«Colliding Suns» Trip to Outer Banks; 21-22 April 2007

North Carolina Outer Banks is a chain of narrow islands ( banks ) stretching along North Carolina Coast. The islands are built from the sand, and the only vegetation there is the grass and the bush.       It took us about seven hours of driving to get from Washington area to Hatterras Island: the most Southern Island in the chain where to you can get with roads and bridges. The islands to the south of Hatterras Island are accessible by ferries only.       The outer side of the banks is the open Atlantic Ocean where the water is clean and the sand bottom is nice, but strong ocean winds may create severe conditions of hurricanes as well as strong waves and currents. The strong ocean wind blowing along the coast is the usual weather for the outer side of islands. Those winds made North Carolina «First in Flight» state since the Outer Bank was the place were Wright Brothers flew their first controlled and powered airplane on 17th December 1903. The inner side of the banks is a system of very shallow and warm bays ( «Sounds» ), but the silty bottom makes swimming in some places unpleasant there.       The weather this time was nice : sunny, about 18-20C ( 64-68F ) in the daytime and about 10-12C ( 20-54F ) in the night. The water in the sea was about 16-17C ( 61-63F ) with some waves which were not too bad. Here is the links to my previous trips to Outer Banks : 2004 May 2004 September This Site Content ( Click on the image to get to the corresponding part )
	Colliding Suns     I watched the effect of «colliding Suns» on the evening April 21 from Ocracoke Island. When the Sun approached the horizon, another «false» Sun appeared rising above horizon, the two Suns collided, merged and set as a single Sun.
	Ferry     North Carolina has a very nice, convenient and reliable ferry system. It takes about 40 minutes to be wafted from Hatteras Island to neighboring Ocracoke Island which has only one village and more than 10 miles of continuous beaches.
	Beaches and Birds     Ocracoke, Hatteras and Pea Islands have dozens of miles wide deserted beaches, dunes and bush, as well as provide a good opportunity for birds watching.
	Dune Fire     The fire I watched on April 22 on Pea Island. I am not sure whether this fire was natural or not. It started from the road and quickly spread into the bush. However, there was no accident although somebody might throw a cigarette from the car... The fire was moving in our direction ( it was crossing the dune from road to beach ), people called 911, the firefighters came and extinguished the fire.
	Wright Brothers Memorial     Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Outer Banks, where after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flight in 1903. Wright Brothers memorial is located in Kitty Hawk NC next to the field where the flight took place.
	Sunrise     Watching the sunrise on April 22 from Hatteras Island I hoped to see the effect of «false» Sun again ( I expected it would separate from the real rising Sun and then set ) but no unusual effects occurred then.

«Colliding Suns»     I watched the effect of «colliding Suns» on the evening April 21 from Ocracoke Island. When the Sun approached the horizon, another «false» Sun appeared rising above horizon, the two Suns collided, merged and set as a single Sun. Back to Table of Content Back to Table of Content

Ferry     North Carolina has a very nice, convenient and reliable ferry system. It takes about 40 minutes to be wafted from Hatteras Island to neighboring Ocracoke Island which has only one village and more than 10 miles of continuous beaches. Back to Table of Content Bikers awaiting the ferry Ferry(wo)man Ferry Seagulls Seagulls Seagulls Seagulls Seagulls Seagulls On the ferry Seagulls and flags Bay traffic Back to Table of Content

Beaches and Birds     Ocracoke, Hatteras and Pea Islands have dozens of miles wide deserted beaches, dunes and bush, as well as provide a good opportunity for birds watching. Back to Table of Content Roots on the beach Roots on the beach Roots on the beach Does this bird have only one leg ? Does this bird have only one leg ? Here is the second one !! Birds Birds Birds Organized birds Organized birds Organized birds Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound Pamlico Sound Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Atlantic Ocean Back to Table of Content

Dune Fire     The fire I watched on April 22 on Pea Island. I am not sure whether this fire was natural or not. It started from the road and quickly spread into the bush. However, there was no accident although somebody might throw a cigarette from the car... The fire was moving in our direction ( it was crossing the dune from road to beach ), people called 911, the firefighters came and extinguished the fire. Back to Table of Content Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Fire Firefighters Firefighters Firefighters Back to Table of Content

Wright Brothers Memorial     Wind, sand, and a dream of flight brought Wilbur and Orville Wright to Outer Banks, where after four years of experimentation, they achieved the first successful airplane flight in 1903. Wright Brothers memorial is located in Kitty Hawk NC next to the field where the flight took place. Back to Table of Content Orville Wright Orville and Wilbur Wright Wilbur Wright View from historical hill Monument View from historical hill Historical hill My greetings View from historical hill Back to Table of Content

Sunrise     Watching the sunrise on April 22 from Hatteras Island I hoped to see the effect of «false» Sun again ( I expected it would separate from the real rising Sun and then set ) but no unusual effects occurred then. Back to Table of Content Back to Table of Content