The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a slender island thread bounded by the ocean and the sound. These are the famed barrier reefs, often pummeled by hurricanes. Odd to think of them that way. They seem so fragile. I can see the ocean from the rear of the cottage and the sound from the front. There's much to commend the Outer Banks regardless of the time of year. But like the locals, I prefer the off season. The pace is slower, and the beaches and attractions uncrowded.

Jockey's Ridge
The tallest natural sand dune in the Eastern United States, rising up to 100 feet, can be found in Jockey's Ridge State Park. It's a living sand dune, moving in tune to the wind, constantly changing shape and size. But it almost didn't survive. The story goes that one summer morning in 1973 Carolista and Walter Baum, hearing the sounds of earth-moving equipment, discovered that a residential development was literally being built at the base of the dune. Planting herself in front of the bulldozer, Carolista stopped the scheduled destruction and eventually the dune was declared a National Natural Landmark. Today there's 420 acres for hiking the dune, enjoying the views of the coast, or to simply enjoy the unusual desert landscape. The steady winds also make it ideal for hang-gliding and kite flying.

The Wright Brothers National Memorial
Kitty Hawk (now in the town called Kill Devil Hills). The Wright brothers. The first flight. There's a series of stones marking the spot where the Wright Brothers took off in their first controlled powered flights and four stones indicating the landings of each of those historic flights. One is immediately struck by how hard they labored for such small gain. Each inch mattered. Guided tours are available in the summer months. However, we were fortunate to have found Park Ranger Jim Cross at the station who graciously and enthusiastically explained the Wright brothers' fascinating story. But even without that, there's the replicas, museum, and film to explain one of humankind's most amazing technological achievements. How amazing was it? You have to remember that "until the Wright brothers, most experimental flying machines had a 100% fatality rate," sums up Cross.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore
As you drive down the beach road you pass hotels, cottages, large homes, and seaside communities. Then, suddenly housing has given way to blowing sand dunes, wind-tossed brush and rugged beaches. You've entered Cape Hatteras National Seashore, protected by the National Park Service.

Established back in 1953, the National Seashore includes part of Bodie Island, and most of Hatteras, and Ocracoke Islands. It's not totally untenanted, there are small scattered villages. But you can drive for miles in solitude, pulling off into the frequent small parking areas to walk along the ocean, wade into the water, pick up shells and driftwood. Although they provide facilities, usually these can be best described as primitive.

If you have a yen to drive on the sand, you can do that, too. With a four-wheel-drive vehicle, and using certain access points, you can literally drive along the shore. In fact, some of the best fishing in the Outer Banks can almost be done from your car. Oregon Inlet, the cutoff right before the Herbert Bonner Bridge, is one of the prime spots.

Ocracoke
When the folks who live year round in the Outer Banks want to get away, they go to Ocracoke and the village which hugs the shores of Silver Lake. The only way to get there is by boat. A free public ferry runs between the town of Cape Hatteras and the northern tip of the island.

In season, the tiny village is clogged with cars, boats, and tourists. But in Spring and Fall it simply feels like a friendly maritime community. Charming to walk or bicycle through and enjoy the views, small shops, and excellent restaurants. And, of course, the charter boats for fishing and offshore excursions.

If you ask at the tourist office for a list of places to visit, they'll be happy to rattle off some of the main attractions. But the one place which shouldn't be missed is the British Cemetery. In the years prior to the United States entering World War II, German boats sank almost 400 ships in the Atlantic waters off the coast of the United States. Winston Churchill sent a flotilla of anti-submarine craft to help protect our shores. On May 11, 1942 H.M.S. Bedfordshire, one of those ships, was torpedoed by a U-boat 40 miles off the North Carolina coast near Ocracoke. Graves for the four bodies that were recovered, and a memorial to those lost at sea are in this plot of land forever ceded to England. The site is maintained by the Ocracoke Coast Guard.

Roanoke Island
Green and lush Roanoke stands in contrast to the stark sandy shores of the barrier islands, offering its own pleasures.

Manteo (pronounced MAN-e-o) is a lovely historic town on the Roanoke sound with art galleries, craft shops, B&Bs, and restaurants. In summer there are also boat tours and extensive water-based activities.

There's a thriving colony of artists and craftpeople. But if I wanted to see something special, potter Nancy Ware suggested I should walk around the corner to the weavers. The weavers turned out to be in Endless Possibilities on Budleigh Street. They take discarded fabric and create beauty. And they have discovered the only sensible thing to do with ties. They turn them into rugs, wall hangings and even handbags. There are also scarves in materials and colors I've never seen before. But that's not all the magic they work. The proceeds support the Outer Banks Hotline Crisis Intervention Center. And of course I walked out with one of their strikingly beautiful scarves.

Elizabethan Gardens This small, manicured beauty of just over 10 acres is divided into a dozen different gardens with fountains, sculptures, and well-tended flowers. There are formal gardens with brick walkways, wide tree-shaded paths, and unexpected niches of flowers.

Festival Park The recreated 16th century ship Elizabeth II, moored at the dock, is just one reason to visit. Climb aboard and chat with costumed interpreters who explain the less than glamorous life on a sailing ship. Other costumed interpreters are scattered through the park living 16th century daily life. A museum depicts the history of the Outer Banks, and the park also mounts a full schedule of shows and special attractions.

Summer Season Fun
Summer is theater time. The Lost Colony, the block-buster theatrical account of the first English settlement, is performed at The Waterside Theatre in summer. It's the nation's longest running outdoor drama. The Pioneer Theatre hosts Bloody Mary and the Virgin Queen in July and August on the decidedly unsisterly relationship between Queen Elizabeth I and her half-sister Mary Tudor.