Cape Hatteras

https://www.nps.gov/caha/index.htm https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cape_Hatteras_National_Seashore Cape Hatteras National Seashore preserves the portion of the Outer Banks of North Carolina from Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, stretching over 70 miles (110 km). Included within this section of barrier islands along N.C. 12, but outside the national seashore boundaries, are Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge and several communities, such as Rodanthe, Buxton, and Ocracoke. Cape Hatteras is a combination of natural and cultural resources, and provides a wide variety of recreational opportunities. Once dubbed the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" for its treacherous currents, shoals, and storms, Cape Hatteras has a wealth of history relating to shipwrecks, lighthouses, and the US Lifesaving Service. The islands also provide a variety of habitats and are a valuable wintering area for migrating waterfowl. The park's fishing and surfing are considered the best on the East Coast. The sound of ocean waves, the starry night sky, or the calm of the salt marshes, you can experience it all. Shaped by the forces of water, wind, and storms these islands are ever changing. The plants, wildlife, and people who live here adapt continually. Whether you are enjoying the beach, kayaking the sound, or climbing the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse there is something for everyone to explore! Cape Hatteras National Seashore is located along NC-12 in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. You can reach the seashore from the north by following US 158 to Nag Heads, NC and the turn-off to NC-12 and Cape Hatteras National Seashore. From the south, you can take NCDOT ferries from Swanquarter, NC and Cedar Island, NC to the village of Ocracoke on Ocracoke Island. The provided physical address is the location of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, roughly in the middle of the park. Bodie Island Visitor Center Approximately six miles south of the seashore's northern entrance is the Bodie Island Visitor Center. This visitor center is located in the historic Bodie Island Lighthouse Double Keepers' Quarters at the end of a short park road off of NC Highway 12 across from Coquina Beach. The visitor center is a great place to get oriented and browse the park store. Outside the visitor center, a path leads to the 156-foot Bodie Island Lighthouse, which is open for tours seasonally. The Bodie Island Visitor Center is located at the northern end of the park along NC-12 and just south of the town of Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Hatteras Island Visitor Center The visitor center offers orientation information, a bookstore to shop for gifts, and a great views of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The Hatteras Island Visitor Center is located off on NC-12 in the village of Buxton on the Outer Banks of North Carolina within the Cape Hatteras Light Station Historic District. Hatteras Island Weather Bureau Station The Hatteras Weather Bureau Station was built in 1901 as one of the many stations along the east coast that would forecast weather for boats and the surrounding communities. Today the building is used as a information center. Located just north of NC 12 in Hatteras Village. Museum of the Sea About 50 miles south of the seashore's north entrance is the Hatteras Island Visitor Center and Museum of the Sea in Buxton, NC. The Museum of the Sea is within the historic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Double Keepers' Quarters. The two-floor museum contains exhibits on Outer Banks history and natural history. A small audiovisual room provides video presentations, available upon request. Between the Park Store and the Museum of the Sea stands the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The Hatteras Island Museum of the Sea is located in the historic Double Keepers' Quarters of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. This is located off on NC-12 in Buxton on the Outer Banks of North Carolina in the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Historic District. Ocracoke Island Discovery Center The Ocracoke Island Discovery Center is where you can go within the village of Ocracoke to get park information and start your exploration of Ocracoke Island. The Ocracoke Island Visitor Center is located in the village of Ocracoke on the Outer Banks of North Carolina along NC-12 near the ferry terminal to Swanquarter and Cedar Island. Whalebone Junction Information Center The Whalebone Junction Information Center is located on Highway 12 in Nags Head, NC at the entrance to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Park maps, newspapers, and current beach conditions are available inside. The building is staffed by the Outer Banks Visitors Bureau. The Dyke Trail can be accessed from the Information Center parking lot. From Nags Head, Manteo and Northern beaches: head south on North Carolina Highway 12. Right past the national seashore entrance sign the Whalebone Junction Information Center will be on the right. Cape Point Campground Cape Point Campground with 202 sites is located southwest of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, and within walking distance of the Atlantic Ocean and Cape Hatteras (also known as Cape Point) itself. Open spring-late fall. Campsite reservations are limited to same-day reservations only. Campsites must be booked via recreation.gov. Camp Site 20.00 Daily camp site fee. There are bathhouses