A Swimming Hole and Skywatching

With Saturday's temperatures in the mid 90's, we decided to beat the heat by checking out a swimming hole in Durham. Our neighbor had recently told us about Eno Quarry and it's cliff jumping and rope swing. We knew we had to check it out and figured it would be a great way to tire the dogs out. Yes, dogs, as in plural. We dog-sat Darwin's buddy, Phoenix, last week.

The drive to Durham took about 30 minutes and we were able to find parking very easily (surprisingly because the lot is very small). From the trailhead to the quarry, we hiked about 1.5 miles on a very shaded, and only slightly hilly, trail. We did a full loop around the lake, looking for an area where we could ease our way into the water, but most of the areas had cliffs that plummeted into deep waters. After testing a few spots, we found a good location.

The whole area felt much less than 90 degrees, and the water was a nice cool (not cold) temperature. We tried getting Darwin in the water with Phoenix and go get the ball, but we were unsuccessful. Phoenix had no problems and spent the entire 2 hours swimming. Our huge breakthrough with Darwin came about 15-20 minutes after we arrived, when Colin and I were able to coerce Darwin into the water with us. Once he got in on his own, he quickly figured out that he could actually swim somewhat effortlessly. There were a few times when he would freak out for a second and splash around, but for the most part, he was comfortable in the water. We were never able to get him to fetch a stick or a ball on his own, but he would go get it if we also chased it down. Thankfully, we remembered a camera and got some it on video.

Our half day adventure left us all fairly tired, and the dogs were able to take a solid nap when we got back home. Since the evening was turning out to be quite nice (clear and not too hot), we decided to grill some burgers and stuffed peppers and eat outside on the deck before heading back out to a skywatching event at a local state lake. The meal was delicious and the atmosphere was fantastic, though I could have done with less mosquitoes.

Just about sunset (8:30pm), we left the house for Jordan Lake State Park. The Morehead Planetarium was hosting an evening skywatching session with telescopes so people could view the Moon, Saturn, Mars, and Mercury. When we arrived the effects of the sun on the sky were beautiful and Planetarium staff and other amateur astronomers were setting up their telescopes.

Our first views gave us an incredible view of the Moon's craters. Once the sky darkened, we were able to see an amazing view of Saturn. Looking into the telescope literally looked like I was seeing a photograph of the planet from space. The ring around it was so distinct! Unfortunately, there were no good views of Mars or Mercury. The staff from the Planetarium and the astronomers there on their own accord were all so informative. One amateur astronomer was so excited to show us different nebulae (star clusters in one case and a star that lost it's atmosphere in another case). I was so impressed with the number of people (adults and kids) at the event. The sessions are offered once a month (usually with the new moon) and are free. According the astronomers, the colder months are better than these warmer months because there tends to be less haze. I've already made note of the meteor showers that will be viewed in August and December. I hope the weather holds out for the one in December because I bet it will be quite a sight!

Going to bed on Saturday night, I felt like I had an incredible day. From my enjoyment of nature's lakes, to astronomer's giving of their time and telescopes, I didn't have to spend any money to enjoy the natural world.

Have you ever been to a skywatching event?
What was the best thing you've seen in the sky?

I'm not sure anything can compare to the beautiful star-filled sky we saw in New Zealand when we camped in Abel Tasman National Park.