Sky Watch Friday #6: Beaufort Waterfront at Sunset

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"Beaufort Waterfront at Sunset"
Beaufort, NC - October 2008 (Click to embiggen)

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One of my favorite places to be any time of the year is on the waterfront in Beaufort. I try to ignore the fact that the boats moored here cost more than a nice 4 bedroom house in Raleigh. Beaufort has been an active harbor since the Colonial period, and the town is the third oldest in the state. The oldest part of town fronts the water here with Carrot Island (visible in the background) providing a natural shelter from heavy weather in the Atlantic.
The town's founders laid out the streets in this part of town in a way that would channel the prevailing onshore breeze to the part s of town further inland. (Which, if you've ever experienced an Eastern NC summer I'm sure the locals appreciated.)
Unlike the sleek modern boats tied up along the piers, the houses in the Historic District are subject to very strict architectural guidelines. Any house that is built or refitted in this part of town must retain or replicate the architecture of the period. In other words, it doesn't have to be old, but it must at least look old. Businesses apparently have a more relaxed set of standards, probably owing to public health and safety codes.
With the orientation of the beaches in this area being east-to-west, the sun is always over the water giving residents and visitors spectacular views at both sunrise and sunset. This shot was taken probably less than 15 minutes before sundown, and you can see how it has painted the white hulls with a golden overtone. No photograph can ever do it justice though. You really have to see it in person to fully appreciate it.

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