with flush toilets, potable water, and unheated outdoor showers. Each campsite has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and charcoal grill. There are no hook-ups for RVs onsite. A dump and water fill station are located back up Lighthouse Road. There is a limit of 6 persons per site, a maximum of 2 cars, or 1 car and 1 trailer, and a maximum of two tents. Check-out is by noon. Tent and Lighthouse Red tent and bicycle at a camp site with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the background. Campers can see the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse from Cape Point Campground. Tents and Lighthouse Two tents and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse visible behind a grassy camp site. Camping at Cape Point Campground provides quick access to Cape Point and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Shaded Tent Camp site with a tent and additional shade canopy. Camp site with a tent and additional shade canopy. Tent Camping Orange tent set up at a grassy camp site at Cape Point Campground. Tent-camping at Cape Point Campground. At Cape Point Campground Two tents visible behind a picnic table among the field at Cape Point Campground. Tents and tables visible at Cape Point Campground. Frisco Campground Frisco Campground with 127 sites is located west of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse near the village of Frisco, North Carolina. The campground is tucked between the sand dunes and shrub thicket. A public boardwalk allows easy ocean access for campers, and public bathhouses, grills, and picnic tables are available. Open spring-late fall. Camp Site 28.00 Daily camp site fee. There are bathhouses with flush toilets, potable water, and unheated outdoor showers. Each campsite has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and charcoal grill. There are no hook-ups for RVs onsite. There is a limit of 6 persons per site, a maximum of 2 cars, or 1 car and 1 trailer, and a maximum of two tents. Check-out is by noon. High on the Dunes Canopy, tent, and vehicle at a camp site looking over the dune field at Frisco Campground. Frisco Campground provides some beautiful views of the seashore. To the Beach! WIthin the dunes, a wooden boardwalk and sandy off-road vehicle ramp both lead to the beach. Beach access from the campground can be done via pedestrian boardwalk or vehicle ramp. Frisco campground Frisco campground Frisco campground Ocracoke Campground Ocracoke Campground with 136 sites is located east of the village of Ocracoke, North Carolina on the island of Ocracoke. The campground offers grills, flush toilets, drinking water, cold showers, and is pet-friendly. The soil is sandy, so tent-campers will need extra-long tent stakes. RVs under 40 feet are welcome at this campground. There's no electricity, but there is a nearby dump station. There is no shade at the campground. Mosquitoes are common, and insect spray is recommended. Open year round. Camp Site 28.00 Daily camp site fee. There are bathhouses with flush toilets, potable water, and unheated outdoor showers. Each campsite has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and charcoal grill. There are no hook-ups for RVs onsite. A dump and water fill station are located across the highway. There is a limit of 6 persons per site, a maximum of 2 cars, or 1 car and 1 trailer, and a maximum of two tents. Check-out is by noon. Campground Entrance Brown entrance sign and wooden fence at Ocracoke Campground. Entrance to Ocracoke Campground Ocracoke campground above view of ocracoke campground above view of ocracoke campground camper at Ocracoke Campground camper at Ocracoke Campground camper at Ocracoke Campground Oregon Inlet Campground Oregon Inlet Campground has 107 sites and is open year round. Camping on a barrier island provides a chance to take in the power and nature of this special place. Listen to the breaking ocean waves while staring up at the night sky filled with stars. Walk along the sandy beaches during the day and share stories with friends at night. RV hookups are available at select sites. Running water and flush toilets are throughout the campground. Camp Site 28.00 Daily camp site fee. Each of the three loops in the campground have a bath house with flush toilets, potable water, and unheated outdoor showers. Each campsite has a paved parking pad, picnic table, and charcoal grill. There are no hook-ups for RVs onsite. A dump and water fill station are located directly across Highway 12 at Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. There is a limit of 6 persons per site, a maximum of 2 cars, or 1 car and 1 trailer, and a maximum of two tents. Check-out is by noon. Group Site 70.00 Camping for groups of 7–30 people is available. This site must be reserved at least two weeks in advance by calling 252-441-0882, and can be reserved up to twelve months in advance. Group camping is $70 per night, including infants and toddlers, and passes do NOT apply. Site with Hookups 35.00 Site that provides electrical hookups and sewage hookup. Tents and Fishing Tents and vehicles at the Oregon Inlet campground. Camping at Oregon Inlet Campground provides quick access to the Oregon Inlet Fishing Center. Tent-camping Several tents are pitched at the Oregon Inlet Campground. Several tents are pitched at the Oregon Inlet Campground. Tents and Campers Tents and a camper at the Oregon Inlet Campground. Tents and a camper at the Oregon Inlet Campground. Tent and Boat Tent and boat at an Oregon Inlet Campground camp site. Tent and boat at an Oregon Inlet Campground camp site. Tents Among the Dunes Tents nestled in next to the dunes at Oregon Inlet Campground. Tents nestled in next to the dunes at Oregon Inlet Campground. Fresnel Lens The first-order Fresnel lens is visible in the lantern room of the Bodie Island Lighthouse. Bodie Island Lighthouse still has its first-order Fresnel lens. Paddling Pamlico Sound A young girl paddles across the water with the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse visible in the distance. Lots of recreation opportunities await visits on the sound side of the barrier islands. