 |
| Hatteras
Light House before the move |
Nowhere is the battle between north and south
more dramatic than off the North Carolina coast. It is there warm
ocean currents from the south clash with cold northern currents,
creating treacherous conditions that have been feared by mariners
for centuries. The waters off the North Carolina's Outer Banks are
so hazardous that they have earned the name "Graveyard of the Atlantic,"
in reference to all the ships that have found a permanent home on
the sandy bottom.
The latest additions to the shifting sands have been not shipwrecks,
but vacation houses. It seems the same conditions that spawn occasional
violent weather, also produces a remarkable number of recreational
opportunities. The confluence of arctic and tropical water brings
fish of both varieties, making the Outer Banks a justifiably famous
fishing destination. There are also the steady winds that lured
the Wright Brothers and now delight hang glider pilots. Then of
course there's the beach, much of it practically deserted, due to
the National Seashore which prohibits development along much of
the coast. Thrown in for good measure are wildlife refuges hosting
millions of migratory birds, historical sites, and one of the most
famous lighthouses in the world. We try to refrain from making sweeping
statements, but it is no exaggeration to say that on the Outer Banks,
most every type of person will find something that resonates. The
variety is there to discover.
eGO's Outer Banks Bookstore has a
recommended reading list of local books and easy, secure online
ordering.
Outer Banks Communities:
- Northern Beaches
- Decidedly different from the rest of the Outer Banks. Only recently
opened to development, much of the area has become home to upscale
resorts and housing communities. The affluence is apparant. Lower
housing density, lush vegetation. The underside of this arrangement
is an ill concealed attempt to kidnap the public's natural heritage
by Limiting Beach Access.
- Corolla
- Northern most town, small shops, lighthouse, resort and
beach houses.
- Sanderling
- Upscale housing communities with some truly immense beach
houses.
- Duck
- Largest of northern communities, modern quaint. Boutique
like shops and shopping centers.
- Southern Shores
- Planned community nestled in maritime forest.
- Central Beaches
- These are the oldest resorts on the Outer Banks. There is more
development here, both residential and commercial. Here you will
find beach houses, hotels, shopping malls and centers, chain restaurants
and a variety of amusements. Even though this is the most developed
area on the barrier islands, the term is relative, this is nothing
like Ocean City, Virginia Beach or Myrtle Beach.
- Kitty Hawk
- Kill Devil Hills
- World famous home of man's first flight.
- Nags Head
- Roanoke Island
- Manteo and Wanchese are the principal towns of this historic
soundside island. Home of first English colony in America.
- Hatteras Island
- Mostly national seashore, seven villages break up the vegetation.
Classic Outer Banks.
- Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo
- A cluster of 3 villages on the northern part of the island.
Many vacation homes and a few shops with the essentials.
- Buxton and Avon
- Two communities just north of the lighthouse. Buxton is
mostly away from the beach, Avon is a large collection of
vacation house on stilts.
- Hatteras and Frisco
- Some vacation homes, mostly more permanent. Hatteras is
a fishing village.
- Ocracoke Island
- Ocracoke Village is the only development on the 14 mile
island. A remote place that inspires fanatical devotion.
|
