“USA 🇺🇸 North Carolina ~Surf City/Topsail Island, and Our Fabulous Beach Trip ~Spring Break 2024”

• April 5, 2024
• By Pen
• 0 Comment

We had so much fun on this beach trip, we will continue to make this a tradition, each year. Who knows if it will be limited to Spring Break week and/or North Carolina in the future, but we will do this again for sure.

The kids are now at an age where they will remember the things we do, together. I know this, because we rented a beach house in Depoe Bay in Oregon, for when the Richardsons returned back to USA, after their four years in Okinawa Japan, and just before Daryl and I traveled over seas and were gone for so many years.

Rylan was still a baby (he was born in Okinawa) and Luke was like four or five and Kenz around six or seven. Anywho, they don’t remember that beach trip at all, though we had a blast; but they enjoy seeing the pictures!

The beach house in Oregon was gorgeous, too, and we celebrated the Fourth of July with fireworks on the beach! ….at the end of the blog I will show the pictures of that beach trip.

NORTH CAROLINA

So Monday rolled around and it was go-time for the North Carolina beach trip. The kids told me they had a hard time going to sleep, the night before! I totally got that!

Daryl and I arrived on Monday afternoon, and the rest of the family came the next day. The beach house was gigantic, so Daryl and I just rattled around in it, till the family showed up.

Way too big for just two people. Ha!

We had all kinds of weather; from cloudy days to stormy days and nights, and plenty of sunshine. Whatever the weather, it didn’t slow us down, nor the kiddos. They have all grown up at the beach, so nothing fazes them, including the cold Atlantic waters! The temperature averaged 58 degrees for the ocean temps. Brrrrr.

They boogie boarded, swam, looked for shark teeth, ran around, jumped in the waves, buried each other in the sand, and rolled around in it.

Chelsie handled breakfasts and lunch for her crew, and I handled the dinners and homemade desserts for us all. It went very smooth, and I did a lot of prep work, before hand, so I wasn’t tied to the kitchen, and got plenty of play time, too.

Joey was able to arrange time off from work, so he could join us during this week, too. Extra bonus!

So I’m just going to load up a ton of photos, as they speak my language, the very best!

“Footprints” Beach House in Surf City

5 Bedrooms and 3.5 Baths

Recommend!

The drive time was within an hour from the Richardson’s house, which was very doable, and on a good road. We locked-up The Whale, unhooked the water source and said a prayer. All was well, and we had no issues.

We rented through “Vacasa” and had a good experience, once we got our “replacement” beach house, and I got over losing our house ON the beach, which was totally unexpected. Vacasa made it right though, and we got twice the house size with a steeper price tag per night, that was comped to us. It still had a private and easy access to the beach. It was a lovely home and the elevator made loading and unloading all the supplies a breeze!

⬆️ This was our weather, and it was absolutely fine. There were puzzles and inside laser tag that was fun for the kids, plus they made up their own games. There were plenty of blankets to get comfy with, and plenty of time for grown-up naps, too!

The kids love each other so much and get along very well. They love to do everything, together.

The Family Arrived!

⬆️ The family dog; Chief. He is very attached to his mama and kept an eye on her, always….

⬆️ A “Puffer Fish.” It came in with the tide. Chels and I made several attempts to get it back out, beyond the surf…..We think it made it!

We are quite spoiled to have access to Onslow Beach, on base. It is not a public access beach, therefore, rarely crowded.

While there are some shark teeth to be found, in Surf City and N Topsail, they are fewer in numbers and require a lot of time and patience, mostly scouring through shell and rock beds.

Shark Teeth hunting was not the focus of this trip, but we did some, and it was fun.

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Topsail Touch Tank Aquarium 

https://www.ecologicalmarineadventures.com/touch-tank-aquarium

We enjoyed a rainy afternoon at this place, just a few minutes down the road from the beach house. It’s family owned/operated, and I can’t say enough good things about the place; super friendly staff and though a small facility, it had a big bang for the buck!

We told a staff member about the Puffer Fish on the beach, and he told us if that ever happens again, to feel free to bring it to them and they will care for it.

A few days later, the kids found a baby turtle they named “Ted.” There was no water source nearby, so another trip was made to the Tank Aquarium and they took in the baby turtle. It was a Yellow-Belly Slider.

They have some great educational programs for kids, here. We offered to send all three of the kiddos to one of their day camps, where they would do cool stuff, but it was a long, full day, and they didn’t want to be away from the family that long. They were very happy with the visit to the Tank Aquarium.

⬆️ Chels doesn’t like snakes 🐍 🤣🤣

⬆️ MEGALODON SHARK TOOTH ⬇️

…I’ve thought about buying a large Megalodon Tooth, for a very long time, but was not sure about buying online, due to many molded fakes out there. These size shark teeth, are often found, 120 feet deep on the ocean floor.

