The Crystal Coast, Salt water on my feet

What I love about Carteret County

It is really hard to narrow down what got my wife and I to plant some roots in Carteret County.

It turned out that water views and access to water were key to our decisions.

Examining what we went through is a good way to see how we decided what we wanted.

First I have a long history with the area. I have a picture of me fishing on the point at Emerald Isle in 1969 so I guess the seeds were planted early.

The real turning point for us came in 2003 when we started our search for a place to give us a new perspective on life. I was winding down my second career which was approaching twenty years at Apple Computer.

We wanted a place where suits were almost never used, the traffic did not have a report, and where people still took the time to get to know each other.

Our search started in the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina, but we could not find a place that did not make us feel isolated or have the potential for snow and ice so we quickly started looking at the coast.

We traveled from Chincoteague on Virginia's Eastern shore through Virginia beach down through our old haunts on the Northern Outer Banks to Nags Head, Hatteras, and even Ocracoke.

While I have a "Route 12" sticker on the back of my car, the thoughts of that narrow strand of asphalt being our only lifeline to civilization quickly pushed us farther south to Southport and Oak Island.

In the early nineties we had some magical vacations on Bald Head Island, but we knew that prices had skyrocketed there, and that it seemed to be a hurricane magnet. When we visited Southport in 2004, it just did not seem to have the active lifestyle that we wanted.

Later when I found out about the NC Super Seaport, I was glad that we had rejected Southport. I cannot imagine how the area is going to keep its character and become a huge seaport. We lived in Halifax, Nova Scotia with a long distance view of one of its container terminals so we have a pretty good idea what kind of traffic they generate.

In 2003, we had visited Beaufort, NC for our 30th anniversary. I had fallen in love with the place, and its history. Unfortunately we were not ready to buy a property then.

After living on a mountain top and spending much of my adult career in Northern Virginia, I found it refreshing to be able to walk to many restaurants and shops.

My wife had one requirement for living on the coast. She felt like if we were going to be here, that we had to be able to see water from our home.

The one thing that I wanted was a way to go fishing easily. We finally realized that we could not afford to do either of those things in Beaufort because it had become such a popular area with many people.

It was only then that we found water views and reasonably priced water access is why western Carteret County and the Swansboro area of Onslow County are so popular.

While we still absolutely love visiting Beaufort, I am still glad that we are where we are. We never found a water access community as nice as Bluewater Cove in the Beaufort area.

One of favorite activities is hiking either on the beach or on trails. It turned out that beach access is much better in western Carteret County. We can be on the beaches of Emerald Isle in about ten minutes by car. We also are close to a number of trails  in and around Croatan National forest.

Having an affordable place where we can have a boat on a lift is part of our dream that has come true. That along with the ability to slip my kayak in the water whenever I want makes living here a great pleasure.

The area has everything else we need from grocery and hardware stores to medical care.

Still it was water access and views that sold us on the area.

When we can be in the Intracoastal in ten minutes and out Bogue Inlet in another ten, it is hard to complain.

The "what if" part of moving

Sometimes the spirit just moves you and doing something becomes a simple matter of following the path of least resistance.

When the water is warm and the day beautiful, it does not take much to get me on the water.

Putting my kayak in at Bluewater Cove is a matter of sliding it down the grass in my backyard into the water.

Lots of other decisions are more complex.  As a Realtor® I see lots of people struggling with what to do next in life. 

Sometimes I feel like a "what if" spreadsheet for people's lives. People look at different areas and try to imagine themselves living in a particular home.  I try to help them do that in a realistic manner.

They wonder about the costs of heating/cooling, property taxes, and insurance.

Usually one of the first things on their mind is what our winter weather is like.

Sometimes they want to know where the closest trails for hiking are or how far is it to the nearest fitness facility? One of the questions we almost always get is how far is it to the beach?  Another important piece of information is how far away is medical care and what are the areas' three hospitals like?

It there are children involved, people want to know about area schools.  They often want to understand our demographics.

I get so many questions on area services that I finally made a custom map of the area where you can zoom and pan the map to see where everything is.

Folks thinking about moving also want to know what they will do with the inevitable visitors when they show up right after you move to an area close to beach.

