A few weeks ago, Ken and I took a trip down memory lane to Kill Devil Hills in the North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
When our kids were young, we went to Nags Head (right next door to KDH) every summer with my sis and her family. Laughing Gull Cottages became our home for a week of hanging out on the beach, air mattress surfing, playing poker, and trying out beach shack restaurants. Our favorite place for chowing down on seafood was Gandolf’s. It would be too lucky if Gandolph’s waited for us all these years. It did not.
However, we made some new favorites: Goombay’s and Bonzer. Goombay is a special kind of Bahamian music and the drum used to make it. Sadly, no Goombay music entertained us, but we did feast on golden brown coconut shrimp. At Bonzer we both lost our hearts to BBQ shrimp wrapped in bacon served with a gouda grit cake. I ordered it more than once. Not only do beach shacks have friendly service, luscious food, and colorful décor, but their names are just plain fun to say: Goombay’s and Bonzer. Try it. Am I right?
Each day I walked on the beach. The first two days’ temps required dressing warmly. Even though the sun shone down, the wind chilled me. The last day turned warm enough for people to show up in their bikinis (not me) and swim trunks. I stopped to watch one couple play bocci ball. Another two young women invited me to try paddle ball. It was fun to try, but I have no talent for paddle ball.
Over the years, I have done my share of collecting shells. They are beautiful and plentiful. I never kept them long. But this trip brought me a new fascination: pieces of shell that have been washed by the waves so much that they are smooth as glass, even around the edges. These I did keep and are now proudly displayed at home.
In June we will be returning to the beach at Topsail with our daughter, son-in-law, and two granddaughters. The weather will be warm. It will be time for sand-castle-building, more shell hunting, and discovering new beach shacks with funny names. Can’t wait.