The Outer Banks of North Carolina – First Flight and Frank’s Franks

Helen and I arrived in Kill Devil Hills, NC, as the Hurricane moved out and took six weeks of unbearable heat with it. Although we only needed to drive 175 miles from Cherry Point, the roads were narrow, and the traffic was heavy.  OBX Campground, our home for the week, was well-maintained and somewhat more extensive than I expected, but not full when we checked in.  A helpful attendant led us to a nice, flat campsite near the office. We pulled into the campground late in the afternoon and set up quickly.

Helen and I visited the area about eight years ago on our way up the East Coast but stayed for only a day to do some sightseeing. We looked forward to the return visit. A dear friend and former member of our church had made some suggestions of places to visit, which helped us to organize a rough plan for this trip, but since this stop would be our last before returning home, our main focus was to relax, walk the beach, and eat some great seafood.

The road leading to OBX Campground took us past the Wright Brothers Memorial, the site of the first flight, and we knew we had to tour the museum and listen to the narration of that historical event.  A young Park Ranger took us through the years, months, and days leading up to the flight.  She detailed all the successes and failures the Wright Brothers encountered in becoming the first to leave the ground in a heavier-than-air machine. She explained that Kill Devil Hills was chosen for its open, barren terrain and constant but favorable winds. Her narration took us through the four flights made on that cold December day in 1903, and every spectator hung on her every word. Today, we take flying for granted. Still, this young Ranger made everyone aware of the accomplishments of Wilbur and Orville Wright. A tour of the museum reinforced the significance of that achievement.

After touring the grounds of the Memorial, we drove back to the campground, stopping first at Billy’s Seafood, located at a marina just past the Memorial. We learned that the owner of OBX Campground also owned Billy’s, and we were promised that we would not be disappointed with anything we purchased there.  Fresh seafood arrived daily at Billy’s, including shrimp, crabs, and fresh Atlantic Snapper. We picked up some Snapper and shrimp and treated ourselves for dinner later that evening.  Everything was as good as promised.

On another day, we drove south through Nag’s Head to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. We walked the beach there and toured the area around Bodie Island Lighthouse. The site is a bird sanctuary, and we took the walkway through the marsh to a lookout stand in search of seabirds.  It was a slow day for birding, but we stayed on our toes after seeing the sign pictured below. We also visited the Pea Island Wildlife Refuge—beautiful, but it must have been nap time for wildlife when we were there.

Because we chose to prepare seafood for dinner almost every night, we did very little eating out.  Nevertheless, there is one restaurant that I have to share—Capt’n Frank’s Restaurant. Our friend, Catherine, suggested Capt’n Frank’s in Kitty Hawk as the place to go IF we liked hot dogs. No one likes hot dogs better than I do, and we made it a point to visit this restaurant that had been serving them since 1975. The place was packed with tourists and locals, but we waited patiently for our turn to order and came away with two beauties.  Helen’s smile says everything about the anticipation.

After lunch, we walked off the calories at nearby Jennett’s Pier, where local fishermen were having a good day in the sun. Below the pier, surfers were making the most of the heavy surf created by the remnants of two hurricanes. I kept waiting for one of them to get hooked, but most knew to keep their distance.

The remainder of our time in Kill Devil Hills was spent walking the beach and searching for shark teeth.  Pets are prohibited on these beaches, so Mortimer had to stay back and mind the trailer.  He didn’t seem to mind the assignment.

We left the Outer Banks having accomplished all we intended.  We were relaxed, refreshed, and filled with seafood and good memories.  We stopped at Billy’s on the way out of town for some shrimp to freeze and a T-shirt as a souvenir.  We’re Easin’ Along.