Crystal Coast
Encyclopedia
North Carolina
North Carolina is a state located in the southeastern United States. The state borders South Carolina and Georgia to the south, Tennessee to the west and Virginia to the north. North Carolina contains 100 counties. Its capital is Raleigh, and its largest city is Charlotte...
that extends from the Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore
Cape Lookout National Seashore preserves a 56-mile long section of the Southern Outer Banks, or Crystal Coast, of North Carolina, USA, running from Ocracoke Inlet on the northeast to Beaufort Inlet on the southeast. Three undeveloped barrier islands make up the seashore - North Core Banks, South...
, which includes 56 miles of protected beaches, westward to the New River
New River (North Carolina)
The New River is a 50-mile long river in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean.It rises in northwestern Onslow County and flows east-southeast past Jacksonville, where it widens into a tidal estuary approximately two miles wide...
. It is also known as the Southern Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
(SOBX) and is a popular area with tourists and second-home owners in the summer. The absolute boundaries of this coast are often disputed, but the main area includes all the major Carteret County
Carteret County, North Carolina
Carteret County is a county located in the U.S. state of North Carolina. As of 2010, the population was 66,469. Its county seat is Beaufort. Most of the county is part of the Crystal Coast....
beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es (those on Bogue Banks
Bogue Banks
Bogue Banks form a barrier island off the mainland of North Carolina in Carteret County. The island, separated from the mainland by Bogue Sound, runs east to west, with the ocean beaches facing due south...
, which face south). It also includes eastern portions of Carteret County, such as Harkers Island, Down East and Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks is a barrier island system on the coast of Carteret County, North Carolina. It contains a herd of feral horses, scallop, crabs and various sea animals, including summer nesting by loggerhead turtles...
, as well as the northern Onslow County
Onslow County, North Carolina
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 150,355 people, 48,122 households, and 36,572 families residing in the county. The population density was 196 people per square mile . There were 55,726 housing units at an average density of 73 per square mile...
beach
Beach
A beach is a geological landform along the shoreline of an ocean, sea, lake or river. It usually consists of loose particles which are often composed of rock, such as sand, gravel, shingle, pebbles or cobblestones...
es (Bear Island/Hammock's Beach), and a few ports
Harbor
A harbor or harbour , or haven, is a place where ships, boats, and barges can seek shelter from stormy weather, or else are stored for future use. Harbors can be natural or artificial...
along the Intracoastal Waterway
Intracoastal Waterway
The Intracoastal Waterway is a 3,000-mile waterway along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the United States. Some lengths consist of natural inlets, salt-water rivers, bays, and sounds; others are artificial canals...
.
Tourism
Beaches
The very name Crystal Coast was coined as part of a tourism campaign by the Carteret County Tourism Development Authority, which exists to serve visitors and residents of the Crystal Coast. It is also known as the Crystal Coast Tourism Authority. There are more than 100 restaurants in the area and many hotels, including the Sheraton Atlantic Beach, the largest full service hotel on the coast of North Carolina. Beach cottages, which are often rented out for a week during the summer, are also popular here, especially in Emerald Isle. Several of the properties in the area, especially Atlantic Beach, are second homes of people from the interior part of the state, including those from cities such as Kinston, Goldsboro and the capital city of RaleighRaleigh, North Carolina
Raleigh is the capital and the second largest city in the state of North Carolina as well as the seat of Wake County. Raleigh is known as the "City of Oaks" for its many oak trees. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the city's 2010 population was 403,892, over an area of , making Raleigh...
. There is also public access to the beach in many areas, with one of the most popular being an area known as "The Circle" in central Atlantic Beach. It is a collection of shops, houses and amusement rides along the ocean at the end of the causeway from the bridge to Morehead City. The Circle is undergoing a redevelopment, replacing the rides that were in the center of the area, which is actually more triangular, with high-rise apartments, as well as new restaurants and shops.
