Waves pounding on the sand, sun rays beating down to warm the skin, the screeching of seagulls, and maybe a cool drink in hand. These are the sights and sounds of summer, pushing thoughts of Raleigh and school work to the back of students’ minds.
Brock Dulaney, a junior in computer science, said his favorite ocean access spot is the Salter Path area near Morehead City where he’d rather swim than work on his tan.
Activities include cookouts and bonfires for Dulaney, but he said he mostly stays in the ocean to avoid the sand, which can be annoying when it gets everywhere.
Micheal Pham, on the other hand, said, “me and sand are like this,” as he crossed his fingers.
“I don’t like the shells, they actually cause…wounds,” he said. “Salt is OK because it cleans the wounds.”
Pham, a junior electrical engineering, said his all-time favorite sand spot was a nude beach on Key West .
“I went to a nude pier, there were a couple of old guys naked and some fine women,” Pham said.
He also said you could rent a scooter there, which was fun, but they “top out at 35, though.”
Whether in North Carolina, or the Keys, Pham has two favorite activities.
“I like scouting the beach for women and making ridiculous sand castles
and creatures. I made an alligator once, it was twice the size of me.”
Pham said his favorite North Carolina beach is at Bald Head Island.
His first trip was during spring break, and said the best part of the trip was when his friend crashed their golf cart getting out of the garage.
Bald Head is a private island that can be reached only by ferry, and
residents are allowed to use golf carts for transportation, Pham explained.
A senior in zoology, Katherine Mantzouris said her number one beach is Ocean Isle.
“It’s one of the most isolated beaches I’ve been too, the water’s clear and I’ve never had problems with the weather,” Mantzouris said.
Mantzouris said every time she goes, the sun is out, which is good because she usually does day trips.
She also said the lack of commercialization is a big draw for her, that and her favorite ocean activity, jumping in the waves.
