I visited the wonderful lighthouses of the Outer Banks about 15 years ago, and fell in love with the area - especially with Ocracoke Island. I didn't have time to explore Hatteras Island because I had to catch a ferry, but what I saw, I liked very much. The northern chain of islands were a little too developed for my taste, but I did consider investing in a very nice, new summer home there. There was a hurricane the next year - I wonder how my summer home would have fared in the storm.

But Ocracoke was just delightful. I was studying maps as I ate dinner in the old hotel, and two different people came up and said, "You can't get there from here." They were right, since the last ferry had left for the day, and all I could do was stay at Ocracoke and enjoy one of the most beautiful sunsets I have ever seen.

Oh, and they have a cute little lighthouse, not like all the formal, powerful-looking tall ones that line the rest of the Outer Banks.

I have to say that the recent legislation coming from the North Carolina legislature has me a bit worried, though.

-Joe-