COMPLETED: Portsmouth Island.

[NC_IslandRunner]

So I decided last week to add a day to the front of my trip to Portsmouth Island, I worked last night and got off an hour early so I could get a little sleep before the four hour drive to the ferry. All was going good, truck was loaded we were on schedule the whole day staying ahead of storm that was supposed to pass by the afternoon.

Well while I was driving the storm changed it's plans from what I had checked early in the morning. I get to the ferry and go to check in. I'm told the ferry isn't running any more today, the water is shallow because of the storm coming in the water is choppy and they have one ferry stuck in a sand bar already. So I call the ferry to the Island to the south to see if I can get on a ferry to that Island, but they already stopped running also.

We go get a late lunch at the diner at the ferry station and get on laptop to look for a room for the night.(thought about camping but not a good idea with tornado warnings), nearest hotel not charging arm and leg is an hour away. After changing our minds a hundred times we end up in Morehead City/Atlantic Beach, find a Budget Inn for $40 that will let us in with our dog(not a pet friendly place but the room is scheduled for remodel so they let me slide), needed a cheap room cause we were camping this trip and did not budget for hotels. And yes this place looks rough but it's clean.

I guess I got lucky, I wouldn't want to be in a tent in the storm that hit where I'm at a little while ago, I've seen the damage on the news it's done in on it's way here and feel greatful to be safe .

Talked to guys on ferry since we were scheduled for the 3pm today they will put me on the 6:45am tomorrow and bump someone from that one to the next trip. So I am getting up at 4am so I can drive back to ferry by 6:30am.
So the trip is under way just have a 14 hour delay. will post pics when I get off pavement. But for now I wait.

[navigator]

good luck on your trip man.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Checked in at ferry 6:30am, they still had to go get ferry off sand bar. Loaded on ferry with four other trucks and a set off for island, about a half mile from island we got stuck on sand...Everyone go stand in the front to move the weight some...Everone to the back to move the weight...20 minutes later we are moving again!!!


Get to Island at 9:30am, go set up camp-

From the top of sand dune


Went riding to show my girl the Island, she has never been before. The storm had moved sand over some of the trails, some were completely blocked this one was close.


This was worse than it looks, might not be as bad if I had spacers, larger wheels and swaybar disconected.
fishing relaxing and about to build the fire.

[Blackout]

Looks like a great time

[Trail X]

Nice! So you have cell service out there? Looking forward to hearing how it all went.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Second day was fun, even if fishing didn't go so well no one I talked to was catching much of anything.

So it was on to shell hunting and the village.

pics of village and surrounding area from observation level of old lifesaving station.




Cemetary




Post office was the last buisness in town, closed in 1959.


Stopped right next to this bird on the beach and was amazed it didn't even flinch when all other birds flew away.


Sunday morning we packed up and rode down the beach until time to get on ferry.
We had fun and I think I may even be able to get my girl to go camping again, she didn't think she was gonna have fun but she
admits she did.

Hopefully I can do some tougher offroading soon, but this is always relaxing.

[NC_IslandRunner]

Nice! So you have cell service out there? Looking forward to hearing how it all went.

The cell sevice is better on the island than it is where I work!
There is a cell tower by the water on the main land a few miles from the ferry.
My cell phone is modded to be used as a wifi hotspot for free(I love my EVO), so I had my laptop with me most of the time.
I have some videos of driving down the beach, if I had someone else with me I would have got the to shoot some from outside the truck but all my friends schedules were packed this spring and I couldn't go the weeks they are.(Wish I was 17 again, we were never to busy back then)

[NC_IslandRunner]

Almost forgot, gas was $5.35 gal on Island so I tried not to use too much!!!
You pay a high price when it can't be delievered by truck, I think one time someone told me it $1000 for the permit to ship fuel to Island and that does not include the gas or shipping cost.