Diving and fishing
In addition to the beaches, two other major activities that draw visitors to the Crystal Coast are diving and fishing. It is one of the two spots in North America where the warm waters of the Gulf StreamGulf Stream
The Gulf Stream, together with its northern extension towards Europe, the North Atlantic Drift, is a powerful, warm, and swift Atlantic ocean current that originates at the tip of Florida, and follows the eastern coastlines of the United States and Newfoundland before crossing the Atlantic Ocean...
approach the coastline, creating a “wreck diver’s dream” with near-perfect conditions, according to Scuba Diving magazine. Known as the “Graveyard of the Atlantic,” there are more than 2,000 vessels that have sunk along the North Carolina coast. During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, German U-boats frequently targeted merchant vessels sending them to their final resting places 100 feet beneath the sea, viewable by divers thanks to the clear, warm waters with average temperatures around 80 degrees Fahrenheit and more than 75 feet of visibility. More recently, a new mystery discovered on the Crystal Coast is the Lionfish
Lionfish
Lionfish may refer to:* genus Pterois, collectively known as the lionfish* Red Lionfish , a significant invasive species off the East Coast of North America and in the Caribbean-Fish:...
, a rare but poisonous species with sharp spiny fins and brick red bands covering its body. Lionfish were previously thought to only inhabit the tropical and subtropical waters of the South Pacific, Indian Ocean
Indian Ocean
The Indian Ocean is the third largest of the world's oceanic divisions, covering approximately 20% of the water on the Earth's surface. It is bounded on the north by the Indian Subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula ; on the west by eastern Africa; on the east by Indochina, the Sunda Islands, and...
and the Red Sea
Red Sea
The Red Sea is a seawater inlet of the Indian Ocean, lying between Africa and Asia. The connection to the ocean is in the south through the Bab el Mandeb strait and the Gulf of Aden. In the north, there is the Sinai Peninsula, the Gulf of Aqaba, and the Gulf of Suez...
. Other diving activities include underwater photography
Underwater photography
Underwater photography is the process of taking photographs while under water. It is usually done while scuba diving, but can be done while snorkeling or swimming.-Overview:...
clinics as well as shark and spear fishing dives.
The proximity of the Gulf Stream also makes the Crystal Coast a popular fishing destination. The warm waters provide the Crystal Coast with the longest fishing season on the Atlantic coast. The area is home to one of the largest fishing tournaments in the world, the Big Rock Blue Marlin Tournament, based out of Morehead City. Other fish caught along the Crystal Coast include bluefin tuna, yellowfin tuna, red drum
Red Drum
The Red Drum , also known as Channel Bass, Redfish, Spottail Bass or simply Reds, is a game fish that is found in the Atlantic Ocean from Massachusetts to Florida and in the Gulf of Mexico from Florida to Northern Mexico. It is the only species in the genus Sciaenops...
, false albacore, sea trout, striped bass, cobia
Cobia
Cobia —also known as black kingfish, black salmon, ling, lemonfish, crabeaters, aruan tasek, etc.—are perciform marine fish, the sole representative of their family, the Rachycentridae.-Description:...
, sailfish
Sailfish
'Sailfish' are two species of fish in the genus Istiophorus, living in warmer sections of all the oceans of the world. They are predominately blue to gray in color and have a characteristic erectile dorsal fin known as a sail, which often stretches the entire length of the back...
, dolphin
Dolphin
Dolphins are marine mammals that are closely related to whales and porpoises. There are almost forty species of dolphin in 17 genera. They vary in size from and , up to and . They are found worldwide, mostly in the shallower seas of the continental shelves, and are carnivores, mostly eating...
and wahoo
Wahoo
The wahoo is a scombrid fish found worldwide in tropical and subtropical seas. It is best known to sports fishermen, as its speed and high-quality flesh make it a prize game fish...
. There are several private chartered fishing excursions or the more affordable, family friendly, headboat fishing trips that can take up to 100 people.
Morehead City and Atlantic Beach
In Atlantic Beach, Fort Macon is a major draw for its Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
history, making it the second most visited state park in North Carolina. During the war, the fort changed hands several times between Union and Confederate forces, eventually fell into disrepair and was finally restored as a part of the state park system in 1934. The fort was taken over by the federal government once again during World War II and used to protect a number of important nearby facilities. Now the state park is home to a protected beach. One of three North Carolina Aquariums is at Pine Knoll Shores, with the other two in Manteo and Fort Fisher. All three have been recently renovated, with the Pine Knoll Shores location the latest, making it three times larger than before. The “Living Shipwreck” features a life-sized replica of a German U-352 submarine and Blackbeard
Blackbeard
Edward Teach , better known as Blackbeard, was a notorious English pirate who operated around the West Indies and the eastern coast of the American colonies....
