Storms Roll Through and the Light Shines On

Day 357  | Bald Head Island 

When the view out the window is of Old Baldy, its not too difficult to get up and go for a walk. The promise of a stormy day only sped up our process. When we got to the Bald Head Island Chapel dozens of golf carts had already arrived for the 8:30 ecumenical service. We walked a short distance more then turned around and headed back to Crossroads just as the thunder was beginning to sound and storm clouds were rolling into the basin.

A good old-fashioned thunderstorm lasted for half an hour. In that time we shifted gears to do a few boat projects. Barry performed surgery on a cracked faceplate and I organized and inventoried the pantry and commissary for the final two weeks of our Loop travels. Around noon the sun peaked through and we resumed our walk, going back to where we left off at the Chapel. The Spanish moss danced in the breeze and the bright pink hydrangea blooms glowed against the green foliage. The convoluted branches of the live oaks continue to capture my attention.

One trail led us to the salt marsh. Another one we followed took us into the forest that bordered the golf course. The dense canopy creates a perfect environment for the mossy buildup on the tree branches. I thought it looked very similar to the patchwork stucco pattern of Old Baldy. By 3:00 another storm was approaching so we again returned to home base. I had noticed the sign on the ramp to the dock several times, but was still surprised to see the large snake crossing our path. Thankfully, there have been no alligator sitings.

The winds of the afternoon storm ushered in cooler temperatures, but we refused to pull out heavier clothes. Hard to believe that only one weak ago we were in the warm and sunny Bahamas. We visited one of the harbor restaurants for dinner then walked back to Old Baldy as the sun was setting. Although decommissioned as an active lighthouse in 1935, a non-flashing light still shines from its lantern room overnight. Meanwhile across the Cape Fear River, a beautiful sunset was developing. We changed position to get a better look, but the garbage truck was still in my foreground. Ugghh. On the right edge of the horizon, Oak Island Light can be seen shining in the distance.

Tomorrow we will make our final off-shore jump and go to Beaufort. It will be a long trip, but we will have enough daylight to avoid night travel. An early alarm calls for our lights to be out soon. Thanks for continuing to follow along.