We caught the 10:30 ferry from Cedar Island to Ocracoke Island (2.5 hours), drove to the north end of the island and then caught the ferry to Hatteras Island (1 hour).  We then set up at the Hatteras Sands Resort about a half mile from the ferry.  We then drove up to Cape Hatteras for dinner and to tour the lighthouse.  We, or should I say I, also decided to drive on the beach.  This is not hard, flat sand like Daytona but soft sugar-sand where you sink up to your axles.  They recommend 4 wheel drive and tire pressure lowered to 20 psi.  I figured I would try it with my street tires and 75 psi.  (Bet you can guess where this is going)  I was doing real well staying in the ruts of previous vehicles then up over the dunes to the main beach.  We were doing fine until I had to make a u-turn to get off and I had no ruts to follow.  It was OK for about 100 degrees then I was reminded of driving in an Erie 3 foot snowstorm in a rear wheel drive car.  We were up to the axles and going nowhere fast.  A couple of surf fishermen came over and helped me remove some air from the tires and push some sand from the front of the tires and we were on our way off the beach.  That pretty much fulfilled my need to drive on the beach.  The local (Frisco) Rod and Gun club had a compressor station in town so we are back up to 75 psi.  The ferry trips, lighthouses, beach walks and the Outer Banks are awesome.  What a day.  When we got to the north end of Ocracoke, route 12 drove right on to the ferry.  Since there were no signs and it happened much sooner than I expected.  I parked the truck and trailer on the ferry and walked over to one of the workers and asked if this ferry was going to Hatteras.  He said, "You mean you aren't going to Cedar island?" and then laughed.  He gets that question a lot from very worried people.  He came up to me later and we talked for quite a bit of the trip because he is from New Castle, Pa. and is about ready to retire from NC DOT and wants to get a trailer.