The Outer Banks, NC

The Outer Banks is a 200-mile (320-km) long string of narrow barrier islands and peninsulas off the coast of North Carolina and a small portion of Virginia, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast. They cover most of the North Carolina coastline, separating the Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. The Outer Banks peninsulas and barrier islands separate the Atlantic Ocean from mainland North Carolina. From north to south, the largest of these include: Bodie Island (which used to be an island but is now a peninsula due to tropical storms and hurricanes), Hatteras Island, and Ocracoke Island. The Outer Banks is not anchored to offshore coral reefs like some other barrier islands and as a consequence often suffers significant beach erosion during major storms. In fact, its location jutting out into the Atlantic makes it the most hurricane-prone area north of Florida, for both land falling storms and brushing storms offshore. Hatteras Island was cut in half on September 18, 2003, when Hurricane Isabel washed a 2,000 foot wide and 15 foot deep channel called Isabel Inlet through the community of Hatteras Village on the southern end of the island. The tear was subsequently repaired and restored by sand dredging by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. It was cut off once again in 2011 by Hurricane Irene and access to the island was largely limited to boat access only from August to late October until another temporary bridge could be built.

 

Travelling to the Outer Banks from the mainland was a lot of fun. We travelled through a tunnel and 5 Bridges, to get onto Hwy #12 on the Outer Banks.

It was a sea of white from the sand dunes that were beside Hwy #12 just before our campground in Avon.

 

  

Atlantic currents in this area made for excellent travel for ships, except in the area of Diamond Shoals, just offshore at Cape Hatteras. The warm Gulf Stream ocean current collides with the colder Labrador Current, create ideal conditions for powerful ocean storms and sea swells. The large number of ships that ran aground because of these shifting sandbars, including the Civil War ironclad warship USS Monitor, gave this area the nickname “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” It led Congress to authorize the construction of the Cape Hatteras Light. Its 210 foot height makes it the tallest brick lighthouse structure in the United States and 29th in the world. Since its base is almost at sea level, it is only the 15th highest light in the United States.
Ever since the completion of the new tower in 1870, there had begun a gradual encroachment of the sea upon the beach. This did not become serious, until 1919, when the high water line had advanced to about 120 ft from the base of the tower. Since that time the surf gnawed steadily toward the base of the tower until 1935, when the site was finally reached by the surf. Therefore, in 1935, the tower light was replaced by a light on a skeleton steel tower placed farther back from the sea on a sand dune, 166 feet above the sea, and visible for 19 miles. The old tower was then abandoned to the custody of the National Park Service.  In 1999, the Cape Hatteras lighthouse had to be moved from its original location at the edge of the ocean to safer ground 1,500 feet inland. Due to erosion of the shore, the lighthouse was just 15 feet from the ocean’s edge and was in imminent danger. International Chimney Corp. of Buffalo, New York was awarded the contract to move the lighthouse, assisted, among other contractors, by Expert House Movers. The move was controversial at the time with speculation that the structure would not survive the move. Despite some opposition, work progressed and the move was completed on September 14, 1999. The Cape Hatteras Light House Station Relocation Project became known as “The Move of the Millennium.” The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest masonry structure ever moved (200 feet tall and weighing 5,000 tons).







Spending some time at the beach was great, the temperature was 82 degrees and the gorgeous beaches go on for miles and miles with no one else around. It was peaceful and relaxing. And as a bonus the beach was only 10 minutes from our camp.

There are several beaches with designated areas specifically for permit holders; people purchase a permit and then are allowed to bring their vehicles onto beaches that allow permits and fish off the Atlantic shoreline. It is packed with fisherman and vehicles.

The Sands of Time Campground Office.