Tag Archives: beacon

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse, North Carolina

Standing at the base of the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, I noticed the impressive, ominous tower of bricks reaching 158 feet towards the Carolina sky.  My family and I had stopped at the historic Corolla Village to climb the 214 steps that leads to the gallery deck for phenomenal views of the North Carolina coast.

We could see the lighthouse from our summer rental home and the children were fascinated with watching the lights at night.  Counting the seconds as the glow circled back to the house, the kids giggled at each passing of the light and jumped up and down in excitement.

It was a hot summer day and although the lighthouse cast a shadow as if to protect us in line, we realized it was going to be steamy climb on the inside. Slow and steady we climbed each step, reaching the tight circular deck at the top.  From here we would be able to experience gorgeous views of the Outer Banks that reached all the way to the Virginia state line.

The metal, spiral staircase was secure but made us feel weak in the knees.  The distance between each step was shallow, so we were more cautious to ensure that we would not trip nor lose our footing.  Windows had been inserted randomly giving us a breath of fresh air to carry on with our climb. The breeze felt great but we could feel the sweat dripping through our clothes and we had not yet reached the top.

There were signs at each window that labeled the thickness of the lighthouse at each stopping point.  With walls measuring 5 foot 8 inches at the bottom, the depth of the walls tapered off to 3 feet towards the top.

We loved the fact that the Currituck Beach Lighthouse had not been painted so the one million bricks were exposed.  Compared to the other Outer Banks lighthouses, Currituck Light was the last major brick lighthouse built on the shores of North Carolina.

It seemed like eternity but we finally reached the top and were met with a stunning view and a gentle breeze.  We carefully stepped onto the gallery and realized once again, we were weak in the from the height and instantly grabbed onto the rail.  Cautiously walking the circular overlook, I too found myself white-knuckling the banister but soon become more comfortable enough to loosen my grip.  We couldn’t get enough of the breeze and the spectacular panorama of the Atlantic Ocean, the Currituck Sound and the beautiful homes along the coast.

On the sound side of our view, the Whalehead Club stood out with its daisy yellow color and delicate dormers.  The Currituck Heritage Park was beautifully landscaped with Carolina foliage and was home to native birds, such as the osprey.

I was fascinated with the untouched natural habitat that had not yet been commercialized by local real estate. I learned from the lighthouse curator that the area had been preserved from further development and generations of visitors will have the opportunity to experience this view.

Around the corner of the platform, the  children were searching for the rental house where we were staying.   The group of homes made it somewhat difficult to confirm, but it was fun to watch how easily the kids were entertained.

The Currituck Beach Lighthouse was completed in December of 1875 and lit by the first lighthouse keeper, Nathaniel G. Burris.   We learned that the lighthouse is known as a first order lighthouse meaning that it has the largest of seven Fresnel lenses.

Since 1939, the beacon’s light has been automated, illuminating at dusk and ending at dawn. It can be seen for 18 nautical miles.

For more information about the Currituck Beach Lighthouse, visit the museum and lighthouse exhibits on the ground floor.  Learn more about the Fresnel lens, the shipwrecks and history of the lighthouse keepers.

Check out the website for the lighthouse to learn more about upcoming events such as educational series, wine tastings, historical sessions, and a Halloween event.

Email the lighthouse directly at info@currituckbeachlight.com or call 252 453 8152.

What to See and What to Do:

Curritick Beach Lighthouse
1101 Corolla Village Road
PO Box 58
Corolla, NC  27927
Telephone:  252 453 4939

Where to Stay:

Inn at Corolla Light
9606, 1066 Ocean Trail
Corolla, NC  27927
Telephone: 252 453 3340

Where to Eat:

The Oceanfront Grille
1197 Franklyn Street
Corolla, NC  27927
Telephone: 252 453 4748

The Bacon Wrapped Sea Scallops were drizzled with teriyaki sauce, which I ordered as an appetizer.  For my entree, I wanted to try the Filet Mignon as well as the Crabcake which was available as a combination meal.

