Tuesday, we took a trip over to Shackleford Island.  What an amazing island! There are small herds of wild horses roaming the 9-mile long island, and we were lucky to have seen quite a few of the horses while there.  The ferry rides there and back were also very fun, though chilly, and we were able to see dolphins on both trips.  Here are a few shots from the adventure:

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The Naves' Winter Vacation to the Outer Banks

[img title="Seafarin'" alt="The trip through the inlet over to Shackleford Banks was windy and chilly, but very exciting." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3853.jpg"][img title="Ships Ahoy!" alt="It's a boat." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3858.jpg"][img title="What's an LCU?" alt="An LCU may be a "Landing Craft Utility" vehicle used by the Navy to bring people to shore." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3862.jpg"][img title="Flipper" alt="Dolphins like to play and fish in the inlet. We got lucky, and saw a family of dolphins playing in the waves. We also saw dolphins on the way back from the island, but couldn't snap a picture of them." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3864.jpg"][img title="Fish Tails" alt="Well, that's really a dolphin tail. He waved hello while we were boating past." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3865.jpg"][img title="Left in the Dust" alt="That's the puddle jumper that dropped us off." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3867.jpg"][img title="Into the Wilderness" alt="The island is 9 miles long---this is just the tip." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3868.jpg"][img title="Horse Pucky" alt="There are *definitely* horses on this island..." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3870.jpg"][img title="Horsin' Around" alt="The kids got a little too close to the horses, but they didn't seem to mind much." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3872.jpg"][img title="Foal of My Dreams" alt="Those baby horses are very cute." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3873.jpg"][img title="Monkey on My Back" alt="Sophie was quite happy to be toted around like a backpack while we were there---as long as we were faced away from the wind, that is." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3877.jpg"][img title="Buoy, are You in Trouble" alt="We happened upon a washed-up buoy that was once attached to an anchor by a 1-inch stranded steel cord. I wouldn't want to be in the path of the wave causing that sort of damage!" src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3884.jpg"][img title="Surf's Up" alt="The waves were amazing on the ocean-side of the island where we were looking for shells." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3889.jpg"][img title="More Horsin' Around" alt="A little less than a mile from the first horse sighting, we found an entire herd." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3891.jpg"][img title="Grazing" alt="The herd was grazing on the rough grasses that cover the island. Large tracts of island real estate were mowed low by the roaming herds." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3892.jpg"][img title="Take a Hike" alt="We were only able to get about a mile down the island before we had to turn back to catch the ferry. We started at marker "56", and turned back around marker "55" (the numbers appear to have no relation to the actual position on the island)." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3894.jpg"][img title="Up" alt="The ocean-side part of the island where we stopped before turning around was heavily eroded, leaving a 4-5 foot sand ledge running along the beach." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3898.jpg"][img title="Lockup" alt="On the way back to the car after our island adventure, we happened upon an appropriate punishment for the day's transgressions." src="http://www.thenaves.org/wp-content/flagallery/obx_20110208/thumbs/thumbs_100_3905.jpg"]