’s infamous ship, the Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge
Queen Anne's Revenge was the name of English pirate Blackbeard's flagship, used by him for less than a year, but an effective tool in his prize taking....
, which was found nearby off the coast a decade ago.
Beaufort and Harkers Island
Historic BeaufortBeaufort, North Carolina
Beaufort is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. Established in 1709, it is the third-oldest town in North Carolina.The population was 4,189 at the 2008 census and it is the county seat of Carteret County...
and Down East Carteret County are known for their history and culture. Beaufort is the third oldest town in North Carolina, after Bath and New Bern. It is also the home to the North Carolina Maritime Museum, which is the official repository for all of the artifacts discovered on the Queen Anne’s Revenge. There is also a display of seashells from around the world with 5,000 specimens from more than 100 countries. At the museum's Watercraft Center, volunteers actively build and restore boats in an effort to preserve the Crystal Coast’s tradition of “backyard boat-building.”
Harkers Island, North Carolina
Harkers Island is a census-designated place in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population of Harkers Island was 1,623 at the 2007 census. Harkers Island is unincorporated and receives most public services, including law enforcement and public education, from Carteret County....
, the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum was built as a tribute to the history and heritage of the residents to preserve the island's practice of decoy carving, a popular pastime of the area that involves skilled artisans carving a perfect replica of a duck from a block of wood. The ducks were literally used as decoys during duck hunting season. Trips to visit the black-and-white diamond pattern lighthouse at Cape Lookout can also be made from Beaufort and Harker's Island. Nearby Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks
Shackleford Banks is a barrier island system on the coast of Carteret County, North Carolina. It contains a herd of feral horses, scallop, crabs and various sea animals, including summer nesting by loggerhead turtles...
is home to herds of feral
Feral horse
A feral horse is a free-roaming horse of domesticated ancestry. As such, a feral horse is not a wild animal in the sense of an animal without domesticated ancestors. However, some populations of feral horses are managed as wildlife, and these horses often are popularly called "wild" horses...
horses called Bankers
Banker Horse
The Banker horse is a breed of feral horse living on the islands of North Carolina's Outer Banks. It is small, hardy, and has a docile temperament...
.
Neighbors
The Core SoundCore Sound
The Core Sound is a large and shallow body of water in eastern North Carolina located between the mainland of Carteret County and Core Banks, part of the Outer Banks of North Carolina, located west of the Atlantic Ocean and north of Bogue Sound. Pamlico Sound is located to the north and east....
shoreline communities east of Beaufort are known as the "Down East" area of North Carolina, but since they are in Carteret County, they are technically part of the Crystal Coast. The beaches north of here, starting with Portsmouth Island and Ocracoke
Ocracoke
Ocracoke may refer to:* Ocracoke, North Carolina* Ocracoke Island Light, a lighthouse on Ocracoke island* Ocracoke Inlet, the inlet at the southern end of Ocracoke Island...
are known as the Outer Banks
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks is a 200-mile long string of narrow barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina, beginning in the southeastern corner of Virginia Beach on the east coast of the United States....
. South of the Crystal Coast is an undeveloped stretch of coast around the mouth of the New River
New River (North Carolina)
The New River is a 50-mile long river in southeastern North Carolina in the United States. It empties into the Atlantic Ocean.It rises in northwestern Onslow County and flows east-southeast past Jacksonville, where it widens into a tidal estuary approximately two miles wide...
that is part of the Camp Lejeune military base near Jacksonville. The next developed area to the south is Topsail Island
Topsail Island
Topsail Island is a 26-mile long barrier island off the coast of North Carolina, USA just south of Camp Lejeune, the Bogue Banks, and the Outer Banks. It contains the communities of North Topsail Beach, Surf City and Topsail Beach. Along with its thick maritime forests, Topsail Island is also a...
in Onslow County.
Places
The following are the communitiesCommunity
The term community has two distinct meanings:*a group of interacting people, possibly living in close proximity, and often refers to a group that shares some common values, and is attributed with social cohesion within a shared geographical location, generally in social units larger than a household...