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Black and white painting of the brick Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Black and white spirals decorate the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Playing in the Sand Two kids play in the sand. Two kids enjoy the sands of Cape Hatteras. Shark Awareness Before heading into the ocean, review some safety information to further minimize the chances of a shark encounter. Shark and fish in the blue ocean waters 2014 American Oystercatcher Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliates) monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. American oystercatcher in flight with the ocean behind it. 2015 Marine Mammal Summary Appendix A: Maps Cape Hatteras Appendix A: Maps for the 2015 marina mammal stranding summary from Cape Hatteras National Seashore Map of marine mammal strandings near Cape Hatteras 2015 Marine Mammal Summary Cape Hatteras 2015 summary of marine mammal strandings within Cape Hatteras National Seashore Juvenile humpback whale stranded on the beach. 2015 Sea Turtle Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 annual report on sea turtle monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Sea turtle hatchling crawling toward the ocean. 2015 Colonial Waterbirds Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 annual report on colonial water bird monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Two terns on the beach 2015 American Oystercatcher Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 annual report on American oystercatcher (Haematopus palliatus) monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore Sea turtle crawl beside American oystercatcher nest on Bodie Island 2015 Piping Plover Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 annual report on piping plover (Charadrius melodus) monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Piping plover running in the surf 2015 Seabeach Amaranth Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 annual survey report of seabeach amaranth from Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Seabeach amaranth on the beach. 2017 Hatteras Island Prenesting Areas for Cape Hatteras Maps of the Hatteras Island prenest areas for 2017. Maps of Hatteras Island prenest areas for 2017 2017 Bodie Island Prenesting Area for Cape Hatteras Map of Bodie Island prenest area for 2017. Map of Bodie Island prenest area for 2017 Bodie Island Lighthouse Preservation, Modifications, and Notable Repairs Since its light first shone in 1872, the Bodie Island Lighthouse has undergone a number of modifications and repairs. Bodie Island Lighthouse in scaffolding, 2012 The Bodie Island Lighthouses Over the years, more than one lighthouse has stood watch at Bodie Island. From 1847 to 1872, a total of three lighthouses were constructed, each one with a unique story. Chart showing the three Bodie Island Lighthouses to scale Body's Island Learn the interesting story of how Bodie Island (pronounced "Body") got its name. Moll's 1730 Southeast Coast Network News July 2018 Southeast Coast Inventory and Monitoring Network newsletter for July 2018. Torpedo Junction In the spring of 1942, German U-boats prowled the ocean off the Outer Banks of North Carolina and sank freighters at will. By June, they had sunk 397 merchant vessels and the area earned the name "Torpedo Junction." Dixie Arrow, a tanker, burns off the North Carolina coast after being torpedoed Landscapes of Change: Cape Hatteras Lighthouse In the summer of 1999, the Cape Hatteras Light Station was moved 2,900 feet from the spot where it had stood since 1870. Because of shoreline erosion in this dynamic coastal environment, the lighthouse was now dangerously close to the ocean's edge. The remarkable undertaking including efforts to protect the structures, maintain the coastal setting of the original site, and preserve the original orientation to the shoreline and spatial arrangements of historic structures. View from the top of a lighthouse, with the sandy shoreline straight path cut through trees ahead. 2016 Science Workshop Science workshop evaluating factors affecting shorebirds and sea turtles on Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches. Speckled shorebird eggs sitting in their sandy depression of a nest The Fresnel Lens The Fresnel lens was instrumental in advancing lighthouse technology in the nineteenth century. Fresnel lens with view, Bodie island Lighthouse Reginald Fessenden's Radio Experiments Reginald Fessenden's wireless radio experiments from Roanoke Island in 1901 and 1902 forever altered the way humans communicate. His achievements at Roanoke Island allowed for the clear transmission of the human voice over radio waves for the first time in history. Portrait of Reginald Fessenden, early 1900s 2014 Colonial Waterbirds Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on colonial waterbird monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Black skimmers in their nesting colony 2015 Sea Turtle Annual Report Appendix B: Maps Cape Hatteras Map appendix for the 2015 sea turtle annual report from Cape Hatteras Map of sea turtle nest locations on Bodie Island in 2015. 