I even did a suggested five day tourist itinerary for one client's sister.

We are lucky since there are plenty of things to do in Swansboro, Emerald Isle, and Beaufort.  We have a wonderful spot like Tryon Palace just 45 minutes away. 

You can even visit the Outer Banks like they used to be at Cape Lookout.

I feel fortunate that lots of people are looking for a new life in the small towns along the NC coast.

While our reasons for moving to Carteret county are specific to us, lots of people seem to relate to our thought process.

I like to think that the people who came before us have helped develop a wonderful spot for second homes, retirement, and even new lives along the shores of Bogue Sound and the White Oak River.  I am thankful to them for making the first steps.

When you get down to crunch, people make their own decisions for their own reasons.  What makes sense for one person might not make sense for another. Yet change is the spice of life and lots of people understand that.

Lots of times you might find just enough information from someone like me to give you that push to head out into that new life in a new spot even if it is not the one I have shown you.

If you do, I hope you find a place as nice as our coastal paradise.  Right now there are plenty of choices.

This is especially true with some great new properties coming on line at a time when prices are at levels that haven't been seen since 2004.

Tryon Palace, a great place to visit

There are places that you can visit where you feel like you are a tourist, and there are other places where you feel like you have taken a trip back in time.

Tryon Palace is one of those places where you do not feel like tourist.  You feel more like someone peaking through a window into the past.

We visited Tryon Palace on Saturday April 19.  The tulips were gone, but the rest of the flowers were magnificent.  Other than a couple of groups of kids to dodge, there were no crowds.

If you want a taste of history but don't need the whole tourist thing, Tryon Palace is a great place to go.  I have never seen such well done vegetable plots and beautiful flower gardens.

I put up a website with Tryon Palace, Flower, and Garden pictures. There are three different sets of slides. To access the other pages from the main page, you have to mouse over the links which are to the right of the first link.

Tryon Palace is located in New Bern, NC which has become a major retirement area for those who want to enjoy water without being very close to the beaches.

My only comment is that you should visit on a cool day since it can be warm on the grounds.

These are hours from their website.

Regular Hours
Monday through Saturday:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Sunday: 1:00 to 5:00 p.m.
The last guided tour of the Palace begins at 4 p.m. daily.

Summer Hours (Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day weekend):
Monday through Saturday:
9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Sunday: 1 to 5 p.m.
The last guided tour begins at 4 p.m. daily.
The gardens are open until 7 p.m. (Tickets are sold until 4:30 p.m.)

Time to enjoy the water

Late yesterday afternoon, we were over in Beaufort, NC to pick up a survey from the register of deeds.

After we finished our business, we decided to take our Beaufort boardwalk that we usually do when we visit.

It was a particularly nice day, and one of the first in memory when the boat tours were operating.  The Cape Lookout catamaran came in as were getting to the end of our walk.
I was wearing shorts, and I was not surprised to see kids wearing shorts also.

We had walked by the Water Bug on the way to the boardwalk.  They unloaded a few passengers minutes before we got there.

The Water Bug reminds me of a boat we took to a sheep station in New Zealand.

Yesterday was a great day to be outside and on the water.  I ended up getting a little sun on my face.  I took our boat out on the White Oak River around two o'clock.  I was actually making a virtual tour of part of the river.

As is often the case, the word "river" means different things to different people.  I grew up in NC's Piedmont region near the Yadkin River which is a mere trickle compared to the New River in Virginia or the Saint John River in New Brunswick, Canada.

I can imagine someone from the western parts of Virginia or North Carolina being mystified about my love for the White Oak River.  It is hard to appreciate the scale of the river and the beauty if you have not seen anything like it.

Yesterday I mounted a camera on the windshield of our 21 ft skiff and took pictures from our dock out to the White Oak and back.  I then posted a slide show done from the pictures.  You can easily appreciate the White Oak after seeing those pictures.

I often put together slide shows of our boating trips.  I did one last year on father's day when we wandered down by Swansboro and over to Hammocks Beach State Park. I had not figured out the mounting of the camera then so I was fortunate to have another captain on board so I could man the camera.

April is a great time of year to visit the beach if you can catch the warm weather like today and yesterday.

