Outer Banks: Roanoke


One day during our vacation to the Outer Banks, we visited Festival Park on Roanoke Island. Here we went aboard Elizabeth II, a replica (technically a composite representation) ship modeled after the Elizabeth which first arrived in Roanoke in 1585. The design is a 16th century merchant ship. (I borrowed the above picture to show you what the ship looks like sailing. We didn't get to sail.)




Since I write scenes set in the 1600s aboard ships similar to this, I considered this research.

The captain's table complete with all his instruments, food and a rat.

Between decks. The food was cooked here. You can see the pot near the center of the picture. Also most passengers would've stayed here.


The Silver Chalice is Elizabeth II's boat. This small boat would've been used to carry passengers and cargo from the big ship to shore because back then most large ships couldn't get close to shore. Read more about the Silver Chalice here
And here you can learn more about Elizabeth II

Festival Park has many areas to visit including The Settlement, which is a replica settlement similar to the ones the English lived in here in the late 1500s when they first arrived. Below is the smithy or blacksmith shop. The park employs actors to reenact what it might have been like, complete with Elizabethan English accents. Very cool!
Tents in the Settlement.


Festival Park also has many squirrels which are almost tame. They love peanuts. This guy followed us around a while.

9 comments:

Susan Macatee said...

Great pics, Vonda!
Looks like you had a great time!

Gale Stanley said...

Hi Vonda,
I love your pics. My husband and I got married on Roanoke and vacationed in Nags Head and Kill Devil Hills for years. Thanks for sharing.

Holly Greenfield said...

Awesome pictures, Vonda!

ShawnaMoore said...

Hi, Vonda!

Those are such enchanting pics, Vonda :) You've added another must-see destination to my list :) Thanks for sharing this get-away with us!

Smiles across the miles,

Shawna

Natasha Moore said...

Great pics. Roanoke is one place we haven't visited yet. Will have to try to make it there next year.

Natasha

Lexi said...

Oh, I wish I'd known about this place when I was there! Looks like fun!

Anonymous said...

More great pictures, Vonda. What a cute squirrel. :-)

Vonda Sinclair said...

Hi, everyone, thanks for looking at my pics!!

Susan, yes, we had a great time and can't wait to go back!

Bookworm, Roanoke must have been an awesome place to get married. How romantic!!

Holly, thanks for checking them out!

Shawna, You will love this destination! It has a lot of natural beauty and history.

Natasha, hope you enjoy it as much as we did!

Lexi, yeah, I bet you would've loved it. Lots of research possibilities here, not only relating to American history and Native Americans but also the English and other Europeans of the 1500 - 1600s.

Vanessa, I'm so glad you like them. The squirrels were so entertaining. I hadn't seen them so tame before.

Terry Spear/Terry Lee Wilde said...

I love your pictures!!! Hmm, how'd a squirrel get in there! LOL. You're a great photographer, lady! :) Terry