By Eliza Williams – 2014
The sand squishes between your toes as the cool, crystalline water engulfs your feet. The waves retreat and emit a soothing sound as the shells and rocks along the shore are rolled back out to sea. Is the relaxing atmosphere of the beach not everyone’s dream? After our 8-town tour off of Highway 64, Taylor and I relished in the fact that we were now strolling along the seashore in our final destination: Nag’s Head. Ice cream in hand, we ambled our way to the 1,000-foot-long Jennette’s Pier. A staple among locals and visitors alike, the pier is constantly packed with beach-goers, fishermen and other folks trying to catch a glimpse of the surfers down below. Luckily for us, the weather was definitely cooperating with us on our visit. We climbed the steps to the main entrance of the pier; however, we opted not to pay the entrance fee of $6 and simply stood by the entrance so we could look down at the surfers that freckled the water that day. Enjoying our ice cream (my Key Lime Pie flavored cone was an absolute highlight of my day), we reveled at the talent of the surfers below as they swooped in and out of the barrels of the waves. The swells were better than we could have hoped for and they kept us entertained for quite some time. A man next to us struck up a conversation and we explained our class assignment and purpose of our trip to him. As we chatted, he stood with a large Nikon camera in hand, snapping photos of his son out in the water. A Virginia native turned California local, his son had moved to the West Coast to pursue his career aspirations, as well as his passion for surfing and being in the water. After a decent amount of time, we decided we should head out and explore the coastal beach town more. We sauntered back to the car, refreshed and satisfied with our leisurely afternoon on the pier, but we hadn’t made it half way back before a pack of surfer dudes asked us if we needed a ride. Politely, we declined and thanked them. “Alright, ladies. Hang loose,” one with luscious blonde locks replied with a swoon-worthy smile.
