I recently commented that the ocean waters off Emerald Isle on last Thursday were so smooth that you could have rowed a bathtub out into the ocean.

In case anyone has bathtubs on their lifts or trailers, please leave them there.  I think the quiet seas have deserted us for a while.  I snapped the wave picture in Deerhorn Dunes on Emerald Isle yesterday afternoon.

Even the White Oak River was showing some whitecaps yesterday morning.

After the brief shower we had yesterday afternoon we found some blue sky at the beach.

The wind was blowing the mist off of the waves onto to the beach when I took this telephoto shot of the beach and the pier.

I have had people ask me why I feel so safe from storms up river from Emerald Isle.  I am usually quick to ask if they have ever seen any of area's beach vegetation.  My guess is that much of Emerald Isle is very well anchored by its tenacious vegetation.

Yesterday was a nice warm day to visit the beach.  There are still some nice flowers blooming along the CAMA access points. A few homes had out some some nice Halloween decorations.

When we came back home I noticed that our swamp oak is starting to show what passes for fall color.

It was fun over at the beach, but I would rather be riding the skiff on that impossibly smooth water like we did last Thursday.

I suspect we well get another chance, and hopefully it will be soon.  That trip to Bogue Inlet will be one that I remember for a long time.