Merchants Millpond State Park to Frisco Campground, Cape Hatteras National Seashore

I had thought to rent a canoe and explore the millpond but the day broke overcast and drizzly, so I reluctantly packed up and drove south on Hwy 32 on a Sunday morning, a church every few miles along the highway.

Drove through downtown Edenton to the waterfront on broad Albemarle Sound.  Pretty town and waterfront, empty on Sunday morning,

nice old buildings on the waterfront, cool lighthouse and views of the sound

 much revolutionary era history and interesting Civil War history

and a very old courthouse.

I crossed Ablemarle Sound

east on 64 through wolf country

Over Alligator Sound and Croatan Sound

onto Roanoake Island, home of Virginia Dare, across Roanoake Sound to Manteo, tourist sprawl, the south on Cape Hatteras, towns built up with hotels and condos over the last 30 years

the day turned sunny as I drove into Frisco Campground.  I unpacked my bike and road the boardwalk over the dunes to the beach.

The beach was open to driving but closed at one end for turtle nesting, but the car folks were families and fishermen, quiet, enjoying the sunshine.

I swam, watched the pelicans, gulls and terns fishing in front of me, swam some more, watched the clouds form and disappear.

At the end of a lovely afternoon, I rode back to the rolling dunes of the campground, took a cool shower and set up the tent on the last day before the campground closed.