Ocean

The excitement in our party of nine adults and three children was tangible. We were going on the holiday of a lifetime. We were flying to a tiny island paradise in the Indian Ocean called the Seychelles to spend a week on a houseboat cruising around the islands. None of us had ever been to such an exotic location. The flight over the Indian Ocean was perfect. I looked out of the window at the eastern coast of Africa, and saw the clear blue seas washing over South Africa’s coastline. The captain alerted us to a breathtaking sight. In the middle of the bright blue sea lay an enormous green ring. This is the Cosmoledo Atoll, a ring of islands whose coral reefs are littered with shipwrecks. The reef is home to a prolific number of marine life species. As I gazed down at this beautiful natural phenomenon my husband remarked loudly: “The fishing must be awesome down there.”

Men! Half an hour we were landing at the airport on the main island of Mah

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Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina is a town designed for family-oriented fun along the gorgeous Atlantic coast. Stretching seven miles long and sitting on North Carolina’s southern coastline, this island has the ideal family beach environment for playing in the water or building dreams in the sand. Whether this is your children’s first time seeing the ocean or an annual trip to the coast, everyone is sure to be awestruck by the sheer beauty that is Ocean Isle Beach.

The seven miles of pristine, sandy beaches that run their way along the island are the perfect place for a young one to dig in the sand or to wade into the ocean for the first time. The beaches have a low traffic flow, do not have bright lights, and are generally an all-around great family area. You will find family water slides, numerous beach activities, miniature golf, and plenty of swimming near the beach. The island has some of the best swimming conditions on the North Carolina coast due to the gentle surf that typically does not have strong currents and a water temperature that averages about 10 degrees warmer than the beaches of the Outer Banks region.

If you have golfers in your family who simply cannot bear to part with their clubs on vacation, then Ocean Isle Beach has something to accommodate their vacation needs. There is a wide selection of courses that are tucked along the Intracoastal Waterway, situated near marshes, and nestled between meadows and pine forests. Make your way to the Ocean Ridge Plantation-Tiger’s Eye Golf Links for what has been voted one of the top 100 public courses in the country and the best overall course on the Grand Strand. The semi-private Brick Landing Plantation is also a great 18-hole option that offers an on-site pro and a pro shop just in case you hook one too many balls out of play and out of sight.

After a long day on the links or in the sand, a convenient, laid-back restaurant is exactly what you need to unwind and relax. There are a few great places to eat on the island, each offering spectacular views of the ocean or the waterway. Head out to any one of them in the early evening to catch sight of the breathtaking sunset while enjoying a delicious meal with the family. One place to try is the Giggling Mackerel Seafood Grille, which offers indoor and outdoor seating on the water and the freshest seafood caught by a local captain.

Deep sea fishing is a popular activity out of Ocean Isle Beach, meaning there are numerous captains available to take you into the ocean for yellowfin tuna, sailfish, grouper, amberjack, and barracuda. Head out for a half day or a full day with a company such as Follow Me Charters and try for the catch of a lifetime. It is a great way to spend some time with the kids and introduce them to the exciting sport of fishing, but remember that it can get quite rocky so use a patch or take a motion sickness pill before heading out.

If you need some time indoors, the Museum of Coastal Carolina is an excellent option if you or anyone in your family is interested in the coastal history of the Carolina’s. There are displays of various marine life, antique fishing equipment, shark teeth, and numerous other natural history oriented-exhibits. The programs are educational, yet entertaining, and everyone will enjoy the Reef Room, which is a walk through exhibit that allows visitors to feel as if they are walking underwater amidst the fish, plants, and other aquatic life of the Atlantic.

When you vacation in Ocean Isle Beach, you need accommodations that will allow you to venture to the beach at your own leisure while also enjoying the beauty of this amazing town. The best way to get the most out of your spectacular surroundings is by staying in an Ocean Isle Beach vacation rental that sits directly on the water and has an unimpeded view of the ocean. Relax on the porch and watch as the setting sun casts a radiant glow over the water. Stare at the magnificent waves making their way towards the sand, and then retire to your private room so you can rest before another active and busy day around town. You really can achieve the vacation you imagined, so begin your search for Ocean Isle Beach vacation rentals today to find the one that has all the amenities you need at a price you can afford.

