Although we had some spotty weather, our trip was still a blast.

A few highlights:
Paid 50$ for the beach permit, to only use it once in a week...but atleast the money goes to the National Park Service. My gripe is that more beaches are being shut down, and that is forcing folks to concentrate and overuse the available beaches. However, there is currently a motion to set the rules back to 2007.

Also, if you go to get a permit, you will be sitting in a room with one to 12 other people watching the stupid 7 minute video, which only has 2minutes of what you can and can't do on the beach. these other folks will all be complaining about the beach closures and not even watching the video, as most have already seen it online...what a racket.

This trip we made it North to the beaches above Corolla, no permit required because they are controlled by the state and not part of the National Park System. When 12 ends at the beach, we drove another 8 miles up the beach, and then through some side trails looking for some horses and just to do some exploring.

We found a huge sand dune(not the dunes near the beach shore) and saw one of those horsesighting/beach adventure trucks loaded with about a dozen tourists on the top of the dune. So i did what any other person would have done with their yota in that situation...i drove straight up the dune to the top without an issue.

Upon my arrival, the tourist truck had moved about 100yrds and i wasn't interested in getting close to him anyhow...but... He starts waving at me as to get off the dune, or maybe he thought i was following him..??? i am not sure what he meant/wanted because the wind was loud and my engine was running, so i just slowly drove back down the dune. I didn't see any signage about driving up there, and many trails in this section lead to the dune.

Any one have any idea? Was i not suppose to be on there? I read all the signs and warnings, but most are about the shore dunes, and not feeding horses, obey traffic laws as on the street..blah, blah, blah.

Any now a few shots:
My girl

 

Come on down to frisco next year same Time.We go to the south beach where the ferrys pass and hang out some.

 

Nice! Any pics of the view from the top of the dune?
Also good attitude about where the $$ went for the fee..

 

Never got a pic from the top of the dune wish i had, I barely took any pics this time.
I really wanted to explore more beaches, north and south, but weather was so spotty it was hard convincing the wifey to go to the beach on iffy days.
Definitely hook up in frisco next year.

 

We go out in the morning and take the canopy,and grill for lunch.Fish a bit.Then when it gets so hot,we go back to the house we rent.The wind was real bad last couple of weeks.We stay on the sound side on a dead end cul da sac,with no one around.We have all the privacy we want.Down south if the f---ing birds dont have the beach's closed, are a lot of places to go.We've been down for 17 years now.

 

Everyone that i spoke with that have been going down there for many years said how great it used to be, and they understand the turtle needs protection but the bird is ridiculous, because it will fly and live and nest anywhere. Like in the video you have to watch...the bird nest unattended in the middle of the beach....really? Amazing how some people interpret animal habitat...
The real downside is that all the closures are forcing people to concentrate and run-down what is open. Then that area will be closed for rehabilitation like they do on the Appellation Trail from areas being over camped.

 

We could go anywhere.You coud go down to the old lookout towers and go to the sound where you were all by yourself all day.Now the audibon has screwed up this area so bad.I try to go to avon a lot to stay away from people.We were on the beach last wee, no on around for a 1/4 mile.Some jerk woman pulls up right beside me,pulls out the boogy boards and lets her kids go in where I'm fishing.Then two more cars follow .Its public beach, but respect others on the beach.

 

^^^I have it from the other side....I/we don't fish and we have a few youngsters with us. I look for folks that are not fishing and park as far away from the fishing as possible(respect, we all have to share...right?) then as usual some jerk pulls up next to me and throws his rods in, when all he had to do was drive a few more yards and he would have been with the fishing guys. Personally, and maybe i'm just wierd, but i don't want a fish hook in me or my family...but that's just me.
I swear...people act like they are the only ones on the planet, and don't get me started about driving or grocery stores.

But yes i agree with you, respect is lost, people are oblivious.

 

I'm not your die hard fisherman.I TAKE my two labs down, and my son and just enjoy the area.I dont need the boom box blasting me off the beach and the kids tangled in my line,if I were fishing.Dont you just love the trip to the grocery store and they brought all ten kids,and there all standing in one place texting.
Anyway, were down the same time everyear.If you come down,Get with me and we can head south and check out the south point area,have a drink or thirty,and enjoy the sand.

 

^^^ Definitely!!!

 

Thanks for the pics, been a long while since I drove on the beaches there.

 

Gonna try to get the other pics from wifey.

 

some information on the Cape Hatteras Beach Access Bill
http://www.opencongress.org/bill/112-h4094/show

 

Thanks for the pics, I hadn't been there since 2003 or 2004.

 

You are very welcome, thanks for reminding me to get the other pics from the girl.

I'll get them up soon

 

Oh man you are in my neck of the woods now. Just so you know riding on the dunes on the OBX is illegal. That's why the dude was waiving you off. Did you try cape lookout? Did you go up to see the wild horses? There still are plenty of beaches you can ride on without a permit.

 

Alright I didn't know all of OBX was du e prohibited. But horse tour dude was on top himself. But I will abide.
Only made it north. Never made of to cape lookout

 

good post.. this is one of of my target destinations once my rig is upfor it

 

I'll be heading down again this year, looks like the end of July 2013

 

I'll be ther last week of june and first week of July.