As soon as I found out we were moving to North Carolina I began researching all the fun things I was going to have to do here. One of the first things I came across was Sliding Rock and I could not wait for my chance to go. To experience the thrill of this slide 2nd hand, check out our short video here! This...
The crystal clear waters of Ginnie Springs had been calling my name for awhile now and I am so happy I finally got to take the plunge. I love you Ginnie :) To truly grasp the beauty of these springs check out my short clip here. There are actually 7 different freshwater springs at Ginnie Springs Outdoors so there is a lot to explore. These...
The location of this state park has some spectacular views. From Lake Lure, made famous by the movie Dirty Dancing, to the beautiful forest, and 404ft waterfall, this park has a bunch to see. The granite 315ft monolith, Chimney Rock, protrudes from Hickory Nut Gorge and sits at an elevation of 2,280ft. Luckily for visitors, there is an elevator that will take you...
Shackleford Banks is the southernmost island along the Crystal Coast of North Carolina and it is part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. The island is home to about 140 feral horses. These horses are descended from Spanish Mustangs and swam to the island after surviving a shipwreck when the Spanish came to the Americas. The National Parks service closely monitors the horses...
At milepost 418 of the Blue Ridge Parkway lies the beautiful Graveyard Fields Loop trail. The 3.2 mile loop takes you through a scenic valley with stops at 3 waterfalls. We actually decided to stop here because we saw the lower waterfall from the road and I’m so glad we did. The name of this area comes from the catastrophic fires that destroyed...
There is nothing more exhilarating than swimming alongside a pod of wild dolphins. The way they move so effortlessly and glide so beautifully through the water is mesmerizing. It always amazes me to see the different personalities of the dolphins in the pod come out as you dive alongside them. Some will move closer to you out of curiosity, the babies usually go...
It seems like most people shudder at the idea of swimming with sharks, saying, “That’s crazy!” and, “Aren’t you scared?”. Actually, sharks are some of my favorite animals and swimming with them is always an amazing experience. As strange as it may be, in all my hours spent surfing and diving off the coast of O’ahu, I have only seen sharks a handful...
