An Earthquake Measuring 5.8 is Felt Over 200 Miles Away

We had an enjoyable day at the Wright Brother's memorial, Kitty Hawk Kite shop, and local Italian restaurant. It was after 1:00, but we still needed to go to the surf shops the kids had been needling us about all morning. Of course, I went straight to the swimsuit section and thumbed through them, telling myself that I really did not need another swimsuit, while my husband and boys went to the opposite side of the shop.

Made my way to the clearance rack in the back but nothing there was calling out to me. Ended up near the counter, looking at the earrings, and overheard a customer, "Did you feel that?" she said to an employee.

"It must be Bobby unloading boxes upstairs," responded the employee. The phone rang shortly after and in between helping my son pick out socks, I see the same employee cover the phone and announce to the other employees that another shop said they felt a tremor.

As we left the shop, I was thinking that I had been feeling dizzy while inside but had thought it was from the long hot walk earlier at the the Wright Brother's memorial. Could that have been an actual feeling caused by the earth shaking?

We headed over to the Bait and Tackle shop next door. "Could we have a tsunami?" my son was asking. "No, that won't happen," I replied with confidence, but feeling a little bit alarmed inside.

Now the manager there was on the phone with his son, who lives in northern Virginia. It was confirmed that a 5.8 earthquake had occurred in Virginia, a couple hundred miles away, and we had felt it. Wow.

Hurricane Irene is on her way as well. Our vacation may be cut short. So far the weather is fabulous, but we know things can quickly change as we've weathered a hurricane in the OBX before. We will be keeping a close watch for any changes and as for now will try not to worry too much when we hear the wind whistling and the waves crashing in the night.