Dreaming

You know you're in a beach town when no one around you seems to be wearing clothes- everybody is wearing bathing suits or a combination of a suit and shorts.  Shoes are optional but if feet are covered at all it's only with flip-flops of some type.

Ocracoke Island is that kind of place.  Other than the older gentlemen who ran the ferry service from Hatteras Island everyone else seemed to be dressed in some sort of beach wear.  

Years ago Ocracoke was a favored rest stop for the infamous pirate Blackbeard.  He was killed in the area after being hunted down by Captain Robert Maynard.  Nowadays Blackbeard is big business in the small village found on the south end of the island.  It has also become home to many gift shops selling a variety of t-shirts, artwork, handcrafted pottery and jewelry.  It's easy enough to get around for some shopping either by foot, bike, or golf cart.  Traffic lights don't exist on the island, although traffic may come to a stop to let a mother duck and her ducklings cross the road for a paddle around Silver Lake.

As far as I'm concerned Ocracoke is the perfect place to be.  I was happy to spend the day walking around this wonderful world today.  It's been at least 4 or 5 years since my last visit.  The only problem with a day on Ocracoke is having to get the ferry to leave and go back to the other world.  Today as I walked around I texted a friend who shares my affinity for Ocracoke.  I shouldn't come to Ocracoke- it just makes me want to quit my job and move here.

I know that's a pretty unrealistic dream but it's nice to think about.  There is a school on the island- Ocracoke School- home of the Dolphins...fear the pod.

I like that.