Hatteras National Sea Shore

Yesterday morning we headed south out of Kill Devil Hills down into the Hatteras National Sea Shore park. We stopped first at the Bodie Island Lighthouse getting to see our second of the four big lighthouses in the Northern Outer Banks. After a quick stop in Chicamacomico/Rodanthe to visit a life saving station we headed to the crown jewel of our day, the Cape Hatteras Light House pictured at left). We would spend most of the day at the Cape Hatteras Light House as it is Katie's Mom Gail's favorite lighthouse. At left is a shot of the two of us in front of the light. We got to see a movie on how they moved the light house 2000 feet back in 1999 to save it from falling into the ocean due to erosion. The light was closed to climbing but we did tour all the grounds and we also got to drive down to the original base of the lighthouse and compare where it is to where it was. We ended the day taking a ferry over to Ocracoke Island where we saw the Ocracoke light (pictured on right) as well as a cemetary for some British sailors killed in WWII off the Outer Banks. We have now seen all four of the lighthouses we wanted to see on this visit. It was a long day and we pulled back into Kill Devil Hills well after dark. Today is a visit to Manteo on Roanoke Island, will post more pictures later on the week.

The Outer Banks

We have arrived in Kill Devil Hills, North Carolina for our week on the outer banks. Saturday we left Grand Cayman flying first to Atlanta and then on to Charlotte. We spent the night at a hotel near the airport then got our rental car and made the six hour drive across the state to our final destination the Outer Banks Beach Club on the Atlantic side of Kill Devil Hills. We are just south of Kitty Hawk and from our balcony can see the big Wright Brothers Monument. We are staying in a two bedroom condo with Katie's parents Russ and Gail and her grandparents Joyce and Chuck. We don't directly overlook the beach but are a short walk across a parking lot and through another set of condos from the dunes and the beach beyond. We got in last night around 4:30 and went for an evening walk on the beach after dinner.

Today we headed up to Currituck County for the first of four big lighthouses we will be visiting, Currituck Beach Lighthouse. We climbed to the top of the lighthouse and could see for miles down the sound on one side and the Atlantic on the other. The Outer Banks are very narrow at points and you can sometimes see both the sound and the ocean from the road. There were a couple of neat trails as well as a hunting mansion and a museum all within walking distance of the lighthouse. We ate a picnic lunch on the grounds and generally enjoyed a pleasant day out and about with family. We are both loving the fact that it is quite chilly here and we have an opportunity to use the hoodies and other "winter" clothes that never get used in Cayman. The weather today was supposed to be rainy but it held off and we had a fantastic day of lighthouse climbing and trail walking in Currituck. Tomorrow, weather permitting we are headed down to Cape Hatteras.

Fall Quarter Ends, Headed to North Carolina

Our fall quarter ended yesterday and today we are furiously trying to finish all our paperwork and grades so we can head out tomorrow for 10 days to North Carolina and a family get together with Katie's parents and maternal grand parents on the Outer Banks. We are looking forward to a week of Lighthouse hunting and Carolina Bar B Que. Will try and do an update and post pictures from our visit during the week if we have Internet access.

Miami and Orlando

By Scott: This past weekend was our fall Miami seminar and since I only had to work the seminar on Thursday, Friday and Monday, we took advantage of the free weekend to drive up to Orlando and catch up with my brother Kevin and his family. In addition, my Mom was able to fly down from Seattle for the weekend so we had a mini family reunion of the Cummings'. We hadn't seen my Mom since Christmas 2007 so it was very exciting that she was able to fly in.

I flew up to Miami Thursday morning and worked the seminar that afternoon and evening then Katie flew up Friday. We actually had to do paramedical exams Friday evening for our life insurance policies. We are adding additional coverage since we want to start a family and the exam had to be done in the United States. It was like a trip down memory lane since I worked my way through college and law school for a paramedical company. Katie and I went out to eat at Texas De Brazil afterwards, which is a Brazilian restaurant where they serve all kinds of meat on skewers which the waiters walk around with serving the various offerings.

We got up early Saturday and were on the road by 6:30 heading up to Orlando. It is about a 4 hour drive but with stops for breakfast and gas (as well as getting lost in Orlando when our google map told us to take the wrong exit), we pulled in about 11:15 at the hotel. We all went to lunch at a Chinese Buffet featuring Mongolian Bar B Que. Afterwards, my Mom, Kevin's wife Kristie and the kids headed to Sea World, Katie needed to work on her paper for her Masters so she took the early afternoon to do that while Kevin and I went to ESPN Zone to watch the Texas Longhorns football game which though it was played in Austin was ironically was against Central Florida, a University located in Orlando. After watching the Horns win 35-3 we picked up Katie and headed over to Sea World to hook up with everyone. We rode one of the big roller coasters, Katie got to walk through the Penguin experience and we saw the evening Shamu show.

Sunday was spent again at Sea World riding the other big coaster and rides. Kevin's family are theme park experts and we let them lead the way in terms of which rides to go on and what shows to see. It was great spending time with our niece Kelsey who is proving to be smarter than all of us and is headed off to college next year with some phenomenal college choices and spending time with our nephew Scott (otherwise referred to as Little Scott whenever we are together) who is growing so much every time we see him and who continues to impress us every time we see him with how mature and intelligent he is. It was great to catch up with Kevin and we engaged in our typical political debates and banter. Kevin and family had to leave around 2 to drive back to Georgia. We stuck around for another show then headed out to get some rest, do some shopping and go out to dinner with Mom. Monday we got up early to drop Mom off at the airport and then drove back to Miami to help close out the seminars. We flew back to Cayman last night for a quick eleven days of work to close out the quarter before we head to North Carolina on the 21st.

It was fantastic seeing family this weekend and a big thanks to Kevin and Kristy for setting up the hotel in Orlando for all of us and for coordinating everything. A big thanks also to Mom for doing the 7 hour flights each way to come in and see everyone.

Eastern time stinks

While the United States (except for Arizona) was setting back its clocks last night, Cayman slept through the night not even noticing the change. Except that now when we turn on our TVs everything is an hour later than it was yesterday. We are in for four plus months of Eastern time TV and until March rolls around that means 11 O'clock news instead of 10. Next week is our Miami/Orlando trip, looking forward to seeing family twice this month in Florida and then North Carolina at the end of the month.