no lions, no tigers, but bears

11.5 miles
3.5 hours
3.25 mph
the drive to the paddle put in @ milltail creek was more exciting than the paddle
we saw a momma bear with three cubs and we were able to follow them at a distance for a good ways on the dirt roads of the preserve before putting in.
we set our destination this time as the alligator river proper with the hope of finding a small sandy beach type area to stop and have lunch before paddling back.
that didn't happen
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Pine Island(s)

put the kayak in @ sanderling resort and headed north to the marshes of pine island for 7.75 miles round trip, lots of fish, 5 egrets, 1 heron, and 1 water moccasin =:-O
made it past the indoor tennis facility
would have gone even further but developed a blister on my left thumb from the paddle rubbing
nice day for a paddle
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Kitty Hawk to Duck

7.25 miles
3 mph
up the northern gut to martin's point
out in albemarle sound with a 15 mph wind out of the sw
mr. heron
2 egrets
1 turtle
cardinals
red winged blackbirds
ospreys galore
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Exploring The Guts

7.5 miles

2 hours

we put in @ the kitty hawk boat ramp

took a leisurely tour of several guts

when we got in the spur off of the newfoundlin gut the weather took a turn for the worse

the wind started blowing out of the west and the sky darkened

we double timed it back to the boat ramp and beat the impending thunderstorm

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Pea Island

4.6 miles
1hr 45min
2.62 mph
first paddle of the season
not much wild life
ibis & egrets, but no regrets
beautiful day

located on the north end of hatteras island, a coastal barrier island and part of a chain of islands known as the outer banks.
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Jockey's Ridge

5.5 miles

we put in at the south end of jockey's ridge state park

and headed north hugging the coast

into nags head woods nature conservancy

tucked into a little cove, beached and ate lunch

wonderful late fall outing

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Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge

5.25 miles

headed east via the paddling trails

to the end of sawyer's lake

took the red trail on the way back

and exited into the main milltail creek

headed north looking for alligators

but there was no siting this time around

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