Never Heard of Topsail Beach, NC? Well, You Should
In the summer of 2018, my writing hobby took on a more serious turn. With increasing practice, the non-fiction short stories for the basis of my 2020 book Signs of Hope - Recognizing Messages From the Afterlife seemed more cohesive, especially after word smithing on my Chromebook in Paris in 2017. But the individual tales of circumstance had no literary glue to support a real book. I needed dedicated time to write better.
With that in mind, I asked my brother Beau and sister in law Sylvia if I could “rent” their beach house on Topsail Island, NC for a week. When they said yes, I went a bit further and asked if a few friends could join me for a couple of nights. They kindly said, “Of course”.
And a Girls Weekend was born!
Topsail (pronounced Topsill), is a relatively small island located about an hour north of Wilmington, NC. It’s actually Surf City on a map but Topsail is what the locals call it. Having visited there before, I hoped the weather would be cooperative because the beach is wonderfully quiet. Beau and Sylvia’s house was located close to restaurants and a grocery. The Atlantic could be easily reached by crossing a street, walking a relatively hidden path with a gate with pseudo lock, before descending a short staircase into the clean, beige sand. Sounds wonderful right?
Unfortunately Mother Nature had rather tumultuous plans in the weeks before my visit. Her name? Hurricane Florence. Lasting 18 days, Florence caused devastating flooding in Wilmington, NC along with wind and water damage to many beach communities including Topsail. Weeks before my girls adventure, my brother reported that their house stood intact but needed a new roof. In addition, the lovely beach, covered with debris, was closed to tourists for the unknown future.
Undaunted, I arrived on Sunday October 21st, 2018. It felt glorious to have days to myself to write. Sure enough, thoughts and memories came into sharper focus. Getting away worked. And just when I felt loneliness creeping in, friends Kristen, Rosalie, Dawn, and Mary Ann, joined me, flying into Wilmington Airport from various destinations.
The fun and laughter began immediately.
New and Old Friends Make for a Great Girls Weekend
Though the weather remained overcast and cool, we enjoyed our time together immensely. One highlight for us was exploring Wilmington on a rainy day. After having lunch at the Copper Penny downtown, we toured the Bellamy Mansion, built between 1859-61. The Greek Revival/Italianate manor is touted as one of North Carolina’s premier antebellum homes.
Traveler’s Tip: Bellamy Mansion Museum is worth checking out if in the Wilmington, NC area. The mansion and grounds have a fascinating history and are beautifully preserved. It’s the only historical home I’ve visited that has a five seat privy.
Bellamy's Five Seated Privy
Thankfully, days before my arrival, the beach reopened to the public despite still littered with large piles of wood, siding, shingles, etc. Instead of swimming, we walked miles up and down the weather beaten sand taking in the devastation.
Fun on the Surf City Pier
One of the more memorable outings was hiring an Uber driver and heading up to the Trailer Bar. The actual double wide watering hole's slogan is “C’mon in, we just look expensive”. Patrons are kind and welcoming and it’s just so much darn fun to dance to the jukebox tunes. Unknowingly, we must have stumbled on some sort of Halloween event. The interesting group I approached for a photo op never said a word; only loomed a bit. We gals enjoyed a few beverages and shot some pool before heading back to our quiet haven via another Uber.
You never know who you may run into at the Trailer Bar
I got a fair amount of writing done that week but it was time with girlfriends which proved the most restful and fun. The weather kept us out of the water. No matter, we enjoyed the salt wind in our hair on the Surf City Pier, dined on great seafood, and laughed as only escaped from reality women can.
Where the Difficult The Moth Chapter Came Together
Signs of Hope - Recognizing Messages from the Afterlife is Available on Amazon
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