“The greater the love, the greater the tragedy when it’s over.”–Nicolas Sparks from the novel Nights in Rodanthe
Rodanthe, NC 🏖️
If you love the beach, especially the Outer Banks’ Hatteras Island, then you may experience something akin to heartbreak as more and more erosion occurs along its shores, especially to the small unincorporated community, Rodanthe, NC. My daughter, Madelyn, and I visited Rodanthe, located on Hatteras Island, this past summer, and we certainly felt that way as we walked along its shores and witnessed the devastation first hand. Walking along the Rodanthe beach, we noticed the remains of several beach homes and those that had been moved and/or jacked up on tall pilings. Only a month after our visit, another home was washed out to the ocean with Hurricane Debby.
Beach Memories 🌊
Years ago, when I was a teenager, my family financially reached a place in which our budget allowed us to schedule an annual week-long vacation in the Outer Banks of NC. These trips were often book-ended with educational/informational side trips. But of course, as a kid, my interest, as well as my younger three siblings’ interest, was more focused on the beach.
While most of our peers’ families spent time at Myrtle Beach, we were happy at the OBX, spending time building sandcastles, collecting sea shells, or writing our names and words of “wisdom” in the sand. We learned to jump waves and stay atop boogie boards. And, if the surf was too rough, or we needed a break, we’d bask in the sun and read books. At some point during the day, we’d walk back to our rental, usually “fourth row back,” and grab lunch or a snack. Then, we’d head right back down to the beach until it was time for dinner.
Beach Vibes 🌊
Even then, once dinner and showers were completed, my three siblings and I would head right back down to the beach in the evening to goof off with other kids who happened to be around or just hang out with one another. We usually didn’t swim much in the evening, but we still found things to do that entertained us. Of course, this was well before the age of the internet, much less cell phones, so we were easily amused by chasing ghost crabs, seeing who could do the best cart wheel, or loudly singing lyrics to a popular song into surf, and making fun of one another if one of us messed up or forgot a word.
During our first visit, OBX was not what it is now. It was not as populated, and it was definitely not commercialized. In fact, there were few stores and restaurants, especially where we stayed–just beyond Duck, NC–and there were virtually no grocery stores other than a couple of local gas/convenience type stores. Therefore, as I best recall, we packed coolers and boxes with a fairly large quantity of groceries to take with us from home. There were a few beachy/trinket shops and bookstores nearby, but most souvenir shops were a considerable drive away. But, oh boy did that change over the following decade. . .
Traditions change ⏱️
As the years progressed, and I married my husband, John, we continued to visit the OBX from time to time, but gradually the yearly tradition faded. It was not because we were no longer enamored with the OBX; rather, there were so many other locations across the country and Canada that we had not yet explored. Nonetheless, from time to time, we would get the urge, and once more spend a week or so in various places along the OBX, including as far north as Carova Beach and as far south as Avon–even visiting Ocracoke a time or two.
Such was the case this past summer. It had been years since our last OBX visit, and Maddie and I had grown nostalgic with a desire to visit its shores once more. There was a week in July when John was heading north once more fishing, so Maddie and I decided that would be an ideal time for a mother-daughter escapade. We settled for a condo in Rodanthe, an OBX locale we had only driven through on previous stays.
Mother-Daughter time 🐚
Before heading to Rodanthe, we decided to take one night to stay in Nags Head, experience a couple restaurants and do some shopping. However, after that first night, we drove on to Rondanthe and did not leave the island. We absolutely loved the community of Rodanthe and further enjoyed the sights and sounds of its beaches and surrounding nearby Hatteras communities.
Rodanthe, Waves, and Salvo are charming beach communities connected like colorful beads on a chain. Each one has its own special appeal, but seemed to work best as a collective. There is a well-maintained sidewalk on the sound side of North Carolina Highway 12 that spans the length of the three communities, and the communities often have shared events for the public to enjoy.
Island Time ☀️
While the closest national chain grocery store is a Food Lion, located in Avon–about a 22 or so minute drive–there are several smaller grocery and convenience stores that are well-stocked. There were also several restaurants and shops nearby that Maddie and I enjoyed visiting. One of our favorites was Good Winds restaurant located on the Pamlico Sound–a perfect spot for watching the sunset. That said, we mostly found our favorite activities centered around the ocean–walking, swimming, and sitting by its side experiencing the full sensory spectrum of being on the shore. Personally, I have yet to lose my sense of awe and wonder at the sight of crashing waves on a shoreline.
Eroded shores 🌊
Ironically, it is those very crashing waves that have taken seven homes from Rodanthe in the past four years! This most eastern point of NC is sadly experiencing 15 feet of erosion per year, according to a recent post (August 2024) by WRAL News. According to this source, Rodanthe doesn’t have a large enough tax base to pay for the beach renourishment required to maintain such a large quantity of erosion. However, given the island itself is about a quarter of a mile wide, I can’t help but wonder about Rodanthe’s future and feel heartbroken at the prospect of so much loss at such a beautiful, serene location.
All I can say is that I absolutely hope to return in the coming years. While I do love exploring new sights, there is something comforting about spending time at the OBX. For me, it’s like putting on a comfy pair of sweatpants and t-shirt at the end of a long day, relaxing into the soft familiarity of being able to relax because I am home. OBX was my first beach love, and while I know there are beaches, there are none that will quite replace the embrace I feel from those NC 12 shoreline winds.
Steph Simply 