THE OUTER BANKS - CHICAMACOMICO & KILL DEVIL HILLS

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge

The sand is ever shifting, especially in places without vegetation to anchor it.

It flows over the road.

They put it back.

The Cape Hatteras National Seashore protects 70 miles of the Outer Banks from development. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge occupies 5834 acres in the upper part.

Linda is holding on to her hat for dear life. Charles Kuralt was important to both of us. We watched CBS Sunday Morning for years. Still do. Kuralt was born in Wilmington, NC. He traveled the country in an RV, reporting on his experiences.

It was entirely too windy to walk the trail out to the viewing platform. 

We were right. It was very windy.

U.S. Lifesaving Service

The Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station tells the story of the U.S. Coast Guard's predecessor organization. It was the first lifesaving station in the state.

1911 station, built to replace the 1874 one. This site witnessed the conversion to the U.S. Coast Guard in 1915, saw action through WWII and was decommissioned in 1954. Levine Midgett was the last keeper.

Beach Drill Cart

This cart was used to haul the Beach Rescue Apparatus to the site of the Wreck Pole, a training pole that simulates the mast of a shipwreck.  Every Life Saving Station had one of these poles.  Once there, the lifesavers would practice Breeches Buoy drill repeatedly, honing their ability to rescue victims of shipwrecks.  This drill occurred every Thursday at each station.

The cart here is much smaller than the one that would be used in the event of an actual rescue.  Beach Carts were larger, able to hold much more equipment, and weighed about 1,000 pounds.

The name Midgett, in various spellings, appears everywhere on Hatteras Island

"Shipwrecks mean the loss of valuable ships, cargo and lives.  Island residents habitually risked their lives to save mariners in distress, but no official organization for lifesaving existed until 1872 when the United States Lifesaving Service came to the Outer Banks.
The keeper and his surfmen (local men) were strong swimmers and familiar with the ways of the sea.  For about ten months of every year, the lifesaving crews manned stations every seven miles along the coast. In the event of a shipwreck, they used either a surfboat or beach apparatus to attempt rescue of the endangered seamen on a vessel.
No matter how rough the seas or how great the risk, the lifesavers always performed their duty.  Their dedication was summed up by the veteran keeper who told his crew:  "The books says you have to go out, it don't say nothing about coming back."
From 1871 to 1915, the men of the United States Lifesaving Service went to the rescue of 178,741 persons ink distress.  Of these, 177,286 were saved." From exhibit.

As a private museum, the Chicamacomico (pronounced chik-a-ma-COM-i-co) Lifesaving Station is sorely pressed for funds to preserve and restore the exhibits. Sadly, the displays were battered and water-stained. However, this is an important part of our country's history.

The Wright Brothers National Memorial

Forty-five years ago Linda had been here and the memory of the first flight left a lasting impression. She was determined to share that with Carole.

It was Wilbur Wright's birthday so admission was free.

Orville and Wilbur Wright. One entire wall held paintings of famous names in aviation.

The flights were from where the boulder sits to each of the four white markers. The first one lasted 12 seconds and traveled 120 feet.