Last week I took a quick trip to New Bern…pretty much what I have been doing for the last several months. I hadn’t really planned on going out last week. I had a full 7 days off in a row I I didn’t think things would really line up for me to go out. Then Kelsey called me in the morning on Wednesday and asked if I would be flying out that day and then things were settled so I grabbed some dresses and a suit and threw those in my day pack and practically ran to the airport to hop on morning flight to CLT. It really helps to have this job of mine sometimes.

I got into New Bern in the evening so we hung out at the house and catching up from the last month. It had been a really long month. Kelsey and I typically talk on the phone just about every day but we hadn’t been able to in the last month due to both of us having family stuff going on and crazy work schedules for myself.

We spent both Thursday and Friday out on the beach, with Friday being one of the more special outings where we went to Shackleford Banks

Thursday we spent all day on Atlantic Beach swimming and playing in the sand. Atlantic Beach is easy to get to from the house and until Memorial Weekend its not as busy with tourist flocking to the beach. After the beach we went and walked around historic Morehead and grab some ice cream.

Friday we got up early and got the day going so we could get over to Beaufort to take a ferry over to the Shackleford Banks Island. This is one of the Islands that Kelsey and I have been both wanting to go and visit for some years. There are wild horses out on the island that are directly linked to specific Spanish region. So these are pretty much full Spanish Stallions that were brought over either in the early 1800s or late 1700’s. The park reserve rangers aren’t fully sure how they came to be there but there have been several stories about these horses. The horses are also now a National Treasure and protected by the National Parks.

We met up with another friend of ours and her two children. We all packed lunches and snacks and lots of water. Once you are out on the island its remote with nothing available besides vault toilets on one end of the island. So remember you pack in and pack out what you have brought with you. If you so like you are also able to camp out on the island.

The ferry out to the island is run by the National Parks with an $18 dollar round trip ticket. The only other way to get out there is by your own private boat. But I would say just for fun and the information you receive from the park rangers its not to take the ferry just for the history and information you get to and from the island.

We didn’t explore all that much of the island. We stayed pretty close to where the ferry picks and drops off at. With lugging everything and guiding children it can be a bit much to do that. We did have plenty of time on the beach once we did settle in an area. We watched the kids play and pretend to be mermaids and chase each other on the beach.

All in all my two days out in New Bern was a success and I was finally able to swim for a little bit. The water was calm and slightly warm. Give it another few weeks and it’ll be perfect swimming waters.

Ferry Service- here

Shackleford Horses-Here

With love,

Jess