Bald Head Island requires a Passenger Ferry boat to see the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina. This is Deep Point Marina in Southport, N.C.
Leaving the Mother Land.
Approaching Bald Head Island.
There are no cars allowed on Bald Head Island -- transportation is limited to electric carts, bicycles and walking. We rented a six-passenger cart for the tour.
Our first stop was at Old Baldy, North Carolina's oldest lighthouse. It provides a 360 degree view of the island, revealing salt marsh, rivers and the Atlantic Ocean. The entrance you see below is the Smith Island Museum of History.
The windows do not open once you are inside the lighthouse and there are some 289 steps to the top.
Heading up into the lighthouse.
I loved their windows. Only problem, they did not open. Getting steamier inside.
A diagram of the stairway platforms
This is a view standing on the entrance floor and looking up toward the top of the lighthouse.
I climbed all but the last two rounds of the lighthouse. It was more the heat that made me want to stop than the actual stair steps. Pops and the Colliers all made it to the top.
The 360-degree view is amazing.
There is no stopping Carson ad Ava -- they will look out from the very top of the lighthouse.
After making it to the top, everyone is coming down with a smile on their face.
Old Baldy Lighthouse, built in 1817.
At the base of Old Baldy.
It did not take long for the kids to become hungry...especially after the long climb. I believe this is at the Bald Island Club where there is a swimming pool. We sat out on the upper deck at the Peliccatessen.
On the South Beach side of the Island, there are beautiful homes. The Colliers were dreaming of which home they would like to buy on the South Bald Head Wynd Road.
We also stopped at the Island Conservatory and the Turtle Central.
There are many classes to learn about the floral and fauna on the island. They are night tours for observing the creatures.
We enjoyed the East Beaches -- not crowded and yet beautiful.
We headed inland to the Shops at Maritime Way. We cooled off with ice cream. Sommer wanted to check out the prices at the grocery store (which offered limited products.) We did a bunch of dreaming in the clothing and souvenirs shops. Ken found a bench he would like to copy some day....my dreamer!
The coolest and most gorgeous part was the tunnel drive in the golf cart. Miles of tree tunnels I believe this was on Federal Road..
And when we did decide to 'call it a day' and return in the cart, Carson discovered some history relics.
Back to the Marina Dock to board the Ferry back to the mainland.
Waiting for the Ferry. And back to the Motherland.
On June 16, we left Sunset Beach and headed toward Oklahoma. We had a great time!
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