Last week, I was able to get a few days off of work to the go the beach with
my family. When I tell people about this vacation and our long running history
with this particular island, they don't quite seem to "get"
the impact this has had on our lives. This is the only family vacation I have
ever known. My family has been going to this beach for roughly 28 years. Even the
year we went to Disney World, we stopped at the beach for a week on the way
back. This year was my 25th time visiting Sunset Beach, North Carolina and
whilst my life and many other aspects have taken some dramatic changes, I take
comfort in the fact that this little part hasn't changed much at all.
Here are 25 things that haven't changed much at all.
- The trip down. It always rains and takes well over two-hours the time we could make it in. This year was a tad bit different since I left from Charlotte but it still rained and was yucky most of the day.
- Unpacking the car/rearranging the whole house. We rent a house, always oceanfront, and when we get there, nothing is ever the way we want it. We move furniture, rearrange the kitchen cabinets and clean out the cars while my dad promptly plops his ass on the couch once everything is safely inside.
- The grocery run. This may not seem like a big deal but all of the rental properties down there rent on a weekly basis from Saturday-Saturday so the initial grocery run when we get there is usually organized by what we can find to make for dinner and breakfast until we can come back the next day. And, since planning ahead is frowned upon on vacation, we strive (and I mean literally put effort) into going to the grocery store or the corner market every day.
- First step in the ocean. It's a pretty monumental thing. When we were little, it used to be the first thing we would do: run to the beach, step in the ocean, run back home. We can usually hold out until the first day now, but it's still a pretty heart warming moment to be in the middle of something so huge and the feeling is the same every year I do it.
- Sunscreen. The daily sunscreen application. This happens twice a day and is always a big event. The best part is you can blame the person who did your back if you get sunburned.
- Outdoor showers. All of the beach houses have outdoor showers. I personally think all house everywhere should have them. It is socially acceptable at the beach to walk outside, up the stairs and sit on the deck post shower in the sun and not have to worry about being judged by your neighbors.
- Bocce and paddle ball. Sadly, I didn't get to play this year before I left but these are two beach games that we have been playing since we were old enough to pick up the balls.
- Drip castles. I'm sure everyone has done this at some point, but it's when you pick up a handful of wet sand and let it drip out and make cool "cave-esque" towers. The secret is to build a really sturdy foundation so when the tide starts coming it, it doesn't wipe out all of your work.
- Calabash. Calabash is a little area right before you get to South Carolina. It's a giant gift shop with a bunch of crap that nobody needs but we make at least one stop there every year. We usually go once early in the week to scope out the merchandise then return later to actually buy things. I, personally, enjoy their selection as most of their nick-knacks match the color scheme in my apartment, but I would be happy with just buying the pound and a half of fudge we get every year.
- Putt Putt. AKA the ultimate beach tourist attraction. We love putt putt and tend to venture to the same place every year as it's pretty close and fairly easy for all involved. This year was my nephew's first attempt at mini-golf. My sister and dad both play golf so their technique is impeccable but this year we were literally in awe when my grandma knocked in FOUR hole-in-ones. Despite her amazing performance on those four holes, she still managed to lose.
- Calabash Creamery. This is a little home-grown ice cream store that was featured in Southern Living a few years back. The best part (other than the ice cream of course) is the GIANT rocking chairs outside. You know you're in "The South" when you eat homemade ice cream while rocking on the front porch.
- Shrimp night. We manage to make shrimp and crab cakes at least one a trip and my dad takes tremendous pride in being the shrimp man. His job: boil some water, throw the shrimp in, season to liking. Usually his liking, not any of ours, which is why they're usually too spicy for the rest of us.
- Coozies. A long LONG time ago, we used to have a solo cup stuck inside a coozie that was labeled with our name. Then we would rinse out and reuse the cups in a effort to save money. We don't do the cup thing any more but the coozies still manage to make it back to the beach every year and, now that we're old enough, keep the beers cold on the beach.
- Some big television event. Whether it's one of the big golf tournaments, the Olympics, or the Republican National Convention, some huge televised event happens every year. It usually comes down to who has the most power as to what we're stuck watching, and up until this point, that person has never been me.
