“The Anchor House”
We are in this
world like a ship at sea, tossed up and down, and in danger of being cast
away. We need an anchor to keep us sure
and steady. Our anchor is hope!
Our family has loved the beach for
as long as we can remember. We have been
traveling to the Outer Banks for over 30 years.
Both boys visited the Outer Banks when they were just 3 months old;
Faith visited the first time when she was 5 months old, and Ellie visited
within 3 months of being ‘home.’
The beach has always felt like
home to us, and it has been our hope and dream to someday have a little place
of our own… to celebrate life, hope for the future, and to unplug and
reconnect.
That time has come and although we
don’t quite have our ‘sea legs’ and are unsure of what storms may lie ahead, we
have hope that our little place at the beach may bless your family while you
visit.
Why Corolla? (Pronounced
Ca-rah-la) Although we’ve been going to
the Outer Banks for years, Corolla is fairly new to us. We first visited in 2006, and instantly loved
it. The beaches are beautiful and wide,
the sound is gorgeous, and it has just the right mixture of family-friendly activities
and adult fun. The 4 wheel drive beach
is also a bonus, for those of us J
who like going out on the sand with our “toys.”
And another treat is that you may just see the Spanish Mustangs that roam the beach during their quiet and
tranquil strolls, unaware of those around them.
The lighthouse also illuminates most of the town, and the Whalehead Club
is a beautiful place for a picnic, crabbing or just watching the sun set.
We chose a place in the beach
community of Corolla Light. Corolla
Light has amenities for everyone. Our
condo is located directly across from the Corolla Light indoor facility, which
has an 8 lane pool, 12 person hot tub, saunas, tennis, racquetball, weight
facility and so much more. The indoor
facility is open year-round and open only to Corolla Light guests. It’s a great place to visit to escape the heat
or dodge the rain drops!
Also, directly across from our
condo is sound-side access with pier, and the sound side pool. I can honestly say that I’ve never seen such
spectacular sunsets as I have at the Corolla Light sound side pier. The Sound side pool is pretty awesome too,
and also has a kiddie pool area. There
is also a self-guided discovery trail, an ecology walkway and nature trail, and
a fishing pond.
The Corolla Light Ocean Front area
is a vacationer’s dream, with 2 heated Olympic pools, a separate gated
kiddie-pool, a restaurant, beach braids, snow cones and a walkway out to the
beach. There is also a children’s
playground, lighted full and half-court basketball courts, lighted shuffleboard
courts, and a lighted volleyball court. Waitresses
will also come out to the beach to take drink orders! You can also reserve chairs and umbrellas for
the week, that are set up for you daily. http://www.corollalightbeachrentals.com/
In addition, during the summer season, there are daily activities including
sporting contests, tye dye shirts, crafts, karaoke, bingo, etc.
…Oh, and did I mention that a trolley can
pick you up right outside of our condo, and transport you to the Ocean front
area and back at the end of the day?
Yep, pretty awesome! The trolley
runs every 20 minutes during the summer season (May-September).
What else excites us about
Corolla..?
- There’s an old fashioned ice cream truck that visits the neighborhoods during the summer. You’ve never seen adults (and kids alike) run faster than when they hear the chimes of an ice cream truck!! Just something special that we only do on vacation!
- There’s also a paved walkway that you can walk, bike and jog to local restaurants and shops.
- Heritage Park/Whalehead Club: If you visit over the 4th of July, there’s a great sound side firework show (that’s free) at Heritage Park. Take your blanket (some bug spray) and be prepared to make memories. There’s also daily tours of the Whalehead Club and weekly wine tasting (usually Wednesday evenings). Or, you can try your luck at crabbing or fishing. It’s such a beautiful place… and don’t forget to pose for a picture in front of the infamous foot bridge.
-
If you are a golfer, Corolla Light Resort guests
can receive discounted golf rates at The Pointe Golf Club, The Carolina Club,
Sea Scape Golf Links, and The Currituck Club.
There is also a 9-Hole 4 person scramble every week June-Labor Day at
the Currituck Club.
Currituck Lighthouse:
The lighthouse, built in 1875, costs
only $7 to climb the 220 steps. The
breathtaking views are definitely worth every penny. Just be warned, it’s pretty high up there,
but oh so gorgeous.
Historic Corolla Village: We JUST visited this area this winter and
cannot wait to go back on our next visit.
Nestled beside Heritage Park and the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, you
will take a step back in
time...that has unique shops and Historic Corolla Chapel, http://www.corollachapel.com. The cottages in this
area are on unpaved, tree-lined roads.
This area was home to more than 200 people in 1890. Many of them were families working on the Currituck Beach
Lifesaving Station, which was established in 1874. You can browse through restored homes, visit
shops, enjoy traditional NC BBQ and visit the Island Bookstore or check out the
Corolla Wild Horse
Fund Museum Store located in the old Corolla schoolhouse. Such a cool little place!
We have this hope – as an anchor for the soul –
firm and secure. Hebrews
