This is a first attempt at providing an early morning White Oak River report.

I have two reasons for doing this.  One is that a friend and I are thinking about going fishing this afternoon, and I want an early reading on the weather out on the river.

The second reason is that I would like to keep a record of what the river is like at different times of the year.  The mind plays funny tricks so a written record is always better.
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There were no warning of fog this morning from the weathermen, but that is okay the fog seems to be burning off. 

At a little after 8 AM we are seeing lots of blue sky.  That will make a huge difference in the day

While I had a great time yesterday kayaking in the overcast conditions, everything is always more fun with blue sky.

I am planning on heading to the beach this morning for a walk.

We drove over to Emerald Isle last night and at 7 PM there were only two cars at the Dairy Queen.  Up until to just recently their parking lot has been packed.

Jordan's as is customary for Friday night had a good crowd for their Carolina fried seafood.  However, I did not see people waiting on the porches which is common during the summer months. Kathryn's Martini Bar and Bistro also had a good crowd.
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There is something to be said for ignoring the clouds if you are comfortable with getting a little wet.

This morning we had a very high tide.  High tides can cause damage especially during storms, but this high tide came at a time when we had no winds or storms.

I could not resist the call of the high water because the other thing that a high tide does is let you get to places that you normally might not be able to visit because there is not enough water.

A high tide is like increased sea level from global warming except that it does not hang around for very long.

After I had determined that the sputtering precipitation was likely to remain light, I quickly grabbed everything that I needed for a trip out on the White Oak.

In my case, I take my life vest, a fishing rod with a top water plug, a couple of extra plugs, a camera, my cell phone and a few emergency items.  All the small things go into my yellow floating bag that is always with me whether I am in the kayak or at the helm of our skiff.
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Most people come to the coast to enjoy perfect beach days.  If they are lucky they find out that the reason we stay in paradise is that there is more to it than just beach.

I am planning a couple of nice sit on the beach days next week so I love the beach as much as anyone.  However, I also find a lot to like about the rest of the area.  At least a couple of times a week we will check out the Croatan Tidelands Trails Park just off VFW road.
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