05/07/2026
Alright everyone gather round and listen up.
I'm closing the comments for the post re: the last group of people harassing the horses on Shackleford Banks.
It was not to be a debate about whether the horses should be touched, or followed or fed, or approached (harassment). It was to find someone who clearly and knowingly had to get in the horse's personal bubble. Imagine eating dinner and someone walking up next to your table,and stand 3 feet or so away. While they stand there, they click and whistle and pssst. Comforting, huh? And there's tens of thousands that walk by you in a summer season.
The rules of the National Park are to give the horses space, at least 50 feet.
Our phones can capture fine photos from that distance.
The attitude of some is truly amazing. The entitlements, the doubts that the horses need any space. The jokers who say they feed them apples and peanut butter, when in reality that can kill them. WHAT is it? What is this NEED to get near them, to chase them, put your child on their backs, try to ride them, wrestle them? What is this? Did you not come to see wild horses? What is the need to treat them as pets, or animals in a petting zoo?
I really don't understand. I have blocked a few today and will continue to do so to those who have no respect for the island and it's inhabitants.
I started this page to celebrate the island, and that's what I will continue to do. We are so fortunate that something like this exists, an uninhabited island within twenty minutes of land. If you've never walked through or gone into the "middle" of the island, I highly recommend it. There are so many dunes and old growth stumps from the maritime forests that lived a couple hundred years ago. There are bull thistles and marsh mallows, some rare fan palms, amazing live oaks and beach morning glories that are covered with Sulpher butterflies passing through. We have hundreds of different bird species that migrate through and can be seen on the west end tidal flats. The Laughing Gulls, Royal Terns, Ruddy Turnstones, Plovers, Killdeer and a rare pair of Oyster Catchers are there now. Turtles will be coming to shore any day to lay their eggs as they have years before.
The lighthouse stands tall and watches over the Banks. And Harkers Island keeps an eye across Back Sound and reminisces about the days their ancestors made their home on the island.
So, that's what we'll celebrate. I am tired of our country being so divided, so we will not have that here. I welcome opinions and questions, but no pre-puberty comments that show one's ass rather than their class. Sorry for language. Sometimes there's no better word.
Follow me along around this beautiful island and remember your happy place!
