So a family vacation was in order to the Outer Banks in North Carolina a few weeks back (yes, I’m late, my first slip up in my new attempt at blogging).  We’d been talking about vacationing there for…gosh, it must have been a decade, and finally did.  And boy was it worth that 10 years to finally do.  We decided early on that we wanted to stay in a 4×4-only section of beach and take full advantage of the cushy, hassle-free life.  Definitely the right choice for us.  No lunch decisions.  No dinner decisions.  No rushing around trying to clean up after the beach.  We went out to the beach when we wanted and didn’t have to worry about crowds.  There wasn’t a rush to figure out where we were eating that night, just a chest full of ice, lots of local seafood to grill, and Dad to cook it.  Mom and I went for walks early in the morning and didn’t feel the sudden rush of people onto the beach at 9am (the norm for any crowded beach town it seems).  Breakfasts could be as long or as short as wanted, and it wasn’t a big deal to get onto the beach at 10 or 11am.  Normally if we tried to do that on our beach vacation, we’d be at least a dozen umbrellas back from the water and swarmed with screaming children and obnoxious gaggles of rowdy…well you can guess.  The water was unseasonably warm this year at 75+ degrees.  During the day it was refreshing but bearable for extended swimming sessions.  And at dusk it became like a giant bath, making an evening surf session mandatory.  Of course I flounder around pretty hard on my 6′ tube-shooting shortboard.  Most of my surfing since buying my board has been largely a failure, as the East Coast foam (waves) are not friendly to my board, which is not friendly to a beginner.  So all in all, it’s been a long road.  But a great one mind you.  This time around, I was actually able to catch some better waves, and get a bit of carving in.  Of course that was usually followed by a rogue wave smashing into me.  Overall, I feel much more comfortable on my board now.  Time to get a fall/winter wetsuit so I can get out and surf when there’s actually surf.  Matthew, Dad, and I all enjoyed the big sandbar that provided a decent break out from shore.  We all caught quite a few waves and found the body surfing to be pretty good out far.  Mom also enjoyed the water, a big surprise, thanks to the warm waters and relatively calm waters in between the sandbars and beach.  We all read a decent bit, relaxed plenty, and had a fantastic time.  With no crowds, mellow neighbors, and a comfy house this seemed like the perfect vacation.  Think we’re going to have to try this again next summer.  It might just have been the most relaxed vacation we’ve had in a while.  I’m already looking at renting houses in the fall and spring for a surfing trip or two…