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Article by Mark G. Stith /
Photography by Allen Rokach
Bald Head Island enchants you before you ever set foot there. It
starts when you board the ferry from the mainland in Southport,
North Carolina, and notice the vessel's name as you clamber aboard:
Sans Souci. It's French for "without a care." You're about to
understand why.
A boat is the only way to reach this barrier
island about 25 miles south of Wilmington. On the map, Bald Head
looks like a little jigsaw-puzzle piece. The 20-minute boat ride
adds to the romantic notion of getting away from it all. Instead,
you're taken there.
Prior to your departure, your bags are
loaded on board the boat at Indigo Plantation and Marina, the small,
sheltered harbor. You notice passengers with ice chests, bags of
groceries, boxes and suitcases. They've come to spend several weeks
-- or the entire summer. Lucky them. Lucky you too.
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The diesel engines gurgle deep and low, moving the ferry down the
inlet and out onto the Cape Fear River, which broadens into a
brackish sea as it empties into the Atlantic. Screeching gulls fly
close behind, then veer off as the captain increases the throttle.
The wind whips your hair, the sun warms your face, and you squint
against the late afternoon glare of silvery waves, trying to
pinpoint your destination. Before long, it comes into view -- a thin
slice of land on the horizon. |
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The boat slows and approaches the narrow entrance to the protected
harbor. You see the stubby profile of the island's lighthouse, Old
Baldy, and the little pyramids and rectangles of houses.
Once
the Sans Souci docks, passengers scramble down the boardwalk
and gather their loot. Most of them slip into their golf carts, some
hop on bikes; others amble over to the market. You recall what the
brochure mentioned: No cars allowed. That's nice.
You climb
into an electric tram that whisks you away to your lodging, Theodosia's, one of
two bed and-breakfasts. There are no motels or hotels, no fast-food
restaurants either. They would look out of place, an intrusion on
the cozy village atmosphere.
So what can you do? Lots of
things, and lots of nothings, depending on your curiosity and energy
level. Energy low? Sit in a rocking chair on the front porch with a
good book, lifting your eyes up now and then to watch boats come and
go in the harbor.
A bit more adventurous? Hop in the electric
cart and scoot around on the paved paths on the island's south end.
The relatively small, developed area is easy to get around on a bike
or a cart. Drop in at the market for a snack and some liquid
refreshment, and then you're on your way.
Recommended first
stop? Old Baldy, the picturesque lighthouse. Its beam no longer
shines a warning to ships rounding Cape Fear; Oak Island's
lighthouse does that now.
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Step inside and climb up the wooden steps; it's worth the huff and
puff. At the top, the cupola rewards you with a panoramic view. You
get a gullseye look at the harbor. Below you is the salt marsh, a
green, grassy prairie cut with rivulets of water. You spy brightly
colored kayaks along the narrow waters. |
Head east on the cart path from the village to the Maritime Forest
Preserve, where moss-curtained live oaks play peekaboo with the sun.
As with the salt marshes and pristine beaches, the forest is a
precious link in the delicate ecology. Walk along the Kent Mitchell
Nature Trail, which leads through the woods and along the
marsh.
At the cart path's end on the southeastern shore sits
the headquarters, gift shop, and activity center for the Bald Head
Island Conservancy, a group devoted to protecting the island's
resources. Check the bulletin board for an invitation to a turtle
walk later (nightly during the nesting season, from the first full
moon in June until August).
Now you'll want to return to the
inn, relax a bit, and maybe stop in at that little shop, The Lightkeeper,
facing the harbor. Then it's time for dinner. Dig into the boiled
shrimp while you sit out on the deck at Eb and Flo's Steambar, a
casual restaurant perched along the dock.
Afterwards, you and your special someone manage to make
it to the beach as the sun sets. You walk arm in arm, enchanted by
the soughing waves and a soft breeze. The darkening sky reveals the
night's first diamond: Oak Island's lighthouse winks across the Cape
Fear River.
What's up for tomorrow? There's the kayak tour,
then maybe a round of golf, some tennis, or even croquet. Leave
plenty of time for doing nothing. Remember the name of the ferry
that brought you to Bald Head? Take it to heart -- at least while
you're here.
For reservations or other information, call Theodosia's: Rates
at this 10-room inn range $155-$295 (Click HERE
for specific room rates). Call (910) 457-6563 or 1-800-656-1812.
Prices include in-room TVs, breakfast, snack, and use of a golf
cart. Other amenities available. |
Harbour Village, Bald Head Island, North Carolina
28461
Reservations and Information (800) 656-1812
(910) 457-6563
stay@theodosias.com
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