What to Eat: 

  • Crab Benedict at Sam and Ornies on Nag’s Head
  • Frogmore Stew Steamer Bucket from Armstrong’s Seafood in Nag’s Head
  • Donuts at Duck Donuts
  • Carolina Barbecue at Pigman’s BBQ on Nag’s Head

What to Read: 

  • Hatteras Blue, by David Poyer
  • Early from the Dance, by David Payne
  • Surf Men by C.T. Marshall
  • Murder at Hatteras by Joe C. Ellis
  • Return to the Outer Banks by Diann Ducharme

Photo Guide for the Outer Banks

  • Pea Island Wildlife Refuge for capturing local birds
  • Jennette’s Pier to photograph local fishermen and beautiful sunrises
  • Ocracoke Horses
  • Triangle Shipwreck at Kill Devils Hill
  • Shipwreck artifacts at Seagreen Gallery
  • The Cape Hatteras lighthouse at Cape Hatteras
  • Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Protecting the treacherous coastline of the Diamond Shoals, the Cape Hatteras Light Station is the most famous of the lighthouses along the Outer Banks. With an impressive height of 208 feet tall, it is the tallest brick beacon of light in the US offering spectacular coast views that extend from Avon to Hatteras Village.  It was at the insistence of Alexander Hamilton, who grew up on this dangerous coast that insisted on the building of Cape Hatteras lighthouse.

I remember when I was young our family would visit the Outer Banks over the summer.  I enjoyed the moments we spent at the beach, but a visit to the Cape Hatteras was a vacation pilgrimage.  During each visit, we would climb the 257 steps to the top and look out into the ocean and the sound.  We considered it one of the highlights of our Cape Hatteras trip.

Our family experienced a once in a lifetime event at Cape Hatteras in 1999.  Watching the historical move of the lighthouse, inching its way across the sand, was a week we would never forget.  My grandfather even bought the t-shirt to prove he was there.

Due to storms and hurricanes, the beach was gradually eroding, threatening the stabilization of the structure.  It was feared that the lighthouse would eventually collapse into the Atlantic Ocean, so it was decided that it should be transported about 2,900 feet inland.

The Cape Hatteras Light Station is open seven days a week from Easter to Thanksgiving. National Park rangers provide guided tours to the top for a small fee.   Over 175,000 visitors drop in on the famous lighthouse with its familiar black and white barber pole stripes.  Operated by the National Park Service is the Hatteras Island Visitor Center and Museum of the Sea in close proximity to the lighthouse.  There are several exhibits, the visitor center, ranger programs and a bookstore as well as a .75 mile nature trail  to Cape Point and a shaded picnic area nearby. For many visitors to the Outer Banks, spending time at Cape Hatteras is a family tradition with fond memories of their visit to this fabulous coastal destination.

Have you visited the Cape Hatteras Light Station?  What were some of the highlights of your trip to the Outer Banks!  I would love to hear from you if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my time spent at the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Cape Hatteras Lighthouse
46368 Lighthouse Road
Buxton, NC  27920
Telephone:  252 473 2111

Where to Stay:

Hatteras Island Inn
46745 NC-12
Buxton, NC  27920
Telephone:  252 995 6100

Where to Eat:

The Captain’s Table
47048 NC-12
Buxton, NC  27920
Telephone:  252 995 3117

We had already eaten lunch up in Corolla, so we thought we would enjoy a small meal to tie us over for dinner.  I was excited to try the fried oysters, taking advantage of the local seafood.