, island
Island
An island or isle is any piece of sub-continental land that is surrounded by water. Very small islands such as emergent land features on atolls can be called islets, cays or keys. An island in a river or lake may be called an eyot , or holm...
s, military bases, and park
Park
A park is a protected area, in its natural or semi-natural state, or planted, and set aside for human recreation and enjoyment, or for the protection of wildlife or natural habitats. It may consist of rocks, soil, water, flora and fauna and grass areas. Many parks are legally protected by...
s most commonly associated with the Crystal Coast:
- AtlanticAtlantic, North CarolinaAtlantic is an unincorporated community in eastern Carteret County situated along the Core Sound, located in what was known to early settlers of the area as Hunting Quarters. It is the location of US 70's eastern terminus and the ferry terminal for journeys to North Core Banks in the Cape Lookout...
- Atlantic BeachAtlantic Beach, North Carolina-Demographics:As of the census of 2008, there were 1,815 people, 971 households, and 498 families residing in the town. The population density was . There were 4,728 housing units at an average density of 2,206.0 per square mile...
- Beaufort
- Bogue
- Broad Creek, North CarolinaBroad Creek, North CarolinaThe Broad Creek area of Carteret County, North Carolina is part of the greater Newport, North Carolina area. It currently shares the Newport zip code of 28570.- Housing developments :...
- Camp Lejeune Marine Corps Base
- Cape Carteret
- Cape Lookout National SeashoreCape Lookout National SeashoreCape Lookout National Seashore preserves a 56-mile long section of the Southern Outer Banks, or Crystal Coast, of North Carolina, USA, running from Ocracoke Inlet on the northeast to Beaufort Inlet on the southeast. Three undeveloped barrier islands make up the seashore - North Core Banks, South...
- Cedar Point
- Emerald Isle
- Fort MaconFort Macon State ParkFort Macon State Park is a North Carolina state park in Carteret County, North Carolina, in the United States. Located on Bogue Banks near Atlantic Beach, the park opened in 1936...
- Hammocks BeachHammocks Beach State ParkHammocks Beach State Park is a North Carolina state park in Onslow County, North Carolina in the United States. Located near Swansboro, along the Southern Outer Banks, or Crystal Coast, the state park covers and consists mainly of Bear Island, but also nearby Huggins Island, as well as Jones...
(Bear Island) - Harkers IslandHarkers Island, North CarolinaHarkers Island is a census-designated place in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population of Harkers Island was 1,623 at the 2007 census. Harkers Island is unincorporated and receives most public services, including law enforcement and public education, from Carteret County....
- Indian Beach
- Morehead CityMorehead City, North CarolinaMorehead City is a port city in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 8,661 at the 2010 census. Morehead City celebrated the 150th anniversary of its founding on May 5, 2007...
- NewportNewport, North CarolinaNewport is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 3,349 at the 2000 census.-History:Newport was officially chartered in 1866. Although the crossroads community on the Newport River was known by that name decades earlier, the area was also known as Bell's Corner...
- Peletier
- Pine Knoll ShoresPine Knoll Shores, North CarolinaPine Knoll Shores is a town in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 1,547 at the 2008 census. One of North Carolina's state aquariums is located here.-Geography:Pine Knoll Shores is located at ....
- Salter PathSalter Path, North CarolinaSalter Path is an unincorporated community in Carteret County, North Carolina, United States. A Crystal Coast community, it lies on Bogue Banks between the towns of Emerald Isle and Indian Beach.-History:...
- Sealevel
- Shackleford BanksShackleford BanksShackleford Banks is a barrier island system on the coast of Carteret County, North Carolina. It contains a herd of feral horses, scallop, crabs and various sea animals, including summer nesting by loggerhead turtles...
- SwansboroSwansboro, North CarolinaSwansboro is a town in Onslow County, North Carolina, United States. In 2007, the estimated population was 1,540. It is part of the Jacksonville, North Carolina Metropolitan Statistical Area...
Transportation
The following highways are major arterial roads in the Crystal Coast area:- U.S. Highway 70
- North Carolina Highway 58
- North Carolina Highway 24
- North Carolina Highway 101