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Bodie Island Lighthouse/Bodie Island Marshes
(252) 441-5711
Eight miles south of U.S. 158 and U.S. 64 intersection. Visitor center, seashore information and natural history exhibits. May through September. Self-guided Nature Trail. Open year 'round. Bird watching - parking areas adjacent. Many species of wildfowl during winter months. Egret, Heron, Glossy Ibis, wading birds from spring until autumn. National Park Service controlled wildfowl hunting in season.
British Cemetery
In 1942, Allied commanders introduced 24 British anti-submarine trawlers, to help turn the tide of German U-boat aggression. Their efforts were successful, but not before the HMS Bedfordshire was sunk by a German sub off Cape Lookout in May, 1942. The bodies of four crewmen from Bedfordshire that washed ashore on Ocracoke and nearby beaches are buried in the island’s British Cemetery, which has been deeded to the British Government.
Canadian Hole
Located between Buxton and Avon, the Canadian Hole is one of the top windsurfing spots on the East Coast. Riders come from all across the country, and, of course, Canada, to challenge the wind and waves of Pamlico Sound.
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
(252) 995-4474
Off Hwy. 12 at Buxton. Tallest brick lighthouse on American Coast at 208 feet high and one of the nation’s well-known landmarks. Former keeper’s quarters serves a visitor center. National Seashore information. Open to visitors year 'round.
Cape Hatteras National Seashore
Dedicated in 1953, Cape Hatteras National Seashore was the country’s first national seashore and remains one of the most popular. Stretching 75 miles along the Outer Banks from Nags Head to Ocracoke, the national seashore attracts beachgoers, fishermen, lighthouse lovers, birdwatchers, and a host of other visitors, drawn by the peace and serenity of the unique barrier island chain.
Cape Point
The local term for the actual cape of Cape Hatteras, Cape Point is a favorite spot for fishermen. Bluefish and big drum are the order of the day at this remarkable spot.
Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station
Hwy. 12, village of Rodanthe. Original station built in 1874. Converted into boathouse when new station constructed in 1911. History of daring rescues. Exhibits to public and beach apparatus drill during summer months.
Coquina Beach/“Laura Barnes” Shipwreck
Located off Hwy. 12 eight miles south of U.S. 158. Picnic shelters, bath houses open year round, protected swimming in season. Situated at Coquina Beach is the “Laura Barnes,” shipwrecked in 1921. Other shipwrecks can be found along the coast but are not always visible due to changing tides and shifting sands.
Frisco Native American Museum & Natural History Center
(252) 995-4440
Located on Hwy. 12 in Frisco. Museum has authentic collections of ancient artifacts and unusual displays. Natural History center features self guiding wooded trails, exhibits, a screened pavilion with fireplace, BBQ and picnic tables. Classrooms available for presentations, seminars, etc, upon request. Admission is $2/person, $1.50/senior citizen, and $5/family, contributions accepted. Monday by appointment only, Tuesday-Sunday 11am-5pm.
The Lost Colony Outdoor Drama
(252) 473-3414
Pulitzer-prize winner Paul Green’s symphonic outdoor drama, the oldest in the country, tells the story of the first English attempt at settlement. Nightly except Sundays at the Waterside Theater at Fort Raleigh, early May 31 - August 23. Admission Fee.
North Carolina Aquarium /Roanoke Island
(252) 473-3493
The NC Aquarium has undergone an extensive expansion and “Waters of the Outer Banks,” is its new theme. Among the many additions are a skylit atrium with 50-foot trees that will house the new Freshwater Habitat, featuring fishes of NC’s rivers, marshes, and sounds. The centerpiece is an 180,000 gallon ocean tank, where a replica of the USS Monitor shipwreck will be home to a wide variety of reef fishes. New and larger tanks will house sharks, barracuda, sea turtles and more. Open year round. Admission fee.
North Carolina Free Ferry
Toll-free ferry connection between Hatteras Village and N.E. tip of Ocracoke Island. Toll ferries connect Ocracoke to Cedar Island and Ocracoke to Swan Quarter. (For reservations: (800) 345-1665 for departures from Ocracoke; (800) 856-0343 for departures from Cedar Island; (800) 773-1094 for departures from Swan Quarter.) See ferry schedule in this magazine. For information about all NC Ferry’s, call 1-800-BY-FERRY.
