Torrence Photography: Beaufort

Sometimes, taking a vacation means setting an agenda. Going to Disney World without a plan would be a complete waste of time (and quite stressful, I think). My kind of vacation is the kind we just returned from. I don't even think Carteret county even knows the meaning of the word "hurry."

When I was in college, my mom and I made our own tradition to visit the outer banks of NC, just the two of us. We started talking about it almost like it was Christmas: "are you ready for Beaufort?!," "Beaufort can't get here fast enough," and so on. Since Steve and I have been married, our Beaufort tradition has only gotten sweeter, more meaningful and precious. My mom, Stephen and I were able to rest. We rested. It's the kind of rest where your body, mind and heart get enough of a break to restore energy.

This isn't to say we did nothing--far from it. We didn't plan anything, and started with only a map. We went from Kings Mountain to the Currituck Lighthouse, Nags Head, (did you know there's a Duck, NC?? Charming!) the Bodie and Hatteras Lighthouses, and took the ferry to Cedar Island to drive to Beaufort. We took our time and were able to see (and take pictures of, of course) so many things none of us had seen before.

Here are some of our favorite shots from the trip. A short explanation of some of these: the horses are wild ponies on Carrot Island, near Beaufort--nothing there but grass, ponies and sand fleas. The only way to get to one of these barrier islands is by boat--we have no boat. Stephen--the charmer he is--actually made friends with a boat owner who gave him a ride so he could make pictures. Pete and Martha--thank you!! Hope you enjoy the pictures; we were so excited to get them!

Mom, thanks for loving us the way you do. We had a blast! (365 days til Beaufort 09??)