2015 Wilson's Plover Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2015 Annual Report on Wilson's Plover monitoring from Cape Hatteras National Seashore Wilson's plover shading a nest. Intern Addresses Fire Protection and Life Safety Issues at Cape Hatteras National Seashore NPS structural fire intern learned about sprinkler system installation and operation, inventoried fire protection systems, and uploaded info to a database. NPS Geodiversity Atlas—Cape Hatteras National Seashore, North Carolina Each park-specific page in the NPS Geodiversity Atlas provides basic information on the significant geologic features and processes occurring in the park. Links to products from Baseline Geologic and Soil Resources Inventories provide access to maps and reports. sand dune with grass 2017 Recipients: George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service Meet the recipients of the 2017 George and Helen Hartzog Awards for Outstanding Volunteer Service. These award recipients are recognized for their exceptional dedication and service to parks and programs. Boy outside holding a tool onto a wooden post. 2014 Seabeach Amaranth Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual survey report of seabeach amaranth from Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Seabeach amaranth on the beach 2016 Natural Resource Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2016 Natural Resource Annual Report American Oystercatcher Flying Over the Surf 2014 Sea Turtle Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on sea turtle monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Green sea turtle returning to sea after laying her eggs. 2014 Wilson's Plover Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on Wilson's plover monitoring from Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Wilson's Plover showing 2014 Sea Turtle Annual Report Appendix B: Maps Cape Hatteras Appendix B: Maps for the Sea Turtle 2014 Annual Report for Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Map of 2014 nesting locations near Cape Hatteras 2014 Piping Plover Annual Report Cape Hatteras 2014 annual report on piping plover (Charadrius melodus) monitoring at Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Piping plover on the beach Fire Prevention Success--What’s Being Accomplished in the National Parks US Life-Saving Service The United States Life-Saving Service (USLSS), the predecessor to the United States Coast Guard, formed in 1878. The story of the USLSS dates to almost 100 years before the service became an official agency, to the noble efforts of the Humane Society of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, a group of affluent individuals seeking to prevent needless deaths from shipwrecks. A black and white photo of seven men wearing uniforms and standing in front of a boat house. Monitoring Estuarine Water Quality in Coastal Parks: Fixed Station Monitoring Estuaries are the convergence of freshwater, delivered by rivers, to the ocean's salty sea water. The result is a delicate ecosystem providing existence for a multitude of fish and wildlife species. we have created the story map to help you learn more about how these estuaries formed, the potential issues they face, and the process of monitoring the water quality utilizing fixed station monitoring. Waterbirds congregate in an estuary at sunset. Monitoring Estuarine Water Quality in Coastal Parks: Park-wide Assessments Estuaries located in national parks provide recreational experiences such as fishing and boating for park visitors. Therefore, knowing what's in the water can assist the park in its mission of managing such a critcal resource. The Southeast Coast Network monitors water quality through fixed station monitoring and park-wide assessments. While the former is conducted on a monthly basis, park-wide assessments are completed every five years. Learn more with this story map. Dock stretching out into an estuary as the sun sets over the water. Changing Patterns of Water Availability May Change Vegetation Composition in US National Parks Across the US, changes in water availability are altering which plants grow where. These changes are evident at a broad scale. But not all areas experience the same climate in the same way, even within the boundaries of a single national park. A new dataset gives park managers a valuable tool for understanding why vegetation has changed and how it might change in the future under different climate-change scenarios. Green, orange, and dead grey junipers in red soil, mountains in background Ranger Roll Call, 1950-1959 In the 1950s, women in uniform continue to work as guides, historians, and archeologists. Few women had permanent positions. A handful of women began to get seasonal ranger-naturalists positions at large national parks for the first time in two decades. Ann Livesay in her NPS uniform standing in front of a low wall at the edge of the Grand Canyon. Ocracoke Lighthouse Crochet Pattern Check out this fun crochet pattern to make your own version of the Ocracoke Lighthouse Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Knitting Pattern Learn how to create your very own Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in yarn with this step-by-step crochet pattern. Ranger holds up crochet pattern with Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in the background. Cape Hatteras Lighthouse Virtual Tour Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located