Our plans for April camping began as a quick “up and back” trip to finally use our pre-Covid concert tickets to hear Elton John. When friends Denise & Paul invited us to join them for a long weekend, our ten-day getaway became fourteen. We had beautiful weather for our stay at Cedar Point campground in the Croatan National Forest. From our campsite we could walk or bike over to the White Oak River and walk the groomed trails and boardwalks through the Cedar Point Tideland Trail.

Saturday was a perfect day to go over to Hammocks Beach State Park and take the water taxi over to Bear Island, a four-mile-long stretch of sand dunes and gorgeous beach, with primitive camping sites tucked behind the dunes. There were several brave people aboard the ferry who planned to camp, with others boarding the boat with their gear to go back to the mainland. When we were tent camping 25 years ago, we may have considered this type of adventure, but in our 70’s … no. There is a building on the island which houses a concession (open in warmer weather) and bathrooms.

On Sunday, we relaxed at the campsite then went to dinner in Swansboro at the original Saltwater Grill (newly opened Grill #2 is in New Bern). We had an excellent dinner in the enclosed upstairs deck, with beautiful views of the boats at anchor in the river. Monday was departure day, with our friends heading home to New Bern, and us going to Greensboro NC for the night. We originally planned to go to Jordan Lake, but inclement weather ahead mid-week prompted us to make the longer drive so we could get set up in Asheville the following day before the rain and wind blew in, which it did.