Tag Archives: ocean

Outer Banks Vacation: Conch Hunting and Something Evil

The words evil and vacation are never welcome in the same sentence. Unfortunately, evil doesn’t sit around waiting for an invitation before it makes an appearance. Mr. Evil came uninvited in the form of another staph infection with our poor little girl as the victim.

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Her boo-boos were on her bottom, like they have been several times before, which meant going in the ocean was off limits. The salty water was probably fine if not beneficial, but it was the sitting around in a wet swimsuit afterward that would only make the staph worse. However, spirits remained high as we made the most of the day anyway.

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With plenty of shells to find and holes to dig, Avery kept busy on the beach. My wife and I felt a constant tension of concern for our daughter, but we tried hard to not let it show. Fortunately, Aunt Tammy works in the medical field and after a few texts back and forth with a doctor, we were somewhat comforted knowing that something I packed was would help to fight the evil infection.

As a confirmed MRSA carrier myself, I like to be prepared wherever we go. I hate that we had to use it, but the mupirocin ointment did the trick. Not instantly, mind you, as it was something we had to continue every day and only stopped a few days ago. Never ideal, but we DID NOT want to put her little body through another round of antibiotics.

Temps were low on our sixth day at the beach, which meant the water was even cooler than the other days. Cold enough to where you just never get used to it. Grandma and G-Ma had the right idea by just lounging and watching the rest bare the cold temps.

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Cold water didn’t keep Uncle Paul and our cousins from getting in though. Nick, the oldest boy in their family, had just arrived the night before and they were out playing catch in the frigid waters. Meanwhile, Uncle Preston and Cousin Aaron continued their fishing efforts.

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During their shivering game of catch, the guys noticed something moving with the current at their feet. Blurry hints of red and white caught their eye as it moved around. Was it a big crab? They were uncertain, but Paul made several bold dives trying to catch or grab the object all the while hoping no pincers were involved. This proved harder than it seemed with the current dragging him away from his target on each attempt. Nick tried his luck and finally got a hand on what turned out to be a conch shell!

Conch Shell_Outer Banks Vacation

My life-long dream as a kid on vacation at the beach had become a reality, only not for me. I could’ve just lived the dream vicariously through my cousin, but it just wasn’t the same. You could say I’m a bit shellfish. It was time to take the plunge in the cold a search for my very own conch. Besides, I was rocking a sand-stache and obviously need help putting sunscreen on.

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Nick was kind enough to help me as I searched with fierce determination to find another conch in the ocean.

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See the lack of anyone else in the water? Yeah, because it was freakin’ cold! We literally looked cool skimming the waters in search of giant shell to magically appear. You’d have better luck buying a scratch off. Or even catching a fish off the shore. Just ask Preston and Aaron.

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Okay, maybe not.

Taking over with playing on the land, G-Ma and Avery kept warm and dry together as they watched.

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The search for a second conch yielded zero results. Time had passed to the point of hunger and nap time approaching, so we trekked back to the house for the same afternoon routine.

Cold water was indeed cold, but with the ocean being calmer that day, I got it in my head to make a repeat kayak trip. This time, with no one else wanting to join, I carried the single vessel down to the shore for a solo trip. No pics since I was alone, but I ended up enjoying the time on the water. Calm, peaceful, and damn, I still couldn’t get poor Avery’s staph out of my head! Besides that, I had a good time.

The rest of the guys had spotted a miniature golf course on real grass, so that’s where they were as I paddled solo. They ventured to the not-so-original place called The Grass Course for tee time.

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Uncle Preston worked his charm on one of the girls working that day and arranged for drinks to be delivered as they kept focused on their game.

Uncel Preston Miniature Golfing

Kayaking is more appealing to me, but I’m sorry I missed out on the occasion. From what I heard, it sounded like a great time was had by all. When you have cool shades all around, why wouldn’t you have a blast?

the grass course, miniature golf

With our minds heavy from the evil staph that just won’t leave our girl alone, my wife and I lacked motivation to do much else that day. We were concerned with keeping Avery clean and ointment applied. As such, the remainder of the day can be summed up by this pic of my mom / G-Ma, dozing on the couch.

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Sorry, Mom, I know you’re getting in your car to come over and bonk me on the head right now. Still love me?

We refused to let staph dampen our spirits on the last day of vacation, so we made like G-Ma above, and slept. I’ll leave you with one lucky turn of events. Preston and Aaron ventured to the Turtle Pond we kayaked in days before to try and catch something, anything. Aaaannnndddd, they both caught monsters little fish they threw back!

Aaron Caught a Fish_Outer Banks Turtle Pond Preston Caught a Fish_Outer Banks Turtle Pond

But still, it’s the experience, right?

Outer Banks Vacation: A Plastic Kayak + The Paper Canoe

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Have you ever woke up early to watch the sunrise? What about the sunrise over the ocean? As a kid, when at the beach, I always aspired to wake up early before everyone else for first dibs on seashells that washed ashore overnight. Watching the sunrise would be an added bonus as I collected fully intact conches and starfish normally only found in stores.