on North Carolina’s Outer Banks. It was completed in 1870. The lighthouse's 180-foot high focal plane is the tallest in the United States. In 1999, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and its associated structures were moved approximately half a mile to their current locations, with the lantern relit on 13 November that year. Explore the lighthouse and grounds via HDP’s virtual tour, animations, and archival HABS documentation. Measured drawing of top floors of lighthouse tower in cross-section Hatteras Light Station Restoration Summary- September 2023 In September of 2023, a major milestone was achieved with the awarding of the construction project for the entire restoration project. Rendering of a restorted and enhanced Cape Hatteras Light Station Hatteras Light Station Restortation Update- November 2023 In November of 2023, work began in the lantern room to prepare for the fabrication of the replica Fresnel Lens. man using a template to measure mounting bracket in lighthouse Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- January 2024 In January of 2024, the contractor began prepping the site for construction. aerial view of cape hatteras light station Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- February 2024 In February of 2024, visitors began to see the exterior scaffolding at the lighthouse and prep work on the landscape improvements Securing the construction site Updated Species Database Will Help Boost Amphibian Conservation Across the National Park Service To steward amphibians effectively, managers need basic information about which species live in parks. But species lists need constant maintenance to remain accurate. Due to recent efforts, the National Park Service now has an up-to-date amphibian species checklist for almost 300 parks. This information can serve as the basis for innumerable conservation efforts across the nation. A toad sits on red sand, looking into the camera. Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- March 2024 During the month of March, significant progress was made on preparing both the lighthouse and surrounding landscape for the continuation of the restoration project. lighthouse with completed scaffolding 2023 Excellence in Volunteerism Awards The National Park Service congratulates the regional recipients of the 2023 Excellence in Volunteerism Awards. These nominees embody the values of service, engagement, and stewardship fundamental to our national parks. The volunteer-in-parks logo At-Risk Turtles - Ongoing Research Spotlight Parks are a great place to appreciate turtles in their natural habitat. NPS is now studying at-risk land turtles in the Mid-Atlantic to better understand how to help them survive into the future. A turtle with bright orange chin and neck peers upward from a woody wet spot Guide to the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) Southeast Region Collection This finding aid describes the National Parks Conservation Association (NPCA) Southest Region Collection, part of the NPS History Collection. Fresnel Lens The Fresnel lens (pronounced "Frey Nel"), as it came to be known, represented a monumental step forward in lighthouse lighting technology, and therefore also in maritime safety. Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- April 2024 During the month of April, a majority of the preparation work for the overall project was completed. Most significantly, the exterior scaffolding was completed, and interior scaffolding reached the lantern level, and a temporary LED beacon was installed on the top of the scaffolding. contractor holding the temporary LED becaon Project Profile: Reverse Seagrass Meadow Decline: Identify Heat-Tolerant Variants, Seed Sources and Outplanting Sites The National Park Service will identify seagrass meadows and map optimal areas for future seagrass restoration to support decisions that will enhance restoration and resilience of seagrass meadows. The goal of the project is to develop scientific information needed to chart a course of action in effort to reverse declining seagrass meadows that harbor biodiversity, strengthen shorelines, improve water quality and are vital to fish nurseries at coastal parks from North Carolin Scuba diver transplanting seagrass Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- May - July 2024 During the months of May through July, the project saw great progress in the landscaping and hardscaping, while the lighthouse saw the completion of interior scaffolding, allowing for more advanced work to begin. Top of lighthouse scaffolding Secrets of the Marsh: Eastern Black Rails and Other Elusive Birds Detected Through Inventory at Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores   Eastern black rails serve as valuable health indicators of the salt marshes at Cape Lookout and Cape Hatteras National Seashores (NS). The biggest threat to eastern black rails is rising sea levels since they occupy a narrow window of elevation in the upper zone of marsh habitats. Staff conducted surveys to find out the status of secretive marsh birds at the Seashores. A scenic view of saltwater flowing amongst green grasses under a blue sky. Dark Night, Safe Flight At night, birds use the stars to find their way (pretty cool, right?). But bright lights from buildings, towers, and houses can confuse them. That's why national parks are so important - they're like bird hotels! They give birds safe places to rest and eat, especially after flying across the ocean. Hatteras Light Station Restoration Update- September 2024 During the last months of summer 2024, paint removal of the daymark was begun and completed, oil house restoration was begun, and further investigation into some of the metal features was completed. Metal Brackets at the top of the ligghthouse prior to restoration Lighthouse Thaumatrope A popular children's toy in the 1800s, a thaumatrope is an optical illusion. It can make it appear that two things are in the same place at the same time. Follow the steps within this article to design your own daymark, create your own flash pattern, and bring them to life as a lighthouse thaumatrope! Hexagonal paper cut out with a colored light house printed on it.