Our local beach area is Emerald Isle, the beaches are some of the best on the east coast.  It is still a little cool over at the beach, but it is perfect beach walk weather, and the water will warm up in May and June.  For more information check out my Emerald Isle or Swansboro travel guides.

I have a map of area services, but I am always glad to respond to requests for more information.  This time of the year (April) almost all services are up and running in our beach area so it is not too early to visit as long as swimming isn't at the top of your list.  June is the earliest I like to swim in the ocean, but some people don't mind the cooler water.

My most recent slide show of a boat trip started in the area marked on the map as Bluewater Cove.  If you want some of the best water access on the  Crystal Coast, we have found it to be a great place.  Last week I also did a slide show of some Beaufort photos, both from this year and earlier.

One thing you learn on the coast is that there is plenty of water, but getting access to it is the challenge.  That is one reason we live where do.  The water access is exceptional.  I can be on the beach in ten minutes by car or down to the Intracoastal Waterway by boat also in ten minutes.

That is not a bad choice to agonize over.  It is almost as tough as picking grouper or flounder for dinner.

My thanks to those who moved before me

There was a moment the other day when I was visiting a property here on the coast that made me want to pull up a chair and sit down for a spell.

I see lots of different homes and usually I try to tuck away one feature that might be special about a particular listing.

Once in a while, even in the heat, or maybe especially in the heat, I get caught thinking about what it would be like to sit and talk with the people who first lived in a place.

The cozy spot in the picture has been around for twenty five years. It started as a raw lot, filled with trees and brush.  A lot of hard work made it a comfortable home for a husband and wife who in this particular case took the risk of moving to a place far way from where they spent most of their adult lives.

There were not many year around residents when they moved.  I am sure they faced plenty of challenges, but I am willing to guess that those challenges ended up adding richness to their lives.

I know people who have moved lots of times and people who have barely left the area where they were born.  I don't know that one group is wiser or happier than the other.  They are just people who have different priorities.

I do know that it takes some courage to pack the the bags and move to a new spot.  You have to ride your dreams to get to a new place. Once you are there, the only way to really make it a home is through hard work that may not resemble the dream.

Yet most new comers persevere because going back does not fit their personality.

When I moved to Canada to raise cattle, it was a great adventure filled with lots of back breaking work.  I never dreamed that I would come back to states working for a computer company.  Apple Computer did not even exist when I moved to Canada. A move sets in motion wheels of change that cannot be predicted.

When visiting online forums I see lots of folks who spend time asking questions about a new place.  Sometimes they are very serious, and just looking for the right kind of information to motivate themselves to move.  They need the right neighborhood or a certain kind of house.

Then there are a few folks who ask endless questions looking for the perfect place without ever realizing that there is no such thing as a perfect place.

Actually maybe that is wrong.  If there is a perfect place, it is up to you to make it so.

Some people do not really have that spark which drives you to actually pick up stakes and moves.  That reluctance is understandable.  Moving is filled with unknowns and has plenty of stress.

It is hard moving from an area where you have made great friends and perhaps raised your kids.

I do not know what separates the people who will gamble on a move from those who dream but never act. I think I was born with a little wanderlust.

However, I know that meeting and working with people in an area before I move has always eased the strain.  As I find good people, they fill in the gaps that Google with its clever daily intelligence or glue for the modern world cannot.

Talking to people and sharing your worries is hard if you do not know people well, but it is a way to get to know people well.

I enjoy meeting people, helping them, getting to know them, and sometimes letting them listen to my problems.  It helps a lot when moving.

In the end I am thankful for those people who have been willing to try a new place, to hack some of the brush back, to find those secret waterways, and to populate some of the more challenging spots in America.

Without the people who could dream of the beauty and actually have the courage to bet their dollars on finding it, we would never have gotten to enjoy some of American's best spots.

If I had a choice of talking to someone no longer around, I would rather sit back on the porch and talk to those who lived their dreams rather than who lived in a dream.

While moving anywhere in American today is a lot easier than it was 25 years ago there are still challenges.  Technology has made it much easier.  Access to the Internet is in places I would never have guessed.

Services like those on this map make even those of us who live just beyond the reach of the big box stores  pretty comfortable.