My aspirations never turned into reality though. As the chubby kid I was, I lacked the discipline to actually wake up that early. But now, years later, I happened to naturally wake up before 5 am and decided to head to the beach.

My childhood memories of thinking I’d be the only one on the beach stuck with me as I walked down to the ocean. Those thoughts quickly faded as I found several groups of people walking the beach in search of shells as they waited for that burning ball of fire to rise above the horizon. And those store-quality shells waiting for me to find them on the sandy shore? Negative. But I met this guy who popped out of his hole.

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I thought he was coming out for a friendly “Top O’the mornin to ya!” greeting, but turns out he was being a little crab. *bada-bing*

Despite the lack of shells and peaceful isolation, the early waking was well worth it as the bright yellow-orange crested the ocean horizon.

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It didn’t last long as the sky was covered in gray clouds, but those few minutes were glorious.

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With part of my childhood dreams accomplished, I still had a couple hours before anyone would be making like the sun and rising for the morning, so I walked the beach a while longer. I received a surprise text from my wife asking if I wanted to go for a walk. She didn’t know I had already been up and out, but I would never turn down a nice walk with my wife.

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Going Mom made the morning beach experience a million times better, and I even got a kiss out of the thing!

Kissing on the OBX Beach_2

Glad she doesn’t care about bedhead. After our romantic stroll along the ocean water, we stopped at one of three coffee shops within the area, the Outer Banks Coffee Company. If you’re in the area, save your cash, the place did not impress. It looked all cool and done up inside, but when I get a styrofoam cup, I’m instantly turned off from even the best brew. It wasn’t that bad tasting (we drink it black), so maybe bringing your own mug would be a good option. We didn’t pack our mugs, so that was the only time we tried the place.

Back at the beach house, after our normal morning routine and breakfast with a toddler, it was past noon. After my ocean kayaking experience the day before, I was itching to get back on the water in our sit-on-top vessel. The waves were throwing another fit that day, and I wanted to bring the girls out with me which would not be safe in the ocean. Luckily, that turtle pond we hiked around was large and calm enough for the perfect first time kayaking as a family.

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Kelley kept a safe hold on Avery while I acted as a human motor. I expected Avery to be more excited than she showed, but I blame most of that on the oversized life vest pushing into her face. That didn’t stop Mommy from taking the obligatory selfie.

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Somewhere, behind those cool shades, our daughter was fiercely striving to keep her cool and not let her excitement show, I just know it! Either way, I enjoyed getting out as a family and creating another first for Avery. At least Mommy and Daddy were happy.

Kayaking with Family in Turtle Pond_OBX

G-Ma, my mom, and Uncle Paul and Aunt Tammy all party more than Going Mom and I. Probably because they did their time with little kids and are enjoying freedom once again. So while we’d stay at the beach house, they were out doing things during the day and night. But today, the fifth day of our trip, we planned on going out for a family dinner somewhere nice.

After scanning the available places that would be most acceptable to the picky foodies (my wife and I), we settled on The Paper Canoe. We had actually stopped there on the drive in with Avery screaming about having to go pee and not wanting to let us down by going in her Honest Company training pants. The waitstaff were all happy to help our child in distress that day, so at least we knew they were nice.

When you’re extremely particular about how food is prepared and where it’s sourced, you should call the place ahead of time. Tommy, who happened to be the owner, kindly answered my call. After explaining how I prefer to have no added oils when cooking, but really really really wanted scallops along with a side of steamed veggies, he was nothing but happy to accommodate my requests. This, in turn, made for a wonderful dining experience for all.

The Paper Canoe Family Photo

Not that Preston and Aaron were concerned. They happily sipped on Mai Tais. I’m sure that helped Preston’s third-degree sunburn.

The Paper Canoe_Aaron and Preston drinking Mai Tais

Very rarely do I receive that kind of response when I go through my multiple needs, but they delivered and never put off that they were annoyed. The food was delicious, service was outstanding, and my sea scallops were perfectly baked (per my request) and fork tender.

A photo posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on

I ate all of my veggies first because I like to save the best for last. This drove G-Ma, sitting right next to me, insane. She eventually broke down with her fork heading towards my plate, yelling at me to eat them. I shared one of the delicacies with my dear mother since I tortured her for so long. It’s the least I could do since she gave me life. If you’re in the area, The Paper Canoe the choice dining spot for parties big or small. It truly is unique with quality food and outstanding service.

After dinner, we ventured outside to take a few pics where the restaurant is right along the bay. Grandma made an already beautiful sunset picture into a spectacular one.

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Next in line of beautiful photo captures outside of The Paper Canoe was G-Ma.

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As another family took pictures beside us, I offered to play photographer if they would return the favor. They quickly accepted and put their best photographer in charge. Or so I was told.

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I love this shot, we’re just missing my other cousin, Uncle Paul and Aunt Tammy’s oldest boy, Nick, who arrived the next day. Their almost complete family photo turned out well nonetheless.

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Avery was becoming restless at this point (wait, she’s always restless), but we tortured her with another picture with just Mommy and Daddy.