Ocracoke Island
Fourteen miles in length. Ocracoke Village is a picturesque fishing community. Blackbeard was slain here in 1718. NPS visitor center (252) 928-4531, open year round. Silver Lake Harbor, public airstrip. Toll ferries connect Ocracoke to Cedar Island and Ocracoke to Swan Quarter. (For reservations: (800) 345-1665 for departures from Ocracoke; (800) 856-0343 for departures from Cedar Island; (800) 773-1094 for departures from Swan Quarter.)
Ocracoke Lighthouse
Completed in 1823, the sturdy 75-foot lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and one of the oldest in southeast. The lighthouse is the third beacon to mark Ocracoke inlet since the 1790s. A wooden lighthouse located in the middle of the inlet was destroyed by an 1818 lightning strike and a lightship moored nearby was repeatedly driven ashore by bad weather. Although a portion of the lightstation grounds are open to visitors, the tower is closed to the public.
Ocracoke Ponies
About two dozen horses are corralled in a 180-acre enclosure located about seven miles north of Ocracoke Village. The horses who are likely the descendants of livestock kept by islanders for centuries, were used by the life-saving service and coast guard to patrol the beaches during the early part of the 20th century, and later by the Ocracoke Boy Scout troop, one of the only mounted troops in the country. The horses were placed in the enclosure in 1959 to protect them from cars speeding along N.C. Highway 12, which had been completed a short time before.
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
(252) 473-1131
Adjacent to NC Route 12 between Oregon Inlet and Rodanthe. Information head-quarters seven miles south of inlet. Wildlife includes snow geese and many species of wildfowl during winter months. Spring to autumn a large variety of wading, shore and upland birds. Observation platforms near parking areas.
Portsmouth Island and Portsmouth Village
Portsmouth Village, Ocracoke’s sister community on the south side of Ocracoke Inlet, was once a thriving town and one of the busiest ports along the Carolina coast. But as commercial routes moved inland, and Ocracoke Inlet gradually decreased in importance, Portsmouth began to fade. The slow but steady stream of residents leaving the island ended in 1971, when the last two Portsmouth Islanders left. In 1975, the island and village were incorporated into the newly-formed Cape Lookout National Seashore. Today, much of the village, with its distinctive church and life-saving station are preserved for future generations.
Roanoke Island Festival Park
(252) 475-1500
The fun of history and the arts await visitors at the state site. Whether aboard the 16th century sailing vessel, Elizabeth II, with garbed interpreters, or experiencing the New World settlement of the 1580’s, activity abounds year-round. Step into history with a multisensory, hands-on experience in the exhibit hall and enjoy a docudrama entitled, “The Legend of Two Path.” Visitors can search for fossils or view a new artist each month in the Gallery. Enjoy browsing through the Museum Store in search of a special treasure. During the summer months, experience summer concerts on the lawns. Admission Fee.
Silver Lake Harbor
The village harbor once appeared much differently than it does today. Prior to the 1930s, the area was a shallow lagoon at the mouth of Cockle Creek, which followed much the same course near the harbor as modern Highway 12. Some natives still call the harbor “The Creek,” a reference to those earlier days. A pair of dredging projects opened the harbor to larger boats and later, for the state ferry operations. A serviceman stationed at the U.S. Navy base which was located in the harborfront near the ferry terminal, marveled at the silvery reflections of the water one evening, and the name “Silver Lake” has been used ever since.
Teach’s Hole
The relatively calm water just inside Ocracoke Inlet was one of Blackbeard the Pirate’s favorite hide-outs. Anchored close to shore, pirate lookouts could spot merchant ships as they cruised along the coast allowing the crew to sail out and plunder the cargo. Teach’s Hole is named for Blackbeard’s favorite alias- Edward Teach- and for his favorite anchorage where he was killed in a fierce fight with British Navy troops in 1718.
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