Comfort is all relative.  Some move to find it.  Some do not move to keep it. Others find comfort just in the act of moving.

Sitting on the warm porch in the picture brings back memories to me of another time, and another place when I was surrounded by family. 

It was a good time, we were young and the memories are still fresh of those great days in the fifties and sixties. 

]Perhaps I do so well in moves because not only do I haul the old memories with me, but I am pretty good at creating some new ones.

Some Advice to My Kids

I was writing a post on my Ocracokewaves Blog tonight, and I remembered this post.  I wrote it about three years ago.

Three years later, there is nothing in here that I would change.  Of course the three kids are all out of college now, and I still haven't figured out if all of them ever read it.

I guess it will be here if they ever need it.

-DLS

It's been almost a year since I left the corporate world of Apple. It's been one of the best but most challenging years of my life.  The changes have been immense, and it has given me time to explore lots of new things and a chance to stand back and perhaps glean a few nuggets of wisdom from my experiences in the real and corporate worlds.

Here my first crack at list of what I've learned since my education expanded beyond the relatively safe confines of Harvard Yard in 1971. Perhaps I should call it, "56 Thoughts from 56 Years."  These aren't in order of importance.  It's more a function of where my brain has been this morning than anything.

1. Always do what is right no matter what the personal cost is.  You won't regret it.
2. Never shirk from standing up for others, a life where you care only about yourself is a hollow one.
3. Always do you job to the best of your ability.  Anything less is cheating yourself not your employer.
4. Leave every organization that you have been part of and every place that you visit, better for your having been there.
5. Expect the best of others only if you are willing and able to do the same in their position.
6. Try to never burn bridges, and always attempt to mend fences unless you have to give up your principles to do it.
7. Value people not for what do they but for whom they are.
8. Not everyone has your specific skills, but everyone has skills to contribute to the success of the team.
9. The best teams are the ones where people are willing to whatever job that needs to be done, no matter what their job description.
10. Though this is listed as number ten, it is the one rule you must remember.  Your family is more important than your job which means give them your full attention every chance you get.
11. You will run into some really bad people, just don't let them force you into doing bad things. Don't be afraid to stand up to these folks especially if you can protect others.
12. You will run into people who gain your trust and then disappoint you either through lying or manipulation.  Don't let a few bad eggs destroy your faith in the rest of us.
13. Take the time to do things right the first time.  It ends up being more productive in the end.
14. Don't be afraid to learn from others. In fact when you get near someone who has more skills or knowledge than you, work at being a knowledge sponge.
15. Try not to make someone look bad in front of others, if you have a problem with someone have a private conversation about it.
16. Speak the truth even if it hurts, but don't assign blame, you might not know the whole situation.  Sugar coating a situation will just come back to haunt you.
17. Try to have an open mind for new ideas especially when they come from others.
18. If at all possible build a consensus around important decisions, it's worth the effort and time.
19. Everyone makes mistakes, try to be tolerant and give people more than one chance.
20. When someone is obviously not capable of doing the job, be honest with them but help them find something which better matches their skills.  They will thank you for it.
21. Never ask someone to do something you're unwilling to do.
22. Remember to carry the water buckets when necessary and never be afraid to get your hands dirty helping others get their jobs done.
23. Never quit learning and trying new things especially if they make your job and that of others easier.
24. Hold yourself more accountable than those with whom you work. Never expose someone to blame when you can shelter them from the powers that be.
25. Deliver more than is expected of you and be happy with less than you expect from others.
26. Understand that how much money you make or what your title is are not as real  a measure of success as how you treat the people around you and the respect that they give you.
27. Know when the train has left the station. Be prepared to either be on it or find something else to do.
28. If you find yourself in a company that lies to customers or hides key information that employees need to do their jobs, find yourself a new job.
29. Respect the achievements of others even as you make certain you give credit to everyone who helps achieve a task before you take any credit.
30. Try to laugh at yourself occasionally.
31. Learn how to grow things.  Getting your hands dirty is good for the soul.
32. Learn how to build things.  Building things is better than tearing things down.
33. Go for a walk in the woods as often as you can and while there learn to appreciate the changing seasons, and the quiet of nature.
34. Challenge yourself with new activities, that keep your body and mind moving.
35. Don't forget how to swim, you may need it someday.
36. Go camping just so you can appreciate your soft bed.
37. Don't trust anyone that mistreats animals.
38. Take the time to help others, especially family members achieve their dreams.
39. Take care of yourself, by taking the time to exercise and staying away from fast food.
40. Always be thinking about how you can improve your habits.
41. Learn to appreciate a good bottle of wine and/or a glass of beer.
42. Figure out how to cook a few things well, you won't regret it.
43. Clean up after yourself, no one enjoys being someone's maid.
44. Take good care of the things you have worked hard to obtain, someday you might not be able to afford a replacement.
45. Recycle things that can be recycled, throw away stuff you don't need, but keep all your good memories.
46. Experience the unconditional love of a dog, even if you have to borrow one.
47. Don't stop looking for someone with whom to share your life.  The pain and effort  are worth it.
48. Figure out something you love to do. Learn to do it extremely well and with great  passion.
49. Don't forget the others who have been part of your lives, stay in touch. Your life will be richer for those efforts.
50. Call home once in a while, we still want to a tiny part of your lives.
51. Take the time to walk on an isolated beach if only to listen to the waves and dream of limitless possibilities.
52. Never try to be someone you aren't.
53. Try to never take your anger out on someone else, if you do, apologize as fast as possible which means don't go to bed mad.
54. Remember your loved ones at birthdays, anniversaries, and holiday times.  E-cards cost nothing but your time.
55. When someone talks to you give them your attention if at all possible.
56. Always wear steel toed boots when you mow the lawn and your seat belt when you're in the car. You never know what might happen.

