DEEP ROOTS , ISLAND ROOTS
I ONCE WATCHED TWO ISLANDS IN BOGUE SOUND SLOWLY DISAPPEAR BEHIND MY PARENTS ’ HOME .
Throughout my childhood they were tiny , wild islands of scrubby pines , cedar and yaupon trees with fringes of salt meadow cordgrass and spartina grass surrounding them . As young teens , we explored them like 20th century Huckleberry Finns when we ventured there by Sunfish sailboat . But then came the hurricanes of the 1990s which ravaged these usually resilient trees . With the death of the trees and shrubby undergrowth , the deep roots , which had held these two small islands in place for possibly hundreds of years , relinquished their hold on the soil and the inevitable demise of two lovely , small islands was complete . I miss them still .
Walk over the sandy path to the beach anywhere on Emerald Isle and witness the sentinels of sea oats , golden tassels waving in the afternoon sun . On our fragile barrier island , the sea oats send roots and shoots down 5 feet deep , both vertically and horizontally . When wind and waves arise during coastal storms , the sea oats truly are the first line of defense , deftly deflecting the storm ’ s damaging energy just long enough to protect the island . Deep roots holding precious sand in place until the storm passes , the sun shines again and a soft breeze makes the sea oats wave in delicate beauty , their hidden strength in a labyrinth of salt water drenched roots and shoots beneath the dune . Sea oats , like you , play favorites and love only their island ; a fun fact is a sea oat grown in South Carolina will not fare as well on North Carolina beaches .
rooted connections of all those we hold dear . What I have seen on our sweet little island is love is the answer and love is winning . The summer of 2020 you had the difficult choice whether to travel to the coast or shelter at home . We are ever so grateful that for so many of you , the choice was in favor of “ coastal distancing ” in a cottage or condo on our beaches . We welcomed back families like yours whose island roots are deep and wide because you have vacationed on Emerald Isle for decades . We were equally delighted to make so many new friends of rental guests who had never crossed that magnificent bridge over Bogue Sound and circled through our tiki hut check-in on the way to their beach home for the week . Most gratifying of all is your heartfelt promise that you ’ ll be back again next year . Like the sea oats , you ’ ve found your favorite island and you ’ re putting down deep roots in our sand .
My family ’ s roots on Emerald Isle are deep and wide also , having been here since 1962 . Our children were born and raised here and experienced all the magic of growing up on an island . Their roots go down to middle earth , too and even now , two of our three are raising their families here . My grandchildren know the salty joy of endless beach days , ocean swims , nesting sea turtles and the tug on the line as they reel in a puppy drum that will be my pleasure to cook for them that night . Even during the loneliness of quarantining in the early weeks of COVID-19 , we knew the day would come when we could safely hug our children and grandchildren again . Then the greatest happiness of all , when I held my newborn granddaughter Summer Rae , my ninth grandchild , in my arms this July , masked of course , and whispered mermaid wishes in her tiny , perfect ear . Deepest roots , roots of love for this place and love for all who love our island as we do .
Have we ever witnessed a year like 2020 when , like a Cat 5 hurricane , a pandemic spread across our planet with its miasma of fear , illness and incredible loss of beloved family and friends ? The indescribable pain of what we have all experienced is made bearable only by the love and deep