While out shopping with my friend Barbara and her granddaughter, we took a beach break at Sunset Beach, NC. This sea turtle sculpture at the entrance to the beach is dedicated to Carmel Zetts for her efforts in educating those who come to the beach about Sea Turtles. (Carmel Zetts is NC Div. of Wildlife, Beach Coordinator.)
Speaking of endangered species, Sunset Beach itself has been (up 'til now) spared the development that has come to so many of the Carolina's beach communities. The only way to get there is to cross the Intracoastal Waterway
on the one lane Sunset Beach Bridge. It's a wooden-deck pontoon bridge: the single lane of traffic crosses on a barge-like vessel. Every hour on the hour, except when low tide prevents navigation, that part of the bridge is moved so boats can pass.
It's probably the last one of its kind, and it's scheduled for replacement with a modern, 65' high arc bridge (non-draw, non-swing) that will eliminate the need for a bridge keeper, and will provide for a continual flow of vehicle traffic on and off the island, and water traffic on the Intracoastal Waterway. And another peaceful quiet beach ... well, you get the idea.