I don't claim to be a perfect practioner of all these, but I keep working at it.

Dining along the coast, the Holly Ridge Smoke House

There is little doubt that I am a big barbecue fan.  I have written about a number of barbecue spots like Bastians in Roanoke, Va in my post "Friday night at the Barbecue Joint." Then I wrote about a spot actually called the "Barbecue Joint" located on Weaver Dairy Road near Chapel Hill, North Carolina. It was mentioned in my post, "Back to the mountains."

Then there was the visit to Allen & Sons Barbecue, Chapel Hill, NC which was recommended by my friend Cameron.  When I took my real estate broker course in Hickory, NC, I discovered a really great spot, "FireBonz."   I even hauled back barbecue in a cooler to Roanoke a couple of times from Firebonz.

There have been a very few barbecue meals that I didn't consider a success like the one we had at Olde Virginia Barbecue in Rocky Mount, Va.  However, the general rule is that any barbecue is better than no barbecue.  As I said in "Barbecue And More Barbecue," I love barbecue.

Since I have been wandering around North Carolina's Crystal Coast, I have been suffering from a barbecue drought.  Early one morning on my way to a very useful NC broker post licensing course in Wilmington, I happened to notice a metal roofed building called "The Smokehouse" on the west side of US 17.  I made a note of the mileage, and promised myself if that I had a good day in class that I might stop by and check it out on the way home.

We had one of the most productive days that I have enjoyed in my many real estate classes.  With that as a background, I was on the lookout for The Smokehouse.  I walked in and without even looking at the menu, I asked if they did barbecue by the pound.  The young lady said yes. I ordered a pound with some slaw and two buns.  Complete with tax, the meal came to $9.08.  I did not even have to ask, I got chopped pork.

About forty five minutes after leaving, I backed down our driveway on the east side of the White Oak River in Carteret County with what I hoped would be my first successful capture of real Eastern North Carolina barbecue.

We made our sandwiches, and it did not take Glenda, my wife, and I long to decide that I will be swinging by The Holly Ridge Smokehouse whenever I get a chance in my travels to Wilmington.  The barbecue was very lean with a nice hint of vinegar without being overwhelming.  The slaw was also crunchy and tasty.  The meal was a winner, a great bargain, and there is even enough left for Glenda's lunch tomorrow.

I wonder how their fried chicken is?  There's seems to be a shortage of that also along the Crystal Coast.  The Smokehouse opens early every morning.  If a full parking lot is an indication of good food, their breakfast must be very good.