September 15, 2023

September 15, 2023

From the North Carolina colonial capital of New Bern, we drove southeast along the Neuse River and then cut across Croatan National Forest to reach Harkers Island and the southernmost part of the Outer Banks. There we took the first ferry across to Cape Lookout National Seashore. The Outer Banks is a treacherous stretch of water. It has the nickname of Graveyard of the Atlantic because more than 5000 shipwrecks lay off the coast. Cape Lookout was particularly dangerous because it has a sandbar that stretches far off into the ocean, beyond the range of the earliest lighthouse.

Our first stop is the Cape Lookout Lighthouse that contains a museum in the lightkeeper's House. To make sailing the Outer Banks safer a string of dozens of lighthouses were built along the North Carolina coast. Each lighthouse is painted in a different pattern so seamen could tell where they were during the day.

We then walk across the dunes to the shore. The wind is fierce today, a remnant of Hurricane Lee. There we learn about the Sea Oat plant that stabilizes the sand dunes and whose stalks turn a golden color in late summer.

Back on the mainland we run through the park Visitor Center before starting our drive west.

Outside the massive Marine Corps base of Camp Lejeune we stop for a quick burger. We finish our drive north of Wilmington at Moores Creek National Battlefield.

This is a Revolutionary War Battle site that turns out to be more interesting than I would have thought. It was fought in 1776 between a group of Patriots against citizens loyal to the English Crown. The Patriot victory ensured that North Carolina would vote for Independence. They were the first, giving North Carolina the motto of First in Freedom. I always thought the South came late to the Revolution, but North Carolina was highly motivated because the colonial governor, William Tryon, was unduly tyrannical. He imposed high taxes to build himself an English Royal style palace in New Bern.

The Patriot commanders were unusually clever and tricked the Loyalists into charging toward dug-in soldiers manning a small cannon. The battle was over in mere minutes. It didn’t help that many of the Loyalists were recent Scottish immigrants armed only with a sword. This battle has the infamous reputation as the last broadsword charge by Scottish Highlanders.

Aimee and I walked the historical trail that takes us out to the recreated Moores Creek Bridge where the action took place. Incredibly we met a fellow traveler also born in my hometown. It sounded like his family might have owned the farmland where my childhood home was built.

The park also has a trail through the Longleaf Pines. Locals used to tap these trees for resin used to seal naval ships giving rise to the Tar Heel nickname.

We finished the day driving north a short distance to a hotel in Warsaw, NC. Since this is our last day in the South, we have another traditional dish at a local diner, this time Blackened Catfish. Not only was it delicious but the entire meal was half the price of a typical meal at home.