Outer Banks
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The northern part of the Outer Banks from Oregon Inlet northward is considered part of the North American mainland, although it is technically cut apart from the mainland by the Intracoastal Waterway passing through the Great Dismal Swamp, which occupies much of the mainland to the west of the Outer Banks. It is part of a continuous sand ridge extending well into the city of Virginia Beach, Virginia. For all practical purposes, it is a barrier island; there is no road access from Virginia through the ridge. Road access to the northern Outer Banks ends in Corolla, North Carolina with other communities such as Carova only being accessible by four-wheel drive vehicles. North Carolina State Highway 12 links most of the popular Outer Banks communities. The island itself is not anchored to an offshore coral reef like some other barrier islands and suffers significant beach erosion during some severe storms known to locals as north-easters.
The position of the Outer Banks punching out into the Atlantic makes the area the most hurricane-prone area north of Florida, for both landfalling storms and brushing storms offshore. The easternmost point is Cape Point at Cape Hatteras on Hatteras Island, site of the famous candy-striped Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. It is 208 feet tall and was moved inland away from the encroaching ocean in 1999. It weighs 4800 tons and was moved 2900 feet.
Outer Banks is popularly abbreviated OBX; Outer Banks residents petitioned their state representative Marc Basnight, who is also the North Carolina Senate President, to intervene on their behalf and have automobile license plates issued with the prefix OBX. This was done in 2001 and the plates OBX-0000 through OBX-9999 were soon exhausted. Locals protested and were rewarded with a new series beginning OBX10000 as NC plates are limited to only eight characters. These plates are only available to local residents. The natives are known as "Bankers". The area is also home to colonies of wild horses, known as "Banker Ponies", descended from Spanish Mustangs washed ashore centuries ago in shipwrecks. Noted colonies exist near Corolla and on Ocracoke Island, the home base of pirate Edward Teach also known as Blackbeard. Ocracoke Island is only accessible by ferry from the southern tip of Hatteras Island, although local shops sell bumperstickers that state "Hatteras-Ocracoke Tunnel Permit". Another popular sticker appears to be a legitimate handicapped parking permit, but it shows a person in a wheelchair on a surfboard with the caption "Surfing Impaired- Too Old, Too Fat, Don't Care".
Outer Banks communities
Towns and communities along the Outer Banks include (listed from north to south):Bodie Island
Hatteras Island was actually cut in half September 18, 2003 by Hurricane Isabel which washed a new inlet 3000 feet wide and 30 feet deep through the community of Hatteras Village on the southern end of Hatteras Island. The island was repaired and restored by sand pumped ashore by the Army Corps of Engineers.
- Ocracoke
- Portsmouth Island (Uninhabited)
- Core Banks (Uninhabited)
- Shackleford Banks (Uninhabited)
Outer Banks parks
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore
- Cape Lookout National Seashore
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
Notable residents
- Andy Griffith, famous actor.
- Michael Collins, astronaut.
See also
External links
Outer Banks parks
- Cape Hatteras National Seashore
- Cape Lookout National Seashore
- Fort Raleigh National Historic Site
- Jockey's Ridge State Park
- Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge
- Wright Brothers National Memorial
Notable residents
- Andy Griffith, famous actor.
- Michael Collins, astronaut.
See also
External links
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