Category Archives: Seashore Information

05/28/10

Cape Hatteras Named #4 Best Beach in the U.S. by Dr. Beach

Cape Hatteras was named the 4th best beach in the US for 2010 by Dr. Beach! Up from #7 on the list in 2009 and #8 on the list in 2008, Cape Hatteras is an excellent place for beachcombing and fishing.

The Top 10 list is compiled each year by the coastal expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman, director of Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research knows as “Dr. Beach.” He uses 50 criteria to measure the beach quality. Some of these include sand and water conditions, cleanliness, wildlife, weather, safety, views, and amenities.

The complete list of the Top 10 beaches for 2010 is as follows:

1.Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York
2.Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
3.Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
4.Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
5.Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
6.Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
7.Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
8.Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9.Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii
10.Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

We hope you will make Cape Hatteras of North Carolina your travel destination this year!

05/6/10

Act now to submit your comments to the National Park Service on beach access

The National Park Service Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) for Beach Access in the Cape Hatteras National Seashore is now available to the public and open for comment. The document, according to the Park Service, “evaluates the impacts of several alternatives for regulations and procedures that would manage ORV [off-road vehicle] use and access in the national seashore.”

Public comment is essential to ensure free and open beach access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreational Area. The public comment period ends May 11th. Make Your Comment Online Today! Continue reading →

04/9/10

Important Workshops on Beach Access Have Been Scheduled

Three sessions have been planned by The Coalition for Beach Access to help the public better understand and comment on the Draft Environmental Impact Study (DEIS) of Access to the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Attend these free sessions and learn how YOU can help save beach access!

The workshops will be held:

  • Tuesday, 6:30p.m., Buxton, Cape Hatteras Secondary School
  • Wednesday 7 p.m., Ocracoke, Community Building
  • Thursday, 6:30 p.m., Kill Devil Hills, First Flight High School

For details about the workshops, click here.

For more information about the issue of beach access in Cape Hatteras National Seashore Recreation Area, click here.

09/4/09

Beach Access for the Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Legislation has been introduced in the U.S. House and Senate that would require the National Park Service to reinstate the Interim Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Management Plan for Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

This was the plan that the Park Service was using to govern pedestrian and vehicular access to the seashore before a Consent Decree was signed in 2008. The Consent Decree required the Park Service to close off the majority of Cape Hatteras’ beaches during the 2008 and 2009 spring and summer seasons. Continue reading →

05/22/09

Cape Hatteras listed as one of the top 10 beaches in America

Hatteras Island has once again made renowned “Dr. Beach’s 10 Best Beaches in America” list, with the Cape Hatteras beach ranking #7 for 2009.

Dr Beach, also known as Dr. Leatherman, is considered the national authority on pristine beaches, and bases his annual selections of the ten best beaches on 50 criteria, including water quality and temperature, cleanliness, weather, sand, safety and facilities. Continue reading →

09/4/08

Night driving permits available

Beginning September 16th, night driving (between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m.) will be permitted on all ORV accessible areas of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore on The Outer Banks of North Carolina, provided that the vehicle has signed a night driving permit visible on the dashboard.

Night driving permits are free and can be obtained by anyone who is licensed to drive a vehicle. A pdf version of the permit may be downloaded via the National Park Service website, Continue reading →

08/27/08

Geography Gone Wild

Cape Hatteras National Seashore

Geography gone wild: An overview of what makes Hatteras Island unique

North Carolina’s coast is home to a string of barrier islands composing the Outer Banks, with Hatteras Island smack in the center of this chain of long, sandy islands.

Barrier islands are not particularly unusual. Study a map of the East Coast, and you’ll find them everywhere from Maine to Florida, but locals and frequent visitors know that Hatteras Island is special, and the root of its unique character can be traced to its geography. Surrounded by water, Hatteras Island is literally 30 miles into the Atlantic Ocean, and this makes for a pretty wild place to vacation. Continue reading →

08/26/08

The Basics of Beachcombing

As fall approaches on The Outer Banks, and offshore swells pile buckets of flotsam and jetsam onto the shore, Hatteras Island becomes a beachcomber’s paradise. With less visitors to compete over the best finds, and miles of sand to explore, this is the time when dedicated hunters of shells and sea glass alike get up early, grab extra Food Lion bags for treasures, and head out on a pilgrimage to the beach. Continue reading →