National Seashore North Carolina Cape Hatteras National Park Service U.S. Department of the Interior William Bake A thin broken strand of islands curves out into the Atlantic Ocean and then back again in a sheltering embrace of North Carolina's mainland coast and its offshore sounds. These are the Outer Banks of North Carolina. For thousands of years these barrier islands have survived the onslaught of wind and sea. Today their long stretches of beach, sand dunes, marshes, and woodlands are set aside as Cape Hatteras National Seashore. It can be a lonely place; you may walk along the beach unseen except by shore birds searching for a meal. It can be a place of discovery; you may visit the 1870 Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, one of many monuments to man's encounter with the sea. It can be a wild place; you may be buffeted by an approaching gale or surprised by the honking of large flocks of migrating geese. And it can be an exciting place, where you may explore many opportunities for recreation: surf fishing, sunbathing, swimming, beachcombing, canoeing, sailing, surfing, snorkeling. Part land, part sea, Cape Hatteras offers rewards from each. William Bake Glenn Van Nimwegen (also. Cape Hatteras lighthouse, below, center) Glenn Van Nimwege William Bake Glenn Van Nimwegen Where Land and Sea Merge Cape Hatteras is at the ocean's edge. But no well-defined boundary marks where the sea ends and the land begins. Here land and sea work together in an uneasy alliance. They share many valuable resources. But the sea rules the barrier islands and there are few places that escape its influence. On your visit take a moment to discover this seaside kingdom. Dwarfed, odd-shaped trees may catch your eye. Severely pruned by salt-laden winds, these trees are just one example of how the sea affects living things. Closer to the sea, shore birds patrolling the beach for food are interesting to watch. Some catch small fish or crabs carried by waves, while others probe the sand or search under shells for clams, worms, and insects. On a hike through the maritime forests you will leave the sea behind briefly. These woodlands of oak, cedar, and yaupon holly grow on the islands' higher, broader, somewhat protected parts. Bright red holly berries and wildflowers offer a brush of color that enlivens the mostly green, brown, and blue landscape. It is a landscape that is usually peaceful —but not always. Storms sometimes batter the islands with fierce winds and waves. Over the years you can witness the retreat of the shoreline from these violent attacks. For the tiny ghost crab, living on the beach in a wave-washed underground burrow, survival is a matter of adaptation, adjusting to meet the demands of the land and sea. Graveyard of the Atlantic The treacherous waters that lie off the coast of the Outer Banks bear the name Graveyard of the Atlantic. It is a grim, but fitting, epithet, for here more than 600 ships have wrecked, victims of shallow shoals, storms, and war. Diamond Shoals, a bank of shifting sand ridges hidden beneath a turbulent sea off Cape Hatteras, has never promised safe passage for any ship. But seafarers often risked the shoals to take advantage of north or south flowing currents that passed nearby. Many never reached their destination. Fierce winter nor'easters and tropical-born hurricanes drove many ships aground, including the schooner G.A Kohler (shown at right) in 1933. Other ships were lost in wars. During World War II German submarines sank so many Allied tankers and cargo ships here that these waters earned a second sobering name—Torpedo Junction. In the past 400 years the graveyard has claimed many lives. But many were saved by island villagers. As early as the 1870s villagers served as members of the U.S. Life Saving Service. Others manned lighthouses built to guide mariners. Later, when the U.S. Coast Guard became the guardian of the nation's shores, many residents joined its ranks. When rescue attempts failed, villagers buried the dead and salvaged shipwreck remains. Today few ships wreck, but storms still uncover the ruins of old wrecks that lie along the beaches of the Outer Banks. Nineteenth century island rescue crews returned shipwreck survivors to safety in small oar-powered boats. Today the U.S. Coast honor for saving a life, has been awarded to many Hatteras rescuers for their extraordinary heroic deeds. Guard patrols the Outer Banks with helicopters and other modern equipment. The Gold Lifesaving Medal, the highest peacetime In the protected waters west of the islands you can find excellent opportunities for crabbing and clamming. The ocean also harbors a bounty of life, which includes channel bass, pompano, sea trout, bluefish, and other sport fish. Wintering snow geese, Canada geese, ducks, and many other kinds of birds populate the islands. The best times for observing birdlife are during fall and spring migrations and in the winter. Salt marshes are a source of food for birds and