Dipping My Toes into the Water
Beach trip is coming up next week and I'm ready to get my feet wet! I've been acting a bit like a mad scientist these past few days, testing, trying out, and discovering where my weaknesses are, logistically speaking, camping wise. For instance, both of my tents that I had set up in my yard let in water when it rained yesterday. Much of my stuff inside, which was smashed up against the side walls of the tent, was getting wet through a phenomenal wicking effect. Note taken.
One of my tents, the larger one, actually leaks. It has pinholes in it, so what do I expect? I noticed these holes on day two of my logistics testing as I was lounging and reading and researching and generally getting acclimated to the humid hot sunny days that define North Carolina these days. I could see light peeking through these pinholes. I mean, the dear thing is over 25 years old and has served me extraordinarily well. I'm not that upset about it. I don't hold anything against her. I just know that if it rains, there's a good chance I'm getting water in my tent unless I find a way to mitigate the problem. She's still perfectly capable of providing a nice shady space for doing some beachside or backwoods reading.
In addition to tents, I've been testing batteries, cleaning up my bike, and gathering all kinds of supplies. I find it fun and fascinating, figuring out just what I need so I can perform all the necessary everyday tasks that I totally take for granted living inside and being able to do them with ease and convenience on a daily basis. (Remember my camping toilet?) It is a lesson in simplicity and a realization of how much I require to simply exist, and I don't even think most people would consider me high maintenance. Except for my food. My striving to eat mostly and only raw fruits and vegetables each day seems to really annoy people. My simplicity seemingly complicates things for them. It's a paradox. But I digress.
I've also been playing the role of travel agent/planner, looking into and figuring out just where this amazing inaugural solo journey is going to take place. I thought I had it all figured out, until I started digging in a little bit deeper yesterday, researching beach camping on Harker's Island near Cape Lookout National Seashore. I knew that I would have to take a ferry to get there, and I knew I could camp there for free, and I knew it would be primitive, but I didn't realize that I would need to apply for and get a permit to drive on the beach so I could set up my campsite or figure out some other kind of parking situation for my car prior to arriving on the island. That alone was complicating things to say the least.
There was also the possibility of my car needing to be dug out of the sand, even if I was able to secure a beach driving permit, that or I could just park my car by the information station, but how, I wondered, would I ever get all my stuff to a campsite? I just couldn't imagine me hiking for miles with my heavy tent and equipment and my dog to find a proper place to camp. I was, however, quite prepared to dig a hole wherever (in the proper fashion as described on the website of course) instead of hauling along my camping toilet and pop-up shelter three miles down the beach to a campsite.
All of that and also when I checked the weather forecast for the two days I was planning on being there, I found that it is supposed to be raining. Oh, and by their warnings and description of high winds on these barrier islands, I was quite concerned that my old tents would either blow away or be whipped and ripped to shreds somewhere in the middle of the night and my car would be miles away at that point because I didn't have time to apply for a beach driving permit and had to park my car at the visitors center, but probably only for 24 hours because you can't park anywhere on the island for more than 24 hours without a long term parking pass which I also didn't think I would have time to apply for and receive.
Enter Plan B. I'll just go to Ocracoke and camp in the campgrounds around plenty of other people but still have a solitary camping experience and get to go to the beautiful seashore that I know and love. No new island does NOT mean no new adventures. I can still go to the beach or stay in my tent (or my nearby car) if it rains the whole time. I can hike and I might be able to take my bike or rent one and ride down iconic highway 12 and see the horses and maybe even find a pristine piece of unoccupied national shoreline to escape to. I could go kayaking!
I can read, read, read and sleep and sun myself to my heart's content (if it's not raining the whole time). Even then I can still read all day and maybe do some yoga and just sit and think and meditate a little bit too, maybe. I can breathe in the salt air, I can walk along the shore rain or shine, I can listen to the sound of the waves, again and again and again. It will be perfect!
My dog is always up for adventure, but I don't know how relaxing the trip will be with her. I want her to be my travel companion in the days to come, for sure, but everything one step at a time, right? It might be wise to dip my toes into the water instead of diving in headfirst, even and especially with my puppy. Wise idea, I think. Oh, but I think Bella would love the water. Now might be the perfect chance. I'm eager to see her play along the shore. I'm not sure I will be heading back to the beach anytime soon. I don't know. Either way, I'm SO excited and I am SO ready to go!
Stay tuned. There's more to come regarding water and consciousness and why I am feeling so drawn to this mission of traveling through our National Parks. One final thought for today: Glad I'm driving instead of flying! Thanks, CrowdStrike! Ouch!
That said, I'll leave you with this little campfire song that is playing in my head...it's a sweet little ditty.
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