The Two RV Gypsies: Full-Time RVers
at Currituck Beach Lighthouse and
The Currituck Sound at Whalehead
on the Outer Banks of North Carolina
June 23, 2020

USA map showing location of North CarolinaMap showing location of Cuttituck Beach Lighthouse

Welcome to Corolla, Currituck NC sign Currituck County Pine Island water tower

Below: On their way to the Lighthouse, the two RV Gypsies took a quick look at the 4-wheel-drive beach. But of course their car is not a 4WD so they could not drive on the beach.

4-wheel-drive beach sign 4-wheel-drive beach
Historic Corolla Park sign Currituck Beach Lighthouse welcome sign

Below: Several views of Currituck Beach Lighthouse, which is 162 feet tall. The Currituck Beach Light is located on the Outer Banks in Corolla, North Carolina. The Currituck Beach Light was added to the National Register of Historic Places on October 15, 1973.

Currituck Beach Lighthouse Currituck Beach Lighthouse

historyOn December 1, 1875, the Currituck Beach Light was completed, located between Cape Henry Light and Bodie Island. Unlike its fellows, Currituck Beach Light was not painted, leaving its brick facade visible. In 1939, the lighthouse was automated following a merger of the United States Coast Guard with the Bureau of Lighthouses.

The Outer Banks Conservationists (OBC) performed much of the reconstruction and refurbishing work since 1980 through private funding and volunteer work. Since 1991 visitors have been allowed to climb the original 220 steps to the outdoor gallery. (However, on the date the two RV Gypsies were here, the lighthouse climb was closed due to the Corona Virus. The two RV Gypsies wore their masks whenever they were around people, but removed the masks for photos).

Access to the lens room is never permitted as the first order lens is not only the original lens, but it is still a functioning one. The light comes on every night and shines from 158 feet at 20-second intervals to warn ships hugging the chain of barrier islands along the coast.

In 2003, the Federal Government granted OBC the title to the lighthouse itself. The Coast Guard approved OBC's ownership proposal over that of an application submitted by Currituck County (the county in which the lighthouse is located). Through state and federal legislative maneuvering, the county sued OBC to try to acquire the property. The case was finally settled in 2006. OBC remains the owner of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Above quote from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia and https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Currituck_Beach_Light

Currituck Beach Lighthouse Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Below: The two RV Gypsies in front of the Currituck Beach Light House

Lee Duquette at Currituck Beach Lighthouse Karen Duquette at Currituck Beach Lighthouse
Currituck Beach Lighthouse

Below: Lee Duquette saw a goat wandering around the Lighthouse and decided to pet it.

goat Lee Duquette pet a goat

Below: The gift shop. It was one of the few gift shops open on this trip due to the Corona Virus. They DID require masks and limited how many people could be in the building at the same time.

Gift Shop

Below: The church

The church The church

Below: the Whalehead Club and Wildlife Center was closed due to the virus, but the two RV Gypsies enjoyed walking around the area after enjoying their outdoor picnic lunch.

Whalehead sign lunch view

Below: Live Oak trees and their beautiful limb formations

Barrier Island anchor sign about the trees
Live Oak tree reflected in rain water Live Oak tree
branches of the Live Oak tree branches of the Live Oak tree
branches of the Live Oak tree smaller tree branches
sign about Marsh Invaders

Below: Currituck Sound

Currituck Sound information Currituck Sound

Below: Currituck Island Bridge

Currituck Island Bridge information Currituck Island Bridge
Currituck Island Bridge Currituck Island Bridge

Below: Whalehead : Set on 39 pristine acres along the Currituck Sound in Historic Corolla, the Whalehead is a beautifully restored 1920s-era Art Nouveau-style mansion listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

With its bold yellow paint, copper roof, and mahogany doors, the Whalehead provides a fascinating period?in Outer Banks history. Nearly every inch of the home has been carefully restored to the way it looked when Edward Collings Knight Jr. and his wife, Marie Louise, first opened the doors as a lavish hunting retreat in 1925.

The wealthy Knights spent their winters here hunting, relaxing and entertaining. Today, stepping inside is to step back into another time and place. Restored in 1992 to its original glory, the Whalehead is usually open year-round for tours. However, on the date the Two RV Gypsies were here, Whalehead was not open due to the Corona Virus.

Whalehead sign Whalehead building was closed
thanks for visiting Corolla sign

Unrelated Note: The two RV Gypsies tried to book a Segway tour in Corolla. Their website said nobody over the age of 64 could book their Segway tour and there was also a weight restriction. But the Two RV Gypsies stopped at the Segway office to check and the office was closed. Age discrimination ???? If a person is physically fit, this should be illegal. Later, they discovered that Segway Of The OUter Banks permanently closed in 2019.

look below

go to the next adventure of the two RV Gypsies Continue on in order to The Wright Brothers National Memorial

OR

back arrow Return to the Outer Banks menu to view the pages in the order of your choice.

Below: Continue navigation of this large website via the buttons below.

search for items on this webpage beginning with the letter A search for things on this website beginning with the letter B search for things/places on this website starting with the letter C search for things/places on this website starting with the letter D search for things/places on this website starting with the letter E search for things/places on this website starting with the letter F search for things/places on this website starting with the letter G search for things/places on this website starting with the letter H search for things/places on this website starting with the letter I search for things/places on this website starting with the letter J search for things/places on this website starting with the letter K search for things/places on this website starting with the letter L search for things/places on this website starting with the letter M search for things/places on this website starting with the letter N search for things/places on this website starting with the letter O visit places the two RV Gypsies have been that start with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter P search for things/places on this website starting with the letter R search for things/places on this website starting with the letter S search for things/places on this website starting with the letter T search for things/places on this website starting with the letter U search for things/places on this website starting with the letter V search for things/places on this website starting with the letter W search for things/places on this website starting with the letter Y search this website for things/places starting with the letter Z such as ziplines find anything starting with the letter Q on this website
photos/history Alaska from the two RV Gypsies
photos/history in Canada from the two RV Gypsies
TOC-Countries and Cruices
Cruises
photos/history of continental USA by the two RV Gypsies
how Karen & Lee Duquette became two RV Gypsies
learn about Brian Lee Duquette
e-mail the two RV Gypsies
Flashback to the past
please sign the guestbook of the two RV Gypsies
go to webpage built by Karen plus other RV pages
helpful hints for RVers
Art, carvings, murals, sculptures
Caampgrounds the two RV Gypsies stayed in
Gardens the two RV Gypsies visited
Lighthouses the two RV Gypsies visited
Museums the two RV gypsies have visited
National Parks the two RV Gypsies visited
Oddities seen by the two RV gypsies
Restaurants the two RV Gypsies have visited
State Parks the two RV gypsies visited
Videos taken by the two RV Gypsies
Waterfalls the two RV gypsies have visited
Wildlifethe two RV gysies have seen