SEA TURTLES, SAND AND PIRATES
"Mom, Dad, look! It's poking its head through the sand!" The moonlit journey of a small sea turtle was just one of the highlights of my family's trip last summer to this slow-paced barrier island off the coast of North Carolina. Once a haven for pirates, Bald Head is now a favorite family getaway, the sort of place where a bike, beach towel and fishing pole will keep a kid busy for days.
A quiet refuge with only 2,000 of its 12,000 acres ever slated for development, Bald Head is a planned community with no high-rises or billboards cluttering the landscape. Our island adventure began with a 20-minute ferry ride (on the aptly-named Sans Souci) from small, historic Southport, where we loaded up on groceries, boogieboards and other beach essentials before stepping on board. Although Bald Head has a tiny, upscale market, The Maritime Market (910-457-7450), it's a bit pricey, so most guests have learned to stock-up on supplies before leaving the mainland. Southport's grocery stores will gladly pack goods in boxes for easier transport by ferry.
An open-air tram met us at the dock and took us to our two-bedroom condo, which was newly built and set in the island's maritime forest. Along the way, we had a chance to see the wide variety of rental housing on the island, from condos with decks overlooking the treetops to sprawling beach homes large enough to house several families. Patrick and his best friend, Jack, who had joined us on the trip, were excited to discover that our unit came with a golf cart (as do all island rentals), which we all found to be a delightfully lazy way to get around.
Our first afternoon established the pattern of swimming, exploring and more swimming that would mark our days on the island. We started by driving our golf cart to East Beach, where the boys hit the waves. After three hours of sunning and splashing, we puttered home, stopping off to hike the trail that loops through the island's Maritime Forest Preserve. The boys were intrigued by the jungly look of the forest--a wonderfully wild tangle of live oak, holly and sabal palm--and were thrilled to find a tree older than Blackbeard with a secret cave in back.
We capped off that first day with a sunset dinner at
Eb & Flo's (910-457-7217), a tin-roofed seafood restaurant with outdoor tables overlooking the harbor. My husband, Pat, and I shared a steampot--a mix of boiled potatoes, corn and steamed shrimp, crab legs, mussels and clams --while the kids chowed down on fried shrimp. Our view took in the cluster of buildings that make up Harbour Village, along with the yachts and other pleasure boats bobbing at the docks. We soon found, however, that given our condo's well-equipped kitchen, it was easier and cheaper to eat in.
We began the next day with a two-hour salt marsh kayaking trip led by Laughing Gull Expeditions. None of us had kayaked before, but islander Jo Betts Baxley and her son, Hayes, 15, soon had us paddling in style. The Baxleys led us down broad tidal creeks and through tall marsh grasses, pointing out wildlife en route. For self-guided tours, families can rent canoes from Island Passage ($50 each; 910-457-4944).
After lunch on our deck and another swim, this time at South Beach, we rented bicycles from Island Passage and set off to explore some of the paved lanes that wind around the developed end of the island. Our first stop was the Old Baldy Lighthouse, built in 1817, which looms over the marsh. We climbed all 124 (according to the kids' count) of its narrow, winding steps to reach the top and take in the panoramic views. Next, we stepped inside the Village Chapel, with its peaceful view of the marsh and flocks of ibis, before crossing the lane for a look at the tiny post office.
Back on our bikes, we pedaled through the long tunnel of green formed by the forest canopy that leads to East Beach, stopping on the way for a hike through forest and marsh on the M. Kent Mitchell Nature Trail. Curious little crabs were the highlight here. The boys loved to watch them scuttling back to their holes.
Like waves receding from the shore, our days on the island slipped away with carefree summer pastimes, from bodysurfing at the beach to casting a line from the harbor pier. Nights found us sitting on our deck, listening to owls and watching fireflies blink--all part of the easy rhythm of Bald Head life.
Please keep in mind that phone numbers, addresses, and prices are subject to change. Updated June 2005.
