The Lighthouse Journey-Bald Head (no, not Bill)

Flexibility is the name of the game, and flexible we were, thus reaping the rewards of un-planned and un-forseen events which dramatically enhanced this days experiences.

We headed off mid-morning to catch the ferry “to the island’, with the intent of sketching Bald Head Lighthouse  http://www.oldbaldy.org/.  We cued up and waited out turn to roll on board, and soon were headed off across the Wilmington shipping lanes.  With the car windows open, Molly & Tessa seemed quite intrigued by the seagulls, as those gutsy little aerobatic performers gave them quite a show.  We arrived 20 minutes later at Fishers Island                                                                                                                         

                         With no sign of a lighthouse anywhere, we figured it was over the crest of the island’s dunes, and upon dis-embarking headed down the road with our eyes skyward.  In very short order we reached the end of the island and began to study the historic plaques there placed.  Now Fort Fisher http://www.nchistoricsites.org/fisher/ is an interesting place and played an integral part in the Civil War, but it was the wrong island!

5 minutes later, with our tail between our legs, we sheepishly nodded yes to the ferry tenders question “weren’t you just here?”.   As you can guess, we asked for more clear direction back on the mainland and quickly located the correct ferry to Bald Head Island http://www.baldheadisland.com/, just 300 feet down the road.

On a brisk 48 degree day, we jumped a trolley to the lighthouse.  The neat thing about visiting the lighthouses when it is freezing cold out and closed to visitors is that we have the place all to ourselves!

So again Bill sketched while the girls and I wandered the grounds.                                

Nearing the end of the task at hand, Bill was approached by a young man who appeared to live in a house adjacent the lighthouse property, and seemed interested in what Bill was doing.  Turns out “Peter” is a chef and the guys hit it off!  

After a long conversation, Peter walked along with us all the way back to the ferry in the waning daylight.  

By the time we had to part ways, we did not want to leave, but swimming back to the mainland seemed irresponsible, and we climbed aboard, taking shelter behind the wheelhouse to absorb what little warmth could be found.

Molly was NOT a fan of the ferry, as we had to stay outside of the main salon. This put us right over the engines.  She felt slightly better about the entire process on the return leg, with the engines a full 12 feet below us. I am quite sure she prefers the vehicle ferry where she can stay snuggy in her bed at the back of the Suburban.  Tessa, of course, being a “bubblehead”, was oblivious to the whole thing.

I digress...back to Peter: as we boarded, I said to Bill “too bad we did not get his e-mail address” (I had not wanted to be too intrusive with this friendly stranger), but we felt like we had made a real connection with this 31 year old man.  Upon our arrival on the other side, we were hailed down by the fee gate keeper, waving a yellow post it note, asking if “Bill” was “Bill”, and when she received an affirmative, the gate keeper thrust the note into Bill’s hand.  It contained Peter’s e-mail address and came with a verbal request to “please use this”.  A clear reminder that God calls on us to be good listeners.  It is our fervent hope that this budding new friendship flourishes on whatever level God wants to take it.  And I would leave those prayer warriors amongst you with an unspecified prayer request for our new friend Peter.

The proceeds of the day:

That was yesterday, and our plan was to head to Cape Lookout today, but apparently God has another plan, and we wait, chillin, for the 40 knot winds( that's about 45 MPH to you landlubbers) to die down and the ferry to resume operation.  The ferry captains tell us we can go to Cape Lookout by Sunday :-(  

I must admit I have been a bit on edge all day, but Bill swears the RV WILL NOT tip over.  I have to trust him on this, but it is nervewracking.