Labor Day North Carolina Beach Trip

“This trip grew from this thread: http://www.thebackpacker.com/trailtalk/thread/53510,3.php

the dates are Sep 4-7. If yopu can't get there before 5:30 pm on Friday you will miss the last ferry to the island so plan accordingly.















Hammocks Beach State Park » Welcome!
Address: 1572 Hammocks Beach Road, Swansboro, NC 28584
http://www.ncparks.gov/Visit/parks/habe/main.php
Office Phone: (910) 326-4881

Email: hammocks.beach@ncmail.net

Venture to Bear Island and reward yourself with vivid memories of one of the most unspoiled beaches on the Atlantic coast. Accessible only by passenger ferry or private boat, there's just one thing at Hammocks Beach that's crowded—the list of things to do.

Stroll the beach with laughing gulls and sandpipers. Cast a baited hook into endless rows of foaming breakers. Discover tiny specimens of marine life in tidal pools and mudflats. Use a camera or paintbrush to capture the green and gold grasses that color the salt marshes. Spend the night among the sand dunes, or simply bask in the sun and do nothing at all.

Secluded and tranquil, free from intruding commercialism, Hammocks Beach may not be for everyone, but the island is a retreat for people who welcome the challenges of relentless sun, sand, sea and sky.


last edited: 5/26/09 11:17:16 AM”

“nm
last edited: 5/26/09 11:30:12 AM”

“Thanks, they won't have to ask now. I just put them up there :)”

“Hyway.. what time would the ferry get us off of the Island..

Also is this going to be a family (kids) trip, or will Marko be there?

'32oz”

“Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day - Wednesday thru Sunday

Departs mainland at:
9:30am 10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm

- - - - - -

Departs island at:
10:00am 10:30am 11:00am 11:30am 12:00pm 12:30pm 1:00pm 1:30pm 2:00pm 2:30pm 3:00pm 3:30pm 4:00pm 4:30pm 5:00pm 5:30pm 6:00pm”

“I booked all 3 group sites (its really one area) so I expect all you goobers to pony up your $1 a night so I can still feed my children the rest of the year ;) Ummm, the cost of the ferry, $5, is not covered in the camping.”

“Sweet trip. Only 850 miles one way for me. ;-)”

“I bet you guys have places like this on the gulf”

“Looks a lot like going to Cumberland Island, or several places in Florida...I guess it's that whole barrier island thing. It looks like fun though.”

“�I bet you guys have places like this on the gulf�

Yep!.....but no CD”

““Hyway.. what time would the ferry get us off of the Island..

Also is this going to be a family (kids) trip, or will Marko be there?

'32oz”
32ozgatorade
12:05:47 PM
5/26/09

I am taking my kids. This is a state park so the boozing will need to be on the down low.”

“this looks awesome...but with my luck a hurricane will come rippin through....”

“Oh yeah, this is right around the peak of the hurricane season. ;P

Kinda nice, not living in a hurricane zone any more. The insurance is a lot less, too.”

“#$@#$$@!!!!, treeebait. ;-)”

“Count Calm Spirits and me in on this adventure.”

“NMe and Mrs Spam will be there and maybe L.E. Mae!”

“The Billies will be there”

“For some reason it registers me twice...don't expect $2 from me though (VBG)”

“Split personality?”

“I am not afraid of a hurricane, but that doesn't matter. they'd close the park if one comes. There really is no point worrying about it. We have a hurricane season every year, sometimes they come sometimes they don't. You make your plans and act accordingly.

I finally remembered what it was about labor day weekend that we do and its a mini anime festival my daughters go to every year. So they won't be joining me.
last edited: 5/26/09 8:22:08 PM”

“Sticks, you only planning to stay one night? Its $1 a night dude. Dig deeper.”

“Count Calm Spirits and me in on this adventure.�
Refrigerator

Great so I know who to hit up for a ride :) LOL.

Tater and I can't plan that far in advance....well maybe Tater can...I'm fraid of commitment. lol.”

