The last dune village before the North Carolina/Virginia border is named Carova: Caro for Carolina and va for Virginia. It is only accessible by four-wheel drive. To its adventurous permanent residents, it offers a unique tranquility, derived from being thrown back in time to an era gone by. There are no stores. The fire station carries limited emergency supplies. Yesterday morning, we met one such resident, a Carolla shop owner who actually commutes daily from Carova. We were intrigued. She happily answered our endless queries about what life is like, living all year in such an isolated area, on such a magnificent beach.
As a child, she lived in Norfolk, VA, where she attended school during the week. Then, every single weekend of all seasons, her parents took her to the Outer Banks. She just loved this lifestyle. When she graduated high school, her parents announced their permanent move to the OBX; she moved with them. She met and married her husband, and they bought a small beach house. They now have a beautiful, five-year-old son... and wild horses in their backyard. Gardening is not much of an option; but then, the beach is in their front yard.
She shrugged off our question regarding the inconvenience of a sandy, wet commute... no problem there. She becomes dreamy-eyed when speaking of the off-season beaches she enjoys romping on with her son. "It's never that cold; we bundle up and go to the beach, all year long." Joe and I wonder about schooling for her child. Somehow, we know he'll be just fine. He has an amazingly loving and grateful Mom.
