It's Tuesday - We Must Be Off....

Yes, it's Tuesday so that means we must be off. This is our version of the 'weekend.' Well, we survived the Fourth. It wasn't so bad considering the number of people times the heat index could have equalled disaster.

The Fourth began with tragic news that a fireworks truck transporting fireworks to Ocracoke exploded. The truck was from South Carolina and we've since been told there were at least 3 fatalities from the explosion. The truck had just driven off the ferry into the village when the explosion rocked the island. Thankfully, the ferry did not explode although service was interrupted for several hours while they transported emergency personnel only. By the afternoon the ferries were back on track. If you've ever visited Ocracoke you know it's pretty remote and only accessible by ferry. Imagine trying to get emergency personnel in place.

News traveled fast and we were told that our local fire truck would not be participating in our campground parade. Yes, as recreation directors we organize, decorate and lead the parade of kids, dogs, bikes, scooters, skateboards, wagons, and wheeled things through all the nooks and crannies of the campground, usually headed up by the bright red fire truck. The good news was that the fire truck did appear right on time to lead the parade - the bad news was that after the first turn, the fire truck turned on its sirens and left us in a cloud of dust to attend an emergency on the beach.

That emergency turned into a water rescue and we were left diverting the parade away from the ambulance and other emergency vehicles. No tragedies here, just some guests swimming in the ocean took in too much water. Could have been worse since there were lots of rip currents. Did we mention the Fourth was a weird day??

All in all it was a good holiday and a great week. We always hope for the best and try to prepare for the worst and hope we never need it. Lots of people were shooting fireworks down on the beach. Wonder what it did to all the sea turtle nests? Park Service has large portions of the beaches closed for turtles... We humans never consider the impact our pleasures create on the planet.

Sunday night we had some fantastic OBX storms come through with sideways rain, thunder, lightning and the works. Wind gusts rocked the coach all night. When we went to work Monday all the tent campers were gone but their tents were sad, flat reminders where they had been.

Wednesday arrived before we could publish this blog entry so just to let you know, we did go jet skiing this morning. We had fun and will definitely plan to do it again. The need for speed on the water offered excitement and a refreshing activity for a hot July day. We'll hang close for the rest of the afternoon and get ready for another fun-filled week of recreation to include hula hoop games, a marshmallow roast, ghost crab hunting and much more. Did we mention that we are now offering aquacise in the mornings? We never would have thought we would like it much but it really does give you a good workout without all the sweat and pressure on the joints. "That damn aquacise" is still heard occasionally when Kathy feels the results later in the day, but she knows it is good for her.

The traffic has really picked up on the island making every trip, short or long, a lesson in patience. The baby geese are about as big as their parents now. We have enjoyed spending our days watching them grow.

Enjoy your days and stay safe.
K&J