Well, today was that day I took the plunge… well monetarily, anyhow! I loved being able to hold it and inspect it. I’m overjoyed! I especially love that this local diver doesn’t over-clean his finds. This has two barnacles on it that I’m keeping, too!

⬇️ Here are some photos, after I did some of my own clean-up. Plus, showing the back, too. I’m totally stoked to own this tooth! Yes, it is broken on one of the root sides, but I saw a whole Shark Tooth for sale, similar to mine, at the Topsail Pier, for $1000.

I’m happy with the broken one.

⬆️ $1000

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Exploring 

⬆️ Yeah, we had to check out our first beach house pick, to see if the beach was closed, next to it, for refurbishment. It was, so that made me feel a little better. 

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YUMMY

Early on in the week, I made homemade ice cream. We had plenty of left overs for the rest of the week, for on Cobbler, Chocolate Cake and Root Beer Floats! Also, we were delighted a friend of ours; Rachel, came by for a while, and have dinner with us!

⬆️ Three generations of ladies!

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On this day, Chelsie, Rylan and I drove to Topsail Pier area, about 15 minutes away from the beach house, to look for shark teeth.

Parking is challenging in these beach towns, and cost $5/hour… kinda pricey, but what can you do.

There are some free parking places, too, but much further down the road.

WHAT? Good job Rylan!  He found a beautiful Angustiden! Look at that smile!

Angustidens are believed to be an ancestor of the fearsome Megalodon shark, though it did not grow as large. (Averaging 41 feet, compared to the 60’ average length of the mighty Megalodon).

The Carcharocles angustiden is a prehistoric, mega-toothed shark that stalked the Oligocene and Miocene epochs’ oceans approximately 35 to 22 million years ago.

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Well, the MUCH anticipated Seafood dinner has arrived. We ordered a local “Seafood Boil” in the early part of the week, for later in the week, at the beach. It was sooooooo good.

While Chels, Ry and I were shark tooth hunting, Joey, picked up our dinner, and got it all cooked up! It comes in a one-time-use, boiler. We got to do a build-your-own-bucket and we got all the seafood goodies. I can’t wait to do that again!!

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DARK THIRTY LOW-TIDE 

On one occasion, Chelsie and I managed a “dark thirty” in the wee hours, for a low-tide shark tooth hunt, and sunrise; by the pier, at Topsail.

Chels will tell you I made her get up at 3:00AM…. Ha! “Early bird gets the worm and all” ….. Low tide was 5:30AM, and sunrise was around 7:30AM.

We parked, paid for parking and began walking the tide line. It was a little chilly, but no rain. There are only four beach access locations along this stretch of beach. It goes on for many miles, so lots of walking is necessary.

By the time we reached the pier, a few hours had gone by, and soon we enjoyed the most beautiful sunrise!

Along the way, I did find a broken Angustidens in the dark, at tide line. I also found a huge Meg shark tooth fragment. It was quite exciting, since there are fewer teeth actually found here, without digging around in shell beds.

It was all good, but there were far more beautiful shells, than there were shark teeth, on this outing.

I’m pretty sure, any shark teeth that do make their way to Topsail and Surf City, via the sea, come from Onslow and the shifting plates, found, there. 

~Chelsie’s Photo

~Chelsie’s Photo

⬇️ Here is my collection from the week. The shelling was very good and I was able to find some shark teeth, along the way.

Another fun find was this. I will be taking it with me to the Museum in May, to find out what it is. It’s a fossil of a clam edge or stingray nouthplates…I think.

Chelsie always finds a load of shark teeth. She’s very patient in the shell beds, and she has an eagle eye for detail. I’m still working on enjoying the shell/pebble bed searching. I just don’t have the detail needed in eyesight, with my eye dis-ease. It’s not a fix made with glasses. I have scarring across my retina, that distorts close-up images. On top of that, I have cataracts, I’m  working on my eyes healing, with stem cell therapy. I will get there!

⬆️ Chelsies Haul!

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Surf City Pier

After delivering “Ted” the Turtle to the Tank Aquarium, it was time to visit the Surf City Pier and get ice cream! Then, we finished the day back in N Topsail at the beach, with free parking.

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⬇️ More beach fun from behind our beach house … pictures by Chelsie

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All too soon, the week was over and we had to start packing up, but we all had a great time and we made some lasting memories!

⬆️ Goodbye Surf City and Topsail 

I Love My Family! ❤️

⬆️
From our sweet Kenzie Lou

❤️❤️❤️

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Our final day of March was Easter Sunday. It was a beautiful day to wrap up the Month!

