End to an Awesome Week

Sarah and Dad

     This week spent in Cape Hatteras has been amazing. We had great wind and weather, managed to kiteboard almost every single day and got a ton of well-needed exercise. Sarah, who just learned to kite last fall, was up and going upwind with ease. It's pretty awesome when you can claim to have kiteboarded with your Dad and Sister at the same time. Being here and getting out on the water makes me look forward to Christmas in the BVIs where we can kiteboard with our brothers as well. Mom put her game face on and got out there to try flying a kite, so everyone was getting in on the fun!

Sarah in front, Nicole in back

     I am so grateful to be able to come back to this beautiful island again and again, especially after the havoc wreaked here by Hurricane Irene this fall. The damage to so many people's property is still apparent in the community of Rodanthe-Waves-Salvo where ocean-side houses are in constant danger of toppling off the sand dunes and into the ocean. Seeing the destruction caused by deadly storms reminds me of the precariousness of life here and highlights the resilience of the island’s residents as they work to repair their homes, businesses and their lives. It is such an exposed and fragile island, but that is also part of what makes it so intriguing and beautiful.

Geared-up

     Highlights of the week included: ripping through waves and feeling the salty spray on my face while kiteboarding, visiting with friends old and new, demolishing delicious dinners cooked by fellow kiters, walking on the beach, sleeping in a solid bed, and being lazy while watching tv. I'm not gonna lie, it will be hard to say goodbye this weekend; partly because it's been such a relaxing and fun week here and partly because I have so many emotional ties with this beautiful place. There's something about Cape Hatteras that just pulls you in and tries to hold you here. When I lived on the island we called it the "vortex." It's a place of such immediacy that you always live fully in the present while here. All that exists is Hatteras—the sun, the sand, the salt water. Needless to say the week has gone by with lightning speed as we begin the task of considering how to re-pack the car.

     But as we make the short drive to the boat this weekend I imagine our minds will shift back to the amazing journey begun just over two months ago and the challenges ahead of us in the coming weeks. It’s time to cast off into the Chesapeake once again and begin to prepare for our greatest task yet—sailing offshore for the British Virgin Islands and our first taste of the Caribbean.

All the best,

Nicole.