Under the boardwalk, down by the sea — residents all around the county are gearing up for summer.

Whether going on an annual beach trip or learning a new sport, everyone has big plans.

The Pilot took a random survey of street strollers and shoppers throughout Southern Pines and Pinehurst recently, asking about their plans for the summer.

There is no one-size-fits-all summer plan. Activities range wildly depending on age, family and station. For many, summer means time for that annual beach trip.

Other Moore County residents plan on getting their passport stamped a few times this summer.

“I’ll be going to the Bahamas a few times this year,” says Dorothy Greenleaf. “I want to swim with the dolphins and all those fun things.”

“I’m going to London with my son,” says Stephanie Pelvar. “He wants to see Big Ben, so we’ll do that.”

Tom Gallagher plans to vacation closer to home: “I’ll go to the Outer Banks for a visit with children and grandchildren.”

Travel is less prominent in others’ plans.

Many prefer to remain in Moore County, taking advantage of the activities available within the community.

“I travel more in the winter, when I have work off,” says Orlando Ugarte, an employee of Pinehurst Resort. Ugarte moved to Moore County five years ago, and has not yet learned the area’s favorite pastime: golf.

“I’ll be working part time and learning how to play golf,” Ugarte says. “My summer depends on how active the mosquitoes are; they really like me.”

For some, summer is a ritualistic affair, each year following the same pattern as the last. For others, the season is never the same from one year to the next, changing with the rest of life and society.

“No, I won’t change anything [from last year],” says April Carpenter. “Hopefully this summer will be just as good as the last.”

“We sort of fly by the seat of our pants,” says Christy Esworthy. “We’ll do more traveling now than we did last year now that the kids are older. … Also, the kids will do summer camps at their preschool.”

For Gallagher, summer will be a time of healing.

“I’m recuperating from a knee replacement,” he says. “I plan to fully recover from that traumatic experience and get myself back on the tennis courts with one new knee and one old knee.

“As soon as my knee’s better, I expect to resume my volunteer activities, which include work at the hospital and work with the food service. If I have some spare time I’ll go to Sandhills and work on my very imperfect computer skills.”

Moore County residents certainly have no shortage of summer plans, yet many experience the want for something more than Moore. Asked how they would ideally spend their summers, they express grandiose plans for world travel and adventure.

“If I had unlimited time and money,” says Denver Hoak, “I would probably spend a month in Dublin, Ireland.”

Pelvar is more ambitious: “I would travel all over the world.”

“I would tour the Western states and walk among the redwoods to see the massive trees,” says Joe Pepe.

“We would also take our family to Europe to visit the art museums,” adds his wife, Rosalie.

Some residents still wouldn’t change their plans for all the world.

“Even with unlimited time and money,” Gallagher says, “I’d spend the summer just the way I am going to spend it.”

“We wouldn’t do anything different,” says Jessica Sampson. “Maybe we’d do the same things but a little more grand.”

There’s a simple reason, Greenleaf says, why Moore County residents are so content with their summers: “The weather is always nice here.”

Contact Andrew Soboeiro at Andrew@thepilot.com. Contact Kirsten Ballard at Kirsten@thepilot.com.