Some of us here along North Carolina's Outer Banks define fall by water temperature. For me fall is here when the water in the White Oak River drops below 70F.
On Sunday October 14, the river temperature was at 70.8F. We've had two nights since then that the lows have gotten to 50F. While I haven't been out to check the temperature, I would bet it is below 70F as I am writing this on Wednesday, October 17.
With fall comes clearer skies and more spectacular sunsets and sunrises. Some years like this year, we seem to have less wind in the fall. When it is all taken together, it is pretty easy to like fall on the North Carolina coast.
In the early spring when I wander down by the water, the air is often cooler by the water. In the fall it is just the opposite. When I left my house this morning for walk around our board walk, it was just barely 50F. When I got over to the water, I could feel the warmth rising up from the water.
We have also dried out a lot in the last two to three weeks. There for a few weeks it seemed like the rain would not go away and we were getting three to four inches of rain per week. Our last rain was October 9 so we could actually use a shower.
Fall is a peaceful season here on the coast. Once most of the festivals are done, things seem to slow down perceptibly. We get our fall fishermen, but it is never as crowded as it is back in the summer. By the time December rolls around, it is down right quiet here on the coast.
This is also a time of the year when we coastal folks tend to wander a little. The thought of driving west or north to see some enhanced fall colors is always appealing to those of us who live in shades of green, brown, and blue most of the year. It should not be a surprise that most of us would like to get our visiting done before the snow flies in the colder parts of the country.
As much as I love October, and it is a wonderful month here on on the Southern Outer Banks, I think that I like November even more. With November's arrival, you have to pick and choose your days a little more, but often November days can be even more spectacular than October days.
November 2011 was my best fishing month in a long time. This year I've already had some great fishing near my home dock. Even though I have been very busy finishing my new book, the Pomme Company, I have managed to sneak out a few times in the kayak. One Saturday I even caught a nice flounder and had it in the pan not long after I put the net under him.
As the fall slides into November, the last opportunity arrives to take advantage of the fall Marsh Cruises run by the folks over at Hammocks Beach State Park. After that Thanksgiving is here before you know it, and it is time for the old-fashioned Emerald Isle Christmas Parade.
We went away for Thanksgiving last year, but this year we are planning on being here. I'm looking forward to it. One of the reasons that we moved to the Crystal Coast was for the peace and quiet of the area. Fall is definitely the best time of the year to sample it.
