johnpostmd wrote:
Richard Brindley Corolla Light fitness center.
I just got back today from a week down there. Years past, I have loved doing the ocean swims, but this year it wasn't happening. Even if I got over my own willies (yes, I admit it, I was a bit...unsettled), my family was not having it. Reading the posts about the sound had me thinking I wasn't doing any swims. This fitness center was great. I was not staying in Corolla Light, but they let you in as a guest for $15. By comparison, the gym at Pine Island Tennis (no pool) is $20. They ask that you call before you go because priority goes to the actual guests, but I went at 2PM, and I was the only guy swimming most of the time. Nice pool, cool and clear, big hot tub. So-so locker room. Kind of a dated place, but it worked great for my needs. I am going back in August, and I will probably use it again.
On a related note: riding on the road down there kind of sucks. The shoulders narrow, and it seems like there is nothing but massive SUVs with people texting constantly. Between the top of Corolla Light and the Food Lion is a development called Whalehead Beach. It has three parallel streets running North/South. My guess is about 3 miles or so top to bottom. The back two have almost zero traffic. They are great for repeats/TTs/ or just cruising car free. One or two stop signs and a few bumps in the road, but a nice break from the main road. If you are farther south, I like to cut off of the main road once below Duck to Sea Oats and Dogwood Trail. Again, no traffic and even some much appreciated shade. You can take Dogwood down to the bypass by the foot of the bridge, and then once you cross the bypass, it is a nice, peaceful ride with a state park, etc...
I did a lot of running on the beach at low tide in the AM. It's like a 10K out there, tons of people; nice, wide, flat, hard sand. And COOL. It gets really damn hot midday, and we never had a sea breeze.
Have a great time.