Sunset Harbor

In 1955, my Great-Grandfather and Great-Grandmother, Ralph and Sarah Myers (aka “Pop & Mom” Myers) purchased two lots of land on the Intracoastal Waterway in Sunset Harbor, NC. Years later, those two lots were divided among their three children, and three family vacation homes were put into place. Pop Myers’ two cousins also purchased the land and two houses beside the existing three family homes so that there is now a cluster of five homes within the family that sit right along the water.

Growing up, I spent most of my summers at our family waterway beach home. I didn’t always appreciate the slow-paced charm of Sunset Harbor and the waterway. I would often envy my friends who would tell stories of their trips to the popular tourist vacation spot of Myrtle Beach or Cherry Grove. What I realize now is that my friends were the ones who were missing out. While they may have memories of roller coasters and busy boardwalks, I have memories of large family gatherings that were lazy and leisurely.

I have countless memories of time spent at the waterway with all of the families together. My cousins and I would play hide and seek when the tide was too low to swim, we would build houses out of decks of cards and work puzzles on rainy days, we would jump off of the pier into the waterway to cool off on a super hot day, we would cast for fish, dig for clams, and pull crabs up in the basket. I can close my eyes and still see my Poppy (my Grandfather) taking a nap in the hammock after sipping on his lemonade and I can see my Maw Dot (my Grandmother) hiding Easter eggs for us to find in the branches of the old oak trees. I can still hear all of our screams as we would ride on the tube behind the boat, begging to go faster and actually wanting to be thrown off! I will never forget how proud I was of myself the first time I got up and stayed up on water skis. I remember staying up to watch Haley’s Comet with my Aunt Chippy and watching my Dad shoot fireworks off of the end of the pier. The memories are endless for me…

It is truly just a different way of life at the waterway. Days are planned by the sun and the tides, not by the clock. Life is simple and relaxed. Even at the young age of three, Reagan already understands and appreciates this way of life at the beach. She summed it up best last night when she looked up at me and said, “Mommy, it’s so peaceful here. Today was the best day ever.” My heart filled with joy as I listened to her say those words.

Yes, my sweet child. You are correct.