OBX Connection Logo

Outer Banks of North Carolina Weather
86.0 F, Fair
Wind: Variable at 4.6 MPH (4 KT)
Outer Banks Guide > Outer Banks Blogs > Eve Turek's Natural Outer Banks Blog
(blog home page)

read 1410419 times

UNCLE JACK'S WEBLOG
Monday, January 28, 2013
Winter week in Sonag
       Uncle Jack and Mrs. U.J. thought they were pretty smart to get out of Dodge (a.k.a. Baltimore) ahead of the snow and sub-freezing air that moved in last week. As it turned out the polar weather followed them right down I-95 to South Nags Head where it has remained during their entire stay. Out of the frying pan and into the fire, you could say, except that it doesn't seem quite apropos.
       They did have a couple of warm days just after they got here so they did get to check out the beach in Sonag to see how the renourishment project is holding up. The picture below shows the steep drop-offs at the water's edge which are now beginning to look like a permanent feature of the new landscape. To Uncle Jack's jaundiced eye the strand looks like exactly what it is....a pile of sand on top of a natural beach that is struggling to get out from under it. The experts say it will take 10 years or more for that to happen but who really knows at this point.                                                                                                                       They spent one of the nice mornings walking around down in the Pea Island bird sanctuary which is always a pleasure even when there aren't many birds to look at. It appears that blowing sand from the denuded dunes along Highway 12 has smothered a lot of the food plants that grow in the ponds close to the road so the geese and ducks and swans have been forced to abandon them. Seems like it's one damn thing after the other south of Oregon Inlet.
       After leaving the bird sanctuary they drove on down a couple of miles to the new New Inlet bridge which spans one of the inlets punched open by Hurricane Irene in 2011. When Uncle Jack last saw it about 6 weeks ago it seemed to have narrowed a lot from its original size and now it looks even narrower. Will it close up all by itself like the original New Inlet back in the '30's. Who knows? Watch for a "Bridge for Sale" sign.
       On the way south they noticed the pile drivers doing preliminary work for the long-awaited Bonner Bridge replacement. Uncle Jack hopes he lives long enough to see whether there is anything left of Highway 12 for the bridge to connect to when it is finally finished. No doubt the folks who live on Hatteras are more than a little nervous about this too, as well they should be.
       After the cold snap started they pretty much hunkered down in front of the fireplace in the living room, emerging from time to time only to check on their rapidly dwindling propane supply. Sunday was sunny and relatively windless so they drove over to the Elizabethan Gardens to look around. Even in the depths of winter they are beautiful enough to restore the soul and they are definitely not crowded either.
       Warmer weather returns tomorrow which of course signals that it's time to return to Charm City where it's still freezing and will probably stay that way indefinitely. Sigh.
       Happy New Year to all.
      

      
      
      
      


click for larger image
Snowy view from Uncle Jack's window in Charm City more than a month ago. An hour later the snow was gone.

click for larger image
The steep drop-offs on the beach in South Nags disappeared after Sandy but they're back again this week.

click for larger image
House shadows nearly reach the surf at 5 p.m. in Sonag last Sunday. Is the beach getting narrower? Darned if Uncle Jack can tell at this point.

click for larger image
January sunrise in Charm City. No ocean but still rather awesome.

click for larger image
Poor Mini.Brrr.

click for larger image
It's not too early (or too late) to reserve a week or two at Uncle Jack's delightful house in South Nags Head. For more information Google "Uncle Jack's Beach Cottage".

click for larger image
Elizabeth I is properly dressed for winter.

click for larger image
Virginia Dare on the other hand....

posted by Uncle Jack at 12:14 PM

Comments [57]




click picture for more
After retiring in 2005 after 35 years as owner/operator of Yellowhouse Gallery and Annex on the Beach Road in Nags Head, Uncle Jack, accompanied by Mrs. Uncle Jack (a.k.a. Susan), commenced to travel extensively. This blog is a chronicle of their ramblings around the U.S. (in their redoubtable Mini Cooper convertible) as well as visits to England, Ireland, France, Italy, and Malta, interspersed with lengthy stays in South Nags Head and Baltimore between trips. He took a lot of pictures along the way, many of which are posted along with each blog entry.
August 2017 (3)

July 2017 (2)

February 2017 (1)

October 2015 (1)

May 2015 (1)

April 2015 (1)

February 2015 (2)

January 2015 (1)

December 2014 (4)

November 2014 (1)

October 2014 (1)

September 2014 (2)

August 2014 (3)

June 2014 (2)

May 2014 (2)

April 2014 (4)

March 2014 (2)

January 2014 (5)

December 2013 (1)

November 2013 (1)

October 2013 (2)

September 2013 (2)

August 2013 (1)

June 2013 (2)

May 2013 (5)

January 2013 (1)

December 2012 (1)

October 2012 (1)

July 2012 (1)

June 2012 (1)

May 2012 (3)

April 2012 (2)

March 2012 (2)

February 2012 (1)

January 2012 (1)

December 2011 (2)

November 2011 (5)

October 2011 (2)

September 2011 (3)

August 2011 (5)

July 2011 (6)

June 2011 (11)

May 2011 (8)

September 2009 (5)

August 2009 (8)

July 2009 (8)

June 2009 (8)

May 2009 (10)

April 2009 (10)

March 2009 (8)

February 2009 (4)

January 2009 (14)

December 2008 (16)

November 2008 (13)

October 2008 (19)

September 2008 (19)

August 2008 (15)

July 2008 (17)

June 2008 (18)

May 2008 (16)

April 2008 (23)

March 2008 (23)

February 2008 (21)

January 2008 (29)

December 2007 (21)

November 2007 (19)

October 2007 (13)

September 2007 (19)

August 2007 (19)

July 2007 (20)

June 2007 (19)

May 2007 (29)

April 2007 (21)

March 2007 (30)

February 2007 (29)

January 2007 (23)

December 2006 (20)

November 2006 (21)

October 2006 (21)

September 2006 (20)

August 2006 (31)

July 2006 (31)

June 2006 (28)

May 2006 (29)

April 2006 (26)

March 2006 (23)

February 2006 (15)

January 2006 (12)

December 2005 (20)

November 2005 (18)

October 2005 (23)

September 2005 (29)

August 2005 (22)

July 2005 (17)

June 2005 (21)

May 2005 (23)

seagrass
NEW Home | Outer Banks Vacation Rentals | Outer Banks Message Board | Outer Banks Webcams