Ocracoke Village

The small village of Ocracoke is the only community on isolated Ocracoke Island. The first people to live here were likely pirates, followed by ship's pilots who knew how to navigate the waters of Pamlico Sound. Later islanders continued to make their living from the sea as waterman, with the Coast Guard or Navy. Today however, most make their money from tourism during the warmer seasons of the year. Despite the summer influx, the town still retains most of the charm that draws people there in the first place. There are no Olive Gardens or McDonalds here, no Holiday Inns or Gaps, just locally owned places to sleep, shop and eat great seafood. Once on the island most visitors park the car and head out on foot, by bike or on golf carts to explore. There is a happening local music scene and the whole place has a quirky, salty, eco-friendly, bohemian kind of vibe.

My unexpected favorite find was Springer's Point, a 122 acre preserve on the edge of town owned by the North Carolina Coastal Land Trust. Springer's Point has trails that lead past salt marsh wetlands, Eastern Red Cedars, Yaupon Hollies and through a windswept Live Oak filled maritime forest.

Once through the forest you are on Pamilco Sound at Teach's Hole. Edward Teach was better known as Blackbeard. In 1718 the governor of Virginia dispatched Lt. Robert Maynard to Carolina to apprehend Blackbeard who was caught off guard, shot 5 times, cut in 27 places, beheaded and his body thrown into the water here at what would be known as Teach's Hole. His head was put on the bowsprit of Maynard's ship and brought back to Virginia and displayed as a warning (not the Disney version).

This was my fourth trip to Ocracoke Island and my first visit in nearly 15 years, and I enjoyed sharing it with my son. Hopefully I won't wait so long to return.

(My complete photo set from the Village and Springer's Point is here.)

Ocracoke Island - On Loan From The Sea

Like many Virginians, the week of July 4th we loaded up the car and headed to the Outer Banks of North Carolina. We made our way south on Route 12, past McMansions built on sand, miniature golf courses and all-you-can-eat buffets to the very end of the road. Our destination was Ocracoke Island, which can only be reached by boat or plane. We took the 45 minute ferry ride from Hatteras Village, over impossibly colored water, to what feels like to me to be the end of the world and delightfully so.

The majority of Ocracoke is protected as part of Cape Hatteras National Seashore, and the much smaller remainder is occupied by Ocracoke Village. The island is skinny, 15 miles long by about half a mile wide with marshes and a few low forests on the Pamlico Sound side, and dunes with some of the most pristine Atlantic beaches on the ocean side. Behind these dunes was where we set up camp, and unlike the mountains (thinking every nightsound could be a bear), it was soothing to hear waves crashing throughout the night. The stars were amazing, and during the day we were treated to shows put on by the ever-changing skies.

We did have several opportunities to enjoy the beach without threat of storms. Saturday afternoon the beach started to get crowded - by Ocracoke standards.

This was the sunrise on the day we had to leave, and I believe the best was saved for last.

We will head to Ocracoke village in my next post, but if you want to see the rest of this set, click here.