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We promised her that was all and loaded up in the van to drive back to the beach house. The rest of the night was spent, surprise, at the beach house with Avery running around giving us entertainment. With my early arrisal, I was feeling tired and didn’t have much longer. In preparation for yet another day at the beach (maybe more kayaking), we turned in for the night for much needed rest.

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Outer Banks Vacation: Ocean Kayaking and A Turtle Pond Hike

After our vacation lull the previous day, we were looking to change things up a bit for our fourth day at the Outer Banks. Uncle Preston and Cousin Aaron and Noah wanted to try their luck at catch fish by kayaking, so they brought the two-seated sit-on-top kayak we rented down to the beach that morning . With Avery, we were always late to the beach party, so Mr. Kayak was there waiting upon our arrival.

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The winds decided to pick up from their calm state that morning which quickly changed the minds of the bold fishermen. They decided to stick with what they had been doing every day since arrival; casting their lines, sticking the poles in the sand, and sitting down with a beer as they waited for the fish to bite.

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And waited and waited. Even with the waiting, they still kept a smile on their face. I guess that the beer had something to do with it. Since it was already there, it only made sense to try testing my kayaking skills in the ocean. I even offered to carry the boys’ fishing lines out farther to help their luck. Uncle Paul, Preston, and Cousin Aaron helped push me out on the kayak to get me started against the strong current and constant waves.

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Fighting against the non-stop waves to make any progress was exhausting from the start. I eventually made it out far enough to drop the lures full of fresh shrimp bait. After I was off the hook to carry out the lines, it was time to battle against the waves. Holy current, Batman, the ocean is no joke! When I reached a good distance out from the beach, I began paddling parallel to the land.

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The waves were fierce (to me) and until I realized you need to lean into each peak of the water, I almost capsized a dozen times. I wasn’t scared, but didn’t feel all that comfortable with what was going on. Regardless, I kept at it because……ocean, YOLO!! Actually, that saying annoys me, but it was fitting here.

Going Mom and Avery watched as I struggled along the coastal waters, but then Avery had to go potty. We tried to say it was okay to pee in the water (I know, hypocrite parents), but she didn’t need to pee. My wife had to walk Avery the half mile back to the beach house so our daughter could relieve herself. Probably for the best, because my return to land was far from graceful.

All was going well, I rode the waves like a champ (or that’s how I felt), but then, as I sat on top of the last big wave before hitting beach, I flipped. A few underwater tumbles and a kayak bonk on my head later, I stood up, grabbed the giant plastic vessel, and dragged it to shore. Phew, that was an intense first time kayaking in the ocean, and although it was difficult, I loved every minute as I paddled with my muscles burning in areas I never knew existed.

We spent a little longer on the beach before heading back for lunch and nap time. Oh, and a little hanging around.

outer banks vacation, family, travel, ocean, beach, fun

G-Ma once again gave my wife and I relief by taking a nap with Avery so we could venture out on walk and to pick our fresh seafood of choice for dinner. I was hoping that by helping the boys with casting their lines, we’d have free and super fresh fish for dinner, but once more, no luck.

Upon our return, we caught G-Ma and Avery still in a slumber. After snapping a pic, we woke the sleepyheads up and prepared to go back out for more adventure.

Avery and G-Ma Bottom Bunk

On the agenda for the second half of the day was, shocker, more beach! But there was a turtle pond we always passed on our walk to the ocean, so we detoured to take a hike around the short path.

 

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We never took a pic of the pond, but there was a general location where dozens of turtles would pop up and you could get right next to them. I lectured several families feeding the poor hard-shelled snappers white bread, a highly processed food imposter even humans should avoid. Besides, their diet is full of bugs and some fish, not bread and crackers. Anyway, the short walk was full of lush greens, birds singing, and bugs biting. She moved slower than usual for the hike, but once we hit the sand, Avery took off like a ballerina.

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Look at those toes! Kelley and I both agreed we could watch our precious kid prance around the sand for hours. Well, prance, dance, or crawl that is.

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Bonus points when she gives kisses for Mommy!

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As we watched Avery cover more sandy terrain than most lazy beachgoers, Kelley had us make a footprint beside one of our daughter’s. Such a simple thing, but something I know we’ll cherish having for years forever.

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From left: Daddy, Daughter, Mommy

We walked along the shore getting our feet wet in the cold ocean water as we searched for seashells a little longer. Eventually, it was time to make the walk back for dinner. With weary legs, Avery’s transportation back to the beach house was usually via Daddy’s shoulders.

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Another day full of family fun was complete. We were tired, hungry, and dirty. After cleaning ourselves, I cooked our chosen fish for the day, yellowfin tuna steaks. Seared outside with a tender pink inside. Perfection!

A photo posted by RC Liley (@going_dad) on

You could cut the buttery fish with a fork. Kelley, Avery, and I savored every bite along with our standard sweet potato and veggie sides. The meal was just what we needed to replenish from a busy day and prepare us for another one ahead. I ended up waking earlier than my usual early time and before I knew it, I found myself walking to the beach to catch the sunrise. Check back for the next post to see what I captured.