod fisherman for salting and drying their fish. After various periods under salt in the stage, the fish was washed a final time and placed on the flake to be dried by the sun. Depending on temperature, sunlight, and precipitation this process could take days. It was very time consuming and usually performed by the women in the fishing family.

Fish flake and stages

Crowded Bonavista Harbour

Bonavista has approximately 1000 heritage buildings dating back to the early 19th century. The Mockbeggar Plantation was built in 1733 and is the oldest surviving building on the coast. It served many functions such as a saltfish store, a salmon packing house, a barter shop, and a temporary church just to name a few.

Mockbeggar Plantation

Overlooking Bonavista’s inner harbour is the courthouse which was constructed in 1897-1900. The first courthouse was destroyed by fire in 1897. Formal justice came to town in 1729.

The courthouse...yellow building in the middle sitting atop the
hill overlooking the harbour

The Ryan Premises National Historic Site commemorates the rich history of Newfoundland’s cod industry. It was once the home of James Ryan Ltd one of Newfoundland and Labrador’s largest salt fish mercantile firms. At one time boats loaded with salt cod left the tiny village of Bonavista and sailed to ports around the world.

Proprietor's House

Retail Shops

Salt Store