On one side of the family, our parents starting coming to the beach shortly after the island after World War II. It has been a place where brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, and lots of cousins have come to be together, hunt for the biggest shark's teeth, learn to water ski, and enjoy the beach.
On the other side of the family, the dad (Nick) visited Topsail Beach the year before he met his future wife. He and his friends joked about buying a place of their own. It only took nearly 15 years before he and his wife were able to make that happen.