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I am starting a preliminary search into an area for my husband and I to retire. There is the possibility we will buy something prior to then to vacation, and then retire. What I am looking for is pretty specific, I think, and I'm not sure it even exists, but maybe someone here will read and may know of some areas to check out. My criteria comes from growing up on the coast of NJ and my childhood experiences, and what I'd like for my life with my husband and potential grandchildren.
Anyway...here is what I Am looking for....
I do not want to live on the ocean or less than a short drive I do want to be within 10-15 minutes drive)
I DO want to live by a bay or other body of water that is calm, has beach access, as well as other access for fishing crabbing, and shore fishing, and other shore water activities.
I don't anticipate we would be able to afford to live right on the water, and that's ok. A few blocks off is fine.
I'd like it to not be in the complete middle of nowhere, but I want it to be a small town. I want to be able to walk and bike, and have kids be able to safely spend time outside.
The body of water with beach access has been the hardest part. We loved Southport, but no beach access. Ocean Isle was great, but again, once you went over the bridge, there was no beach access, it was all marsh.
I've been doing a lot of google earthing, and it looks like more head city has beach on the sound? Can you swim in the sound safely without a current taking you off or snakes or alligators getting you? I know nothing of sounds, obviously, lol. We are planning to check Morehead city and the area surrounding out when we go to the Seafood Festival in October.
We live in NC now, so we are in the great position to be alb ego take short weekend trips to find our favorite areas. My ideal hope is that we can buy something inexpensive in the next few years and fix it up to retire into when the time comes. I'm afraid if we wait too long, prices will rise out of our range by the time we retire.
I've been doing a lot of google earthing, and it looks like more head city has beach on the sound? Can you swim in the sound safely without a current taking you off or snakes or alligators getting you? I know nothing of sounds, obviously, lol.
I can see some sandy areas along the Intra-Coastal Waterway, but they all look privately owned. Where exactly did you see the sound-side beach in Morehead City?
There are alligators, but probably in creeks and ponds rather than in the Intra-coastal waterway.
Well I'm not even sure it's beach, but it is strips of sand. If you look at Morehead city closer to the Besufort side, on the fat part that looks more populated -- I'm not very good at describing things. It's the bay side (I think that's a bay?).
It looks like every street dead ends right to the shore, which I figured woukd at least be public enough access for shore fishing and crabbing?
OK. At Eleventh and Shepherd there is a public parking area with a sandy beach. I'm not sure the water is deep enough to swim, but you could go fishing or crabbing subject to local rules. Perhaps even do stand-up paddle boarding.
I hope some locals can tell you about swimming there. I notice the whole of Sugarloaf Island is also public. You can see the complete list of public areas in Morehead City here: http://moreheadcity.nc.gov/home-park...s-faciliities/
Last edited by goldenage1; 07-26-2014 at 09:23 AM..
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