For most of June, we have seen nearly perfect blue skies. When the winds have cooperated, it has been a great time to be out on the water.
With so much great weather, I have managed to enjoy some really special waters which are still just like God made them.
There are few things prettier than our cove when the sky is blue and the water is reflecting that color.
My favorite boating circuit takes me down the White Oak River to Swansboro, then over to Bear Island where we follow the navigable water over to the Point at Emerald Isle and eventually head home by the way of the channel from Bogue Inlet.
Sometimes when I just have a few minutes, a quick boat ride just to Swansboro will provide just a nice taste of the water. As you can see from these pictures, it is a very beautiful ride down the river.
Recently we have had a few days where our blue skies have disappeared and been replaced by smoke from a wildfire in Pender County. On June 23, we could hardly see our own inlet because of the dense smoke.
The smoke was bad enough one day that I felt the need to escape to Third Street Beach which turned out to be far enough east to offer relief from the smoke.
We have even managed to catch some nice fish including this cobia which we quickly returned to the waters of Bogue Sound.
While fishing has been a little slow, we can usually catch enough small bottom fish to keep ourselves entertained.
With our recent spell of hot weather, the ocean waters along the beaches have been perfect for a cooling dip.
All in all this has been a very good month. Everyone who made it to the beach seems to have enjoyed Memorial Day.
There have also been some quiet times in the cove, and we even managed to make a day trip to Nags Head to have a look at the new Jeanette’s Pier.
It has been a good summertime at the beach so far in 2011.
I have updated my flyer about the area. It includes things to do at the beach, some restaurant suggestions, and a local map with some of the services we use. It can be downloaded from a link on my Crystal Coast Life welcome page.
More information on the area is available at my new Swansboro area travel guide or if your plans are to head to the beach, I have an updated Emerald Isle Travel Guide.
Why we love it here?
It is hard to say that any place is perfect. You have to accept a balance between what you like and what you don't like but can tolerate. All of that changes as you age. At one time I was close to homesteading in Newfoundland. That is a little too far off the beaten path for me in 2011.
For thoughts on where to live, I would steer you to my articles, Ten ways Carteret County met our needs, Why I love living in Carteret County, and to the Crystal Coast Electronic Village Homepage as answers to why we have chosen this area.
My Crystal Coast, Salt Water on Your Feet site also has a number of articles for people considering a move to the Crystal Coast.
You will also find links to lots of pictures and information at my new Crystal Coast Life introduction page.
If you could spend the day with me, you would understand how easy it is to enjoy our lives along the White Oak. Living in a small subdivision near Cape Carteret isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it is a great place to boat and relax. Bluewater Cove is truly what we were looking for in a place to live. It is close to services and even closer to the beach but not on the beach. We have a dock behind the house and are close to some great trails. I can ride my bike in the neighborhood and not face a lot of traffic.
I also use my kayak on the White Oak River and have learned to love exploring the river and surrounding waters with our skiff.
This area also has some great festivals like the Newport Pig Cookoff, the Emerald Isle Saint Patrick's Day, the Swansboro Mullet Festival and the Swansboro Oyster Roast. We continue to be impressed with the Emerald Isle Christmas Parade.
It is a friendly area with a great future. So right now it is the spot for us. I often write about the area in my other websites. If you are a very avid reader, you might find some similar content on multiple sites, but usually the content is fairly specific to the sites.
These are additional sites where you can find even more information.
Crystal Coast Life
Ocracoke Waves
Crystal Coast Life Blog
Crystal Coast Blog 09
Crystal Coast Blog 08
Some archived articles