What to Eat: 

  • Crab Benedict at Sam and Ornies on Nag’s Head
  • Frogmore Stew Steamer Bucket from Armstrong’s Seafood in Nag’s Head
  • Donuts at Duck Donuts
  • Carolina Barbecue at Pigman’s BBQ on Nag’s Head

What to Read: 

  • Hatteras Blue, by David Poyer
  • Early from the Dance, by David Payne
  • Surf Men by C.T. Marshall
  • Murder at Hatteras by Joe C. Ellis
  • Return to the Outer Banks by Diann Ducharme

Photo Guide for the Outer Banks

  • Pea Island Wildlife Refuge for capturing local birds
  • Jennette’s Pier to photograph local fishermen and beautiful sunrises
  • Ocracoke Horses
  • Triangle Shipwreck at Kill Devils Hill
  • Shipwreck artifacts at Seagreen Gallery
  • The Cape Hatteras lighthouse at Cape Hatteras
  • Elizabethan Gardens in Manteo

The Ocracoke Lighthouse, Oldest Lighthouse in the US

Reaching only 76 feet in height, the stubby white Ocracoke Lighthouse may not be the tallest along the North Carolina Coast, but it is the oldest. Some resources claim that it is the second oldest in the United States. To help ship’s captains navigate through the Ocracoke Inlet, a wooden light was constructed in the vicinity of Shell Island in 1794.  A second lighthouse was constructed in 1822 by Massachusetts builder Noah Porter, and is the current, white conical shaped beacon that stands today. Located at the southern end of Cape Hatteras National Seashore on Lighthouse Road, the lighthouse’s original Fourth Order Fresnel Lens was replaced with it was automated in the early 1900s.  The Ocracoke lighthouse was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1977 as Ocracoke Light Station.

Ocracoke Island was once an important trading route off of the coast of North Carolina dating back to the late 1500s. It was known to harbor pirates, including the most famous of all buccaneers, Blackbeard. Although he sailed up and down the coast as well as scouted the Caribbean Islands, it was said that Ocracoke was his favorite of the islands. It was here where he would set up camp, when he was not pillaging of course and where his  notable brigand lived, drank and caused many a raucous.

Blackbeard’s given name was Edward Drummond and he became a seafarer at an early age, starting out as a cabin boy. He eventually went to work for the Queen of England, attacking French merchant ships and sharing the wealth of their plunder with his crew.  He would eventually receive the title of privateer, a sort of legal pirate for the royal families.  All one would need was a government issued license and of course the pay was incredibly rich. Yet, when England and France became alliances once again, the role of privateer was abolished.

At the end of Queen Anne’s War, the privateers were offered amnesty, were required to end their pirating ways and forced to swear that they would no longer raid the merchant ships.  It was at this time that Drummond changed his name to Edward Teach and refused to adhere to the new requirements.  Naming his ship Queen Anne’s Revenge, he continued his life as a pirate.

Teach later settled in Bath, North Carolina, continuing his pirating ways until he was shot by LIeutenant Robert Maynard in a shootout on November 22nd, 1718.

To learn more about Blackbeard, visit the Teach’s Hole Blackbeard Exhibit and Pirate Specialty Shop.

The Ocracoke Island Lighthouse does not allow visitors to climb to the top of the light.  Local shops provide plenty of memorabilia, souvenirs and lighthouse books about the Ocracoke Light Station.

What to See and What to Do:

Ocracoke Island Lighthouse
Telephone:  252 928 4531

Where to Stay:

The Castle B&B
155 Silver Lake Drive
Ocracoke, NC  27960
Telephone:  252 928 3505

Where to Eat:

1718 Brewing Ocracoke
1129 Irvin Garrish Highway
Ocracoke, NC  27960
Telephone:  252 928 2337

Stopping just for a drink, we enjoyed the Essential Pale Ale.

What to Eat: 

  • Seafood along Irvin Garrish Highway for large shrimp in July when they are in season.  You can purchase them either plain or seasoned. Check out Ocracoke Seafood Company at 416 Irvin Garrish Highway.

What to Read: 

  • Blackbeard the Pirate:  A Reappraisal of His Life and Times, by Robert Earl Lee

Photo Guide for Ocracoke Island

  • The Outer Banks Scenic Highway that runs along the island for photos of the wild mustangs
  • Ocracoke Harbor
  • Ocracoke Island Lighthouse