Easin' Along

Helen and I pulled out of Camp Blakeslee and drove about 70 miles up the coast to Camp LeJeune Marine Corps Base and the military campground at Onslow Beach. We spent seven days at Kure Beach and were looking forward to the next seven days of our East Coast adventure. We had not visited Onslow Beach previously but had heard it was an excellent place for a beach vacation.

We pulled through the gate at Camp LeJeune and then drove another ten miles through this huge military installation until we reached the shores of the Atlantic. A charming young lady greeted us and assigned us to Site 33—less than 100 yards from the dune guarding the shoreline. All the campsites are gravel and grass with a covered patio beside each one.  The covered patio was very helpful in shielding us from the sun’s piercing rays.

Our week at Onslow Beach was very relaxing.  We only ventured out of the campground on one occasion, and that was to do a little shopping at the Exchange and Commissary—a ten-minute drive to the center of the Marine Base. I love shopping at Military Exchanges.  There are always great buys in the clearance section, mainly casual clothing.

The remainder of our week was spent on the beach in the mornings or under the covered patio in the late evening. We rose early each day to walk on the beach before the hot temperatures chased us inside.  Mortimer went with us a few times, although hot weather is not his “thing.” We were treated to some beautiful sunrises on those walks. I took my camera on several of them, but Helen and I were primarily hunting for shark teeth to add to our growing collection.

When we checked into the campground, we purchased a handy piece of beach gear called the Sand Dipper, an expandable hiking pole with a strainer attached to the lower end.  We made great use of the Sand Dipper every day.  We found The shark teeth on the small side, but the Dipper allowed us to sift through the sand to find many of them in the surf.

The literature attached to the pole explained that the Dipper could double as a hiking stick if the strainer was removed and a rubber tip attached over the end. The literature offered a free rubber tip if the user would send pictures of the Dipper in use and post photos of anything recovered on social media. Helen sent Mr. Dipper the image above and a note detailing our findings and location and posted a picture on Facebook.  Mr. Dipper sent us two tips and thanked us for promoting his product. He was especially impressed with the Great White tooth I found on our second morning.  I guess I took a “big bite” out of Onslow Beach.

Stay with us on our road trip.  Next up is Cherry Point, NC.  We’re Easin’ Along.

We have visited this lovely area twice before.  During those visits, the campground was known as Fort Fisher Recreation Area, but the military recently changed the names of several installations, Fort Fisher among them.  Fortunately, only the name changed; everything else remained as we remembered.

Our most recent visit was in 2017, and we were on our first RV trip in an 18-foot Coleman trailer we named Bertha. During check-in, we were assigned a campsite next to the fire hall with water and electricity but no sewer connection.  I was disappointed at first with the assignment, but the large campground was packed, and this was the only site remaining.  It turned out to be a stroke of good luck. The site had a nice view of the Cape Fear River, a stone’s throw from the swimming pool and the recreation center with large showers. When I made a reservation for this trip, I asked again for the fire hall site—we got it.

I mentioned in our last post that the weather for our trip had started with sweltering temperatures.  Those hot temps followed us to Kure Beach.  I’m not going to dwell on the weather except to say that we were forced to stay out of the heat (or in the pool) during the middle of the day. Helen and I rose early to take beach walks and avoid the worst.

Near the beach access is a prominent feature along the shore known as the Coquina Outcrop.  At first glance, it appears as nothing more than an algae-covered rock. Still, it is a complete ecosystem with many microorganisms between the cracks and crevices, offering a buffet for gulls and other shorebirds. I always took my camera with me to capture the activity.

On a few mornings, I got up extra early to capture the sunrise over the surf. It was worth the effort, and the sunrise was spectacular on those days.

We would also use the early time to let Mortimer get his first taste of beach life.  He seemed little impressed.

During the day, we spent time in Dora with both air conditioners running.  Helen worked on her puzzle, and I read books.  We used the swimming pool every day that it was open.  Helen found some fresh watermelon that was so good even Mortimer liked it. He got more than his share.

One of Helen’s co-workers from Maryville College visited while we were there. Katherine lives in Wilmington now, and living on the coast appears to agree with her.  It was good to see her, and she looks great.

Late in the afternoon, when things cooled off a bit, I ventured out long enough to capture images of the sun setting over the Cape Fear River–Mother Nature cooperated.

Before we left Blakeslee, we took the time to thank the staff at the facility. They were accommodating and friendly.  The facility is well-maintained, the pool area is immaculate, and the showers are spotless.  We will be back.

Next up, Onslow Beach, NC…we’re Easin’ Along.

Whew! Where did August go? In this post, I will summarize a small sampling of where we’ve been and will do a complete post on each stop later. Right off the top, let’s say that August has been a “beach.”

In the most recent post of Easin’ Along, Helen and I left you in Charleston, where we had a delightful week with our two sons and their families. Once we said our goodbyes and exchanged hugs, Helen and I drove back to Knoxville to pick up Dora, our fifth wheel with two new axles and four new tires. Two days and four loads of laundry later, we drove to Columbia, SC, to spend one night at the military campground at Fort Jackson. We rose early the following day and went to Kure Beach, NC, for a seven-night stay at one of my favorite military campgrounds–Blakeslee Air Force Recreation Area.

Once again, the heat was unbearable, so we used the early morning hours to do our beach walking. The sunrise was stunning. The photo at the top is an image of the area of Kure Beach known as the Cochina Outcrop. I’ll explain the significance in a future post. The campground sits adjacent to the Cape Fear River.

After seven days, we moved to Onslow Beach, a private recreation area on the Camp LeJeune Marine Base. We had never visited Onslow Beach before, but this campground deserves a return trip. We walked early every day to avoid the scorching temps. On one of those walks, I picked the largest shark’s tooth I’ve ever found. My tooth chart indicates this one as a tooth from a Great White.

The Marine Aviation at Cherry Point, NC, was next on the itinerary, and we looked forward to it because the reviews were good, and others had recommended it highly. During this visit, we drove to Emerald Isle, NC, to get our “beach fix” and tour the area. We also went to the charming waterfront city of New Bern, NC. Again, more later. Hurricane Idalia was a tropical storm when she passed over Cherry Point and dumped heavy rain on us. We survived.

We’re now on the Outer Banks and camped in a nice campground in Kill Devil Hills. I’ll save that postcard for September.

Despite the heat, we’re having a wonderful time, and Mortimer has adjusted nicely to trailer life. Stay with us–we’re Easin’ Along.