Some Visitors on the Beaches

There are few things as nice as coming home. That is especially true when home is the beach. We were away for awhile, and as usual that made getting back to the Crystal Coast even more special. We managed to miss some great spring weather here on the coast while having to deal with some temperatures in the nineties in the mountains of Virginia. One of the first things I noticed when we got back was that we now have a substantial number of out of state license plates in the area. Our out of state visitors are something we look forward to each year. It means that the beach is waking up, and it will likely have some people walking on it even on not so perfect days. Today began very cool with temperatures in the forties, but by mid-afternoon when we stopped by the Eastern Regional Access on Emerald Isle, the temperature had worked its way into the upper sixties, and there were some clouds on the horizon.

We also had a nice breeze today. That along with the cool temperatures put this Monday into the blue jeans and long sleeved tee-shirt category.

Yet I was not surprised to see some young visitors in swimsuits. When we lived in Canada, our kids swam in July waters on the north coast of Prince Edward Island that were even colder than our April waters are here on the North Carolina coast. Surf in the mid-sixties like we have now is warm enough for some folks. However, it remains a little cold for most of us.

Even with these cool temperatures, the beach is still enjoyable. The water is beautiful. We saw several folks just walking or passing the time by watching the waves from their beach chairs. This is actually a great time of the year to visit the beach. There is little or no humidity. The weather at night is perfect for sleeping.

At the same time, the azaleas are gorgeous, and it will not be long before our local strawberries are ripe. Usually we have them by this time of year, but the cold winter on the east coast has made things a little late. The late spring has not slowed some outdoor enthusiasts. We are seeing some fishermen out on the water, especially in the harbors.

A visit at this time of year means that the local restaurants are not crowded, and our local seafood is plentiful, and there are still some great oysters available. Our local oysters are always tasty. This time of year, there is no waiting for a table during the week.

Unless you are looking for warm water for swimming, you can even save a lot of money by visiting the Crystal Coast in April and May when rental rates are less expensive.

We have a couple of days coming up at the end of the week when the temperatures are going to climb into the eighties. If the winds and tides will cooperate, we just might go try our luck at some early season fishing. My boat is serviced for the season and waiting on the lift behind our home. All we need is a little more warmth.

There is nothing like a good day on the water with a warm Carolina sun on your back to remind you of just how lucky we are to be able to enjoy this paradise know as the Crystal Coast.

With the temperatures in the eighties, finishing the day with a beach walk once again becomes an option. Each day now, I expect to see a few more people on the beaches, and more boats in the Intracoastal.

I think we are ready for our visitors. It looks like Emerald Isle has managed to finish most of their sections of bike bath just in time for the first wave of the out of state visitors.

Now if the fish were just biting, and the afternoon temperature consistently in the low eighties, things would be just fine here in paradise on the North Carolina coast.