Ocracoke Returns to the Top of Best Beaches List

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May 25, 2022, 06:00 ET

OCRACOKE, N.C., May 25, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- The lifeguarded beach at Ocracoke, the barrier island famous for its Blackbeard connection, returns to the top of Dr. Beach's list of 10 Best Beaches in America, a pinnacle it first reached in 2007. Dr. Stephen Leatherman (aka Dr. Beach) officially revealed the 2022 selection today at a gathering on the island.

"Ocracoke has what people are looking for," Leatherman said. "It has beautiful sand, soft light, and the water's clean and clear. The temperature's in the 70s today, beach-type weather, no jellyfish, no seaweed. Then it has a quaint little village with B&Bs and small, wonderful restaurants."

Also returning to the list at No. 6: Old Lighthouse Beach at Buxton, the former location of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. The Buxton and Ocracoke beaches are part of the 75-mile Cape Hatteras National Seashore.

Surrounded by the Atlantic and the Pamlico Sound, Ocracoke lies 26 miles from the mainland. Accessible by air and ferry, it boasts 16 miles of pristine coastline, including the lifeguarded Ocracoke Beach near the village. The island beguiles with its untamed beauty, colorful history, fresh catch, and singular inns and shops.

"Islanders refer to the experience here as an 'Ocracoma,' ˮ said Wit Tuttell, executive director of Visit North Carolina, which organized the gathering with Ocracoke Township Tourism Development Authority. "It's a state of mind removed from the concerns and trappings of your elsewhere life, and if you're lucky, it will stick with you once you return to the mainland. By the way, Howard's Pub serves a rum drink called the Ocracoma if anyone wants to get there faster."

Leatherman, who grew up in Charlotte and earned a geosciences degree from N.C. State University, rates 650 public beaches on 50 criteria, including beach width at low tide, water and sand quality, wildlife, cleanliness and public safety. A professor and director of Florida International University's Laboratory for Coastal Research, he awards bonus points for a smoking prohibition, which weighs in favor of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore beaches.

A favorite getaway

Leatherman frequently refers to Ocracoke as his favorite getaway beach. There's virtually nothing but nature to the north or south of the village that surrounds Silver Lake, a clam-shaped harbor on the Pamlico Sound. Discovering the island's spirits, secrets and singular stories magnifies the rewards of a visit. Points of interest:

The Ocracoke Lighthouse, the nation's second oldest, which casts a beam that's visible from 14 miles at sea. The 75-foot tower, which celebrates its 200th birthday in 2023, is a picturesque centerpiece for an island walking tour.
The pony pens, housing a once-wild herd believed to be descended from Colonial Spanish mustangs brought here by Sir Richard Grenville, whose ship ran aground at Ocracoke in 1585. The horses are now protected by the National Park Service.
The British Cemetery, the final resting place for four British seamen killed while defending the U.S. coast from German U-boats in 1941. A memorial service is held there every year in early May.

Springer's Point Preserve merits special notice as Blackbeard's stomping grounds. On Nov. 22, 1718, Royal Navy Lt. Robert Maynard engaged with the pirate in a duel to the death and departed the island with Blackbeard's head attached to his bowsprit. The mile-long trail through 120-acre expanse of maritime forest, salt marsh and sound-front beach is also notable for the grave of island resident Sam Jones, entombed next to equine companion Ikey D in ready-to-mount position.

"It's impossible to shake Blackbeard's presence at Springer's Point and his legacy elsewhere on the island," Tuttell said. "Blackbeard's Lodge, 1718 Brewing and other places invoke real pirate history. It's surprising how many residents trace their family line to William Howard, who served as Blackbeard's quartermaster and owned the island for a time."

Four N.C. Ferry Service routes serve Ocracoke-bound travelers. The Ocracoke Express, a 70-minute passenger-only ferry, runs seasonally from Hatteras to a terminal on Silver Lake. To get around, travelers can bring or rent bikes, book a golf cart, board the free Ocracoke Village Tram or explore on foot. Vehicle ferries run from Cedar Island (2¼ hours) and Swan Quarter (2¾ hours) to the Silver Lake terminal and from Hatteras to a northern terminal (1 hour).

Buxton and beyond

The Old Lighthouse Beach at Buxton consistently finds favor with Leatherman.

"This lifeguarded beach is the No. 1 surfing spot on the U. S. Atlantic Coast," Leatherman says. He also enjoys strolling at Cape Point, Cape Hatteras' easternmost elbow of land, "where a long sand spit often exists, making one feel somewhat like Moses because the waves are coming from both directions as you walk along this narrow string of sand in the ocean."

Dr. Beach's list began in 1991 as a Top 50 selection that included Ocracoke at No. 17. The island's steady ascent led to the summit in 2007, when it became the first beach outside of Hawaii and Florida to make it to the top. No other beach outside those states has earned the crown twice.

Leatherman's original list included three other remote North Carolina beaches: Hammocks Beach near Swansboro (No. 30); Bald Head Island at the state's southernmost tip (No. 44); and Portsmouth Island at Cape Lookout National Seashore (No. 46).

North Carolina owes its coastal wealth to 320 miles along the Atlantic plus the shores of eight sounds, whose shallow waters lie between the fragile barrier islands and the mainland.

"Instead of an oceanfront lined by high-rise hotels, North Carolina has dunes topped by sea oats, which beautifully frame the sight of the sea," Tuttell said. "Hurricanes leave their mark, but our resilient communities have drawn on time-honored ways to restore what makes our coast so precious."

To enlist travelers in sustainable enjoyment of natural spaces, Visit NC has created Outdoor NC in partnership with the Leave No Trace Center for Outdoor Ethics and the N.C. Outdoor Recreation Industry Office. The initiative's seven principles, which address safety and courtesy as well as protecting the environment, carry special considerations for the coast.

"Coastal destinations have joined the cause, which the National Park Service supports through its own relationship with Leave No Trace," Tuttell said. "As we celebrate the attention Dr. Leatherman brings to Ocracoke and Old Lighthouse Beach, we're eager to protect the essence of what makes the North Carolina coast so special."

For more about planning a North Carolina getaway, head to VisitNC.com.

Resources:

Facts about North Carolina beaches.
Routes to Ocracoke via the N.C. Ferry System, celebrating its 75th anniversary.
Visual assets.

About Visit North Carolina:
Visit North Carolina is part of the Economic Development Partnership of North Carolina. Established in 2014, the EDPNC is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation that oversees the state's efforts in business and job recruitment and retention, international trade, and tourism, film and sports development. The mission of Visit North Carolina is to unify and lead the state in developing North Carolina as a major destination for leisure travel, group tours, meetings and conventions, sports events and film production. For more information on North Carolina's destinations and travel assets, go to VisitNC.com.

SOURCE Visit North Carolina