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Blast from the Past ⬇️

Depoe Bay, Oregon  Beach House Trip July 2018

https://picsbypen.smugmug.com/Places/North-AmericaLife/United-StatesLife/OregonLife/Depoe-Bay

⬇️ Bonus photo album from same visit, cause the kiddos are so cute!

https://picsbypen.smugmug.com/Places/North-AmericaLife/United-StatesLife/OregonLife/More-PortlandNewberg-Visits/Eugene

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LifeWave Stem Cell Therapy

Still patching and loving the healing we are receiving. 

We are just starting our third month. I’m happy to help you get started, and to answer any questions you may have.

Referral Link:

https://www.lifewave.com/colleenhalley/register?

My Customer #2217909

 My email is:

beachcitystudio@gmail.com

My Testimony to date ⬇️

I was not one of those, patching, who began sleeping the best ever. I slept very well, before patching.

I eventually started wearing my Alaveda/Carnosine during the day, not at night. They kept me awake. I just needed my sleep. Eventually, I began wearing my patches as early as 5AM, so I can take them off, way before bedtime, instead of a few hours, before.

Finally, I figured out something, through this. I was waking up often, during the night, but I was also remembering my dreams I was having; for a few minutes anyway, after I woke. They aren’t nightmares, but they are not about fuzzy baby ducks and butterflies, either. I know I must dream, but I stopped recalling my dreaming, 19 years ago. After three months on patches, especially the last two, I think I figured out what’s going on.

I live with a TBI, and the accident was so traumatic, I died on the operating table. Anyway, I was left with many scars, inside and out. I’ve had to learn to live with this brain. Memory loss is hard, but when I started recalling my dreams, after all this time, I knew it was the patches.

I also have a brain bleed that grew to the size of a dime, from a microscopic size. It’s remained encapsulated all these years, so I don’t have any issue other than: if  it were to grow bigger, or if it were to begin to leak. Anyway. I feel like the patches have been working on my brain injury for the last two months, pretty good. That’s a very major undertaking in such a short time, so I’m happy about it. (I’m 63) I’m also thinking that the yummy sleep most get on the patches, might not happen if there is brain healing going on.

A year and a half ago, I purchased a Tesla bio healer. It is all energy, no drugs. I don’t care for drugs, though western medicine pushed me hard to just become a zombie and learn to live with my new normal. I was only 45 years old, and a very active person. I had plans. I had things to do and places to go. I refused, and I lived my life doing more than they ever said I could or would. I do it in a lot of pain, but I do it!

I have kept my body cleansed and healthy, all these years, so that helped the patches get to work on me quicker, since detox was not an issue. The Tesla gave me the best sleep I had had, since my accident. This is why I know the patches are helping my brain. The Tesla didn’t just stop working. It’s too awesome for that.

So while I am struggling in the sleep department, again, I at least think it’s a temporary state, while my stem cells do the healing in my brain. It’s pretty hard to sleep with a brain injury, anyway, so sleeping while it’s firing with activity, is not easy.

I wear x39, Alaveda, and Carnosine each day. I also wear Aeon five days a week. I have the IceWave, but they don’t help with my back pain as quick as I hoped they would. (I broke my back, neck and tailbone, two brain impacts, and lots of body trauma). I was rear-ended by a semi, going 55mph and carrying 85,000 pounds of rock. He was on his cell phone and didn’t see I had stopped, while a lady in front of me was making a turn.

But, after having a tailbone that did not heal properly, back in to a soft “C” shape; it was at an “L” angle and jabbed at nerves, when I sat. THAT has healed. My tailbone does not give me trouble, anymore. At all.

When I overdo (back) my recovery time is super fast. It used to take me days to get back to regular level pain. Now, it takes a few hours.

After a month on the patches, my neck hurt me all day long, like it had after the accident and surgery. (I’m part of the titanium club) …anyway, my neck hurt for three weeks. I also knew it was the patches, because I would not wear patches at night, and would begin my day with almost no pain there, till I patched-up, again. Then, pain, once more, all day. I’m glad to be past that healing. That was hard.

As I mentioned, I had a lot of visible scars. I’ve had 33 surgeries. Because of Alaveda with x39, my scars are disappearing. Some are gone.

I have an eye dis ease, (I have scaring that zig zags all over my eyes) which is why I use Carnosine. My eyes have a low vibration going on, for the whole time of patching. It’s hard to describe. It’s like a noise-less hum. It’s weird, but not too annoying. I’m sure the scarring is getting cleared up with them, with Alaveda, which will lead to better eye clarity, and the x39 is clearing away the eye dis-ease.

So that’s my story as I begin my fourth month on patches; truly the best healing available to us at this time.

I already knew going into the patching, that healing can be uncomfortable at times. I’ve been using Young Living Essential Oils/supplements since my accident. It was the best option at the time, given I was stuck in the western medicine gig, on workman comp. I refused to become a depressed zombie with all the drugs, and fought hard to make my way back. I’m older now, so pain is a huge issue.

God Bless