HomeAway.com has the most comprehensive selection of vacation rental homes on the Internet. For an alternative lodging option, consider Ocean Isle Beach vacation rentals for your next trip to Coastal North Carolina.

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Our oceans are home to many marine mammals, fish, turtles, corals and others. The delicate balance between man and the ocean is constantly being challenged by the demands of our society. Most of our planet is covered by water, a necessary ingredient of human life. The state of our oceans should be uppermost in our minds in order for quality of life for all species to remain as it is.

Florida’s West Indiana Manatee-What is Killing Them? The top manatee story after the recent hurricanes was in Lee County where residents rescued a manatee that was the victim of Hurricane Charley’s storm surge. The stunned and tired manatee was splashed onto Pearl Street after the storm surge receded. This was one manatee that did not have to be included in the mortality numbers this year.

The manatees killed this year are divided into categories by the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission. 1/1/04 - 9/30/04 numbers: Watercraft-60, Flood Gates-1, Other human-4, Perinatal-65, Cold-36, Natural-20, Undetermined-43, Unrecovered-2 for a total of 231.

According to the February 2004 count of manatees in Florida by the Florida Fish & Wildlife Conservation Commission there were only 2568 manatees remaining in Florida.

If you see a dead or injured manatee or one that’s been harassed while in Florida, please call the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission’s toll-free hotline at 1-888-404-FWCC.

Lastly, as a visitor to our tropical paradise, do not approach, touch, feed or water manatees. It is against the law and carries a fine as well as a possible jail term. Use your camera to make memories, not a police experience.

Dolphins - Our favorite Marine Mammal. Dolphins are not endangered at this time, but the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 requires you to stay away from them. Do not encourage them into the path of danger by boats or other human interaction. Wild dolphins have been found injured by firecrackers placed down their blow hold, beer poured over them and into their blow hold and other horror stories. These beautiful creatures think man is their friend but the next person they meet may be their enemy instead.

There are licensed facilities where you can interact safely with dolphins that have been raised in captivity or rescued.

Sea Turtles-Has the 2004 hurricane season hurt their recovery? South Florida is home to Loggerheads, Leatherbacks and Green sea turtles. Hawksbill and Kemp’s ridley have occasionally been found. These are the five species found in US waters in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. The population of loggerheads nesting along the Atlantic coast of Florida is the second largest in the world. The nesting season runs from around May to September and within approximately 60 days of nesting, the hatchlings too are in danger.

It is too soon to have counts, but the yearly numbers will reveal the losses. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will be reporting the 2004 figures early next year.

There are other dangers to our sea turtles. The turtle hospital in Marathon, Florida treats a variety of turtle ailments, such as flipper amputations caused by fishing line and trap rope entanglements, shell damage caused by boat collisions, and intestinal impactions caused by ingestion of foreign material such as plastic bags, balloons and fishing lines. Turtles love jellyfish and shrimp and ingest filters from cigarettes and plastic in error. Turtles that died from starvation were found with a stomach full of cigarette filters.

The most recent nesting totals for Florida’s turtles from the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission for the year 2003 is:

Loggerheads: 63,446

Green Turtles: 2262

Leatherbacks: 842

WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP THE SEA TURTLES?

1. Never throw litter on the beach or in the water.

2. If pets are allowed on the beach, keep them leashed at all times.

3. Obey all beach rules and stay away from turtle nesting sites.

4. Help spread the word about sea turtles. The more people know, the more they will want to help them.

5. Watch for turtles while boating.

6. During nesting seasons, turn lights facing the beach off or have proper filters.

7. Participate in local beach and reef cleanups.

8. Do not buy sea turtle products-jewelry, oil, leather, meat or eggs.

Kathy Runk has been a volunteer exhibit guide at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, volunteer for the Save the Manatee Club in Florida, attended Dolphinlab in Marathon, Florida and adopted Elsie the manatee, dolphins Merina and her baby Calusa. Kathy is the owner of http://www.myoceantreasures.com that sells ocean themed jewelry and gifts.

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