- Yahtzee, Phase 10 and Poker.Nothing says "Family Vacation" like a bunch of board games. And, to make sure we don't forget anything, my grandma is in charge of maintaining the "Game Box" year round. It has all of our score cards, chips, pens, dice, whatever you may need for a rousing night of family fun. We play Yahtzee every day a lunch and I'm pretty sure that game alone is the sole reason me, my sisters and my cousins can do math.
- Lunch time. Our daily routine includes a morning on the beach, lunch, an afternoon on the beach, and then some kind of nighttime activity. My lunch fluctuates between two meals: ham and swiss or peanut butter and jelly. Sometimes there's bananas involved and I might switch from strawberry to grape but it's one of those two. Then there is also always cheetos and crystal light. I don't eat cheetos year round and therefore usually go through about 3 bags at the beach. I also usually get yelled at because the Yahtzee dice are covered in cheeto dust, but that is the small price I'm willing to pay.
- Weather Man in Residence. My dad missed his calling in life. If I had to pick his favorite channel, it would most certainly, without a doubt, be the weather channel. I know what you're thinking: "It doesn't do anything except show the weather." And you're absolutely right. But he loves it. And by loves it I mean he can leave it on for hours and spit back facts about the cold front coming in or the Hurricane going up the coast. We got him a weather machine a few years ago that sounds the alarm when bad weather is in the area and he usually runs to a door or window to get a glimpse of the first lightning.
- Family tension. I don't say this as a bad thing. When you put 10 people in a house that have different schedules, needs and wants, its hard to find something to please everyone. My sisters and me, who generally get along really well, can always find something to fight about before the trip is over. It's just nature and I would call BS to any family that claims they don't get a little testy being that close to one another for an extended period of time.
- At least one rainy day. Plain and simple. We loose at least one day, usually more, to bad weather. Fortunately there is shopping and board games to keep us busy. My favorite part is sitting on the deck and watching the storm roll out to sea and I usually want at least one storm so I can sit outside and watch.
- Holden’s market. Two beaches up from us is Holden Beach and there is a little farmer's market there that has THE BEST cantaloupe, peaches, corn and Peach Salsa. It's worth the 15 minutes trip to go out there and get fruit for the week.
- Ghost crabs. No beach vacation is complete without a late night walk on the beach looking for ghost crabs. These white little guys generally only come out and night and are used to people chasing after them with flashlights. They eventually run into their holes but their sideways crawl is quite comical.
- Pelicators. Most definitely my favorite beach life. Pelicators, also known as pelicans, are by far the coolest birds. They walk, swim and fly, and are constantly nose diving into the water for fish. Even coolor is that they fly along the stops of the houses so that they can ride the drafts coming off of the peaks and don't have to do any work. Genius. Why do we call them that? Well, I'd have to double check, but I'm pretty sure it's what my older sister used to call them when she was little. For a very long time, I thought it was their real name.
- Ode to Mom. I don't talk about my mom much, and while I miss her every day, both of these double at the beach. It was her favorite place and for two weeks a year, I got to see my mom relax, not be a nurse, not working nights and enjoying every minute of having other people watch her kids. We find a reason to bring her up whenever something reminds us of her. It's a sad thought but a good one because we know she's glad we still make it there every year.
- Last day on the beach. This day usually consists of complaining about having to leave, discussion travel plans and eating everything possible from the fridge. We all say we don't want to leave but secretly, it's comforting to know we can settle back into a routine when we get home.
- Planning for next year. Since this vacation is somewhat of a constant in our life, we spend a great deal of time at the beach planning for the next year at the beach. We start the trip by picking up reality books and driving down the street to look at potential houses for the next year. We're picky, mainly because the houses have to fit certain requirements that we have become accustomed to over the years.
The next house is booked, we're all home safely and so begins another 365-day countdown to the next chapter of The Chilton Family Adventures at Sunset Beach. I don't hesitate to call the little island my second home because nothing else (other than Fredericksburg) has been so constant in my life. Thankfully, as long as we continue to commit to this trip every year, the next generation of Chilton's will know the wonders of spending every summer there, too.
