The alarm goes off at 5:30 AM and it’s still pitch black outside. Which is fine, because I know from experience that it will take some work to get everyone up and about to see the sun come up. When I get downstairs Dad’s already up, and we get the coffee going which helps motivate people somewhat. Everyone digs out a sweater and we head up to the upper deck to check out the sunrise.

 

It’s cold, windy, and dark up there. But just a short distance away is the ocean, and if you squint really hard you can see Ireland on the horizon. Well... no. But the sun is starting to warm the sky along the horizon and we huddle together for a bit of warmth while we wait for the big ball of fire to emerge from hibernation. Once it’s above the horizon we walk down to the beach and check out the surf. It’s very quiet on the beach at 6AM... we gather a few shells and head back to the house for breakfast, after which we sack out for a nap and greet the day properly around 9AM for a trip to the local grocery store.

 

Village Grocery in Avon has to be the best stocked grocery store I have EVER encountered. It’s also the most $$$ I have ever spent on a week’s groceries for the family. Maybe it’s a good thing that stores with this much high-quality merchandise aren’t on every corner in Toronto. After we load up on enough food to keep us fed for a couple of days we ring out and head back to the beach house to pack the larder and settle in.

 

What to do next? Hmmmm. I unload my camera into the laptop while Dad and Frances put together the kite Dad bought in Kitty Hawk on the way down. It’s a scale replica of the original Wright Flyer in nylon and poystyrene. Once it’s assembled we HAVE to take it down to the beach, where its maiden flight is quite successful. I have wanted to fly a kite on the beach in NC for quite a while now and you couldn’t choose a more appropriate one that the Wright Flyer replica.

 

Lunchtime rolls around and we drive down to Hatteras to look for some souvenirs for the kids. We stop and check out the light house, buy some seafood and get back in time for a delicious dinner of fresh grouper and mackerel. After dinner we check out the sunset on the Sound side of the Banks, which is less than a quarter mile away. After sundown we watched a bit of TV, had a soak in the Jacuzzi and went off to bed... A pretty darn fine day in all.