“I'll definetly keep an eye on this trip. I am still planning to do the WFR course in September. Just not sure yet whether to do it in North Carolina or New Hampshire. I probably have to throw a coin.”

“I was looking at the google satellite shots and I couldn't figure out where the three 'group' campsites are.

Are they near the beach and closed down snack bar/shower houses?”

“If you look at the aerial pic above, the group site is toward the bottom right. If you followed the wooden walkway (bathhouse/concessions) past its end you'll see a white bowl like area where it looks like half a dune is cut away. That's the group area. The dune is there, it just gets run up and down a lot :)

Oh, the indoor showers are closed, but according to the website the outside showers are still working.

Euro, we would be happy to have you and your European thinking concerning going natural in the wild.
last edited: 5/27/09 9:20:24 AM”

“Thanks.
I see right where your talking about.”

“I love NC beaches but a 15 hour drive is a bit too much.”

“Welcome to MS. ;-)”

“well, the sands are always shifting due to wind and currents, but i can't make any promises that it will cut much off that 15 hour drive.”

“Tater and I are gonna try to make this happen. This is about a 5 hour drive from Tater's to this place...which is about an hour less than what we would travel to his grandparents...so its doable, possibly...depending on vacation, work, and surgery...YAY! :)”

“walking in sand is tough so I suggest you leave home all non essential items like clothing”

“well duh. I thought flipflops and bikinis were all that I'd need?

Hyway, how far do we have to walk in the sand?

Oh, and who is providing the beer? I have a new affinity for Bud Lite :) thank you. :)”

“that will work.

The minimum you will walk in the sand is just a few hundred yards from the end of the wooden walkway to the camp and then back again. After that its entirely up to you. The beach is 3 miles long and we will be camping in the middle.

I am not saying there won't be beer, but it is a state park where alcohol is prohibited snicker snicker. Plus it is an island accessed only by ferry or private boat. To keep anything cool you'll have to ride the ferry back tyo your car and go buy ice. The ferry is $5 per roundtrip so that is doable, just don't miss the last ferry back :)


”

“Hey are we gonna be able to take coolers on the ferry?Are there any permanent grills like in many Stae Parks or are we doomed to eating Mountain House all weekend?”

“you could cook a hamburger or hotdog or something of the like on a backpacker stove...but yes, the cooler would be an issue...and what about the ice...ice melts, how do we keep crud cool all weekend...and I can't carry a cooler and a backpack very far in sand at all...EEEK :(”

“It is called dry ice. The #1 drawback is it attracts skeeters so it would have to be kept downwind from the group.”

“we're only talking a couple hundred yards so I wanta carry the good stuff!”

“Now all you mountain folks will know what Hyway and I go through every time we go on a TT outing. For us 5-8 hour drives to hike for a weekend is common. LOL”

“we took a cooler on our trip, so yeah coolers are fine. You don't have to use a backpacker stove. Bring one of those two seater camp stoves. I plan on bringing mine. You will be able to roll stuff for teh 1st 1/2 mile. Then its a short distance, we can take parts of the load to camp and come back for more. Freeze water in milk jugs. The ice will last longer in bigger blocks.

there are no grills and no picnic tables at the campsite. there are trash cans there though.”

“Are there raccoons?”

“Okay here's another dumbass question...will there be a place to hang my Hammock at Hammock Beach???”

“if you bring some 10' long, stiff metal spikes with a screw ends to drill into the sand you can hang a hammock.

I think hammock was a person name :)”

“This is a state park so the boozing will need to be on the down low.”

no boozing in NC state parks? that's strange. why?”

“no boozing in NC state parks? that's strange. why?”
offtrack


Pretty common law from what I have found traveling across these here United States.”

“The reality is that people do drink in State parks, they just don't do it openly.”

“Verdammt. The WFR course in NC starts 19th September. So I guess this trip is too early for me to show up
:-(
:-(”

“too bad. Unless you came over a couple weeks early”

“Yeah, but what am I supposed to do those two weeks until the course starts?”

“And the WFR with Solo in NH is from 1st till 11th September. It just won't fit.
:-(”

“Is anyone going to bring their children?

"32oz”