Tag Archives: Ocracoke

The Hatteras and Ocracoke Ferries

Cruising towards the island of  Ocracoke, the ferry is surrounded by an aggressive flock of seagulls.  The sea salt spray fills the air as the birds scavenge around for leftover food and fish churned up from the underside of the commuter boat.

The roundtrip Hatteras/Ocracoke route is the most popular of the seven itineraries that operates along the Carolina coastline. Lasting 45 minutes, the ferry transports bikes, cars, trucks and passengers on foot, 365 days a year, free of charge. During the summer season, the ferry runs ever 30 minutes starting at 5 AM in the morning until midnight. Wait times for the ferry can run from 15 minutes to several hours depending on the time of the year and is on a first come, first serve basis. Trips to Ocracoke Island from the mainland are also accessible from both the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries.

Nearby the Hatteras Ferry terminal is the Hatteras Landing shopping center with a convenience store and deli as well as trendy boutiques and a surf shop.  Popular food stands provide plenty of options for grabbing a convenient meal before catching the boat ride over to the island.

For those with limited time, there are vending machines at the Visitor’s Center, where tourists can also pick up information about the island’s attractions.

At Hatteras Village, watch the fishermen bring in their day’s catch in the afternoon to have it weighed and cleaned.  There are fabulous seafood restaurants at The Harbors as well as spectacular waterfront views.

Once the ferry arrives at the terminal on Ocracoke Island, there is a 13-mile drive to reach Ocracoke Village.  Sand dunes provide a buffer between the beaches and the byway with plenty of beach access for the day.

Compared to the Hatteras Terminal, the Ocracoke Ferry Terminal is more primitive and simple with only a vending machine for snacks and basic restroom facilities.   A beach is within walking distance and can be accessed by one of three paths along the sound.

No reservations are required to ride the Ocracoke Ferry as it is a first come, first served facility.  There is no charge for the ride which runs 365 days per year, depending on the weather.  Vehicle parking is clearly marked  and visitors can leave their car and stroll around the terminal and nearby beach.  The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) recommends that passengers prepare to board the ferry by waiting inside of their vehicle 10 minutes before the time of departure.

The NCDOT provides a list of tips for traveling the Hatteras/Ocracoke ferries.

  • Avoid Tuesdays – Thursdays which are the most popular days during the summer.  Prime hours are considered 9 AM to 5 PM where waits can take up to several hours.
  • Visit Ocracoke Island in the evening and make plans to travel to Hatteras in the morning.  The shops in Ocracoke stay open late, closing around sunset or later.
  • Be ready to board the ferry 5 – 10 minutes prior to departure so you don’t miss the boat!
  • Smoking is not permitted on the ferry, including in your car.  Passengers may be fined if they disregard this rule.
  • Feeding the seagulls is not permitted.
  • Pets must be kept on a leash while riding the ferry.
  • The NCDOT reserves the right to check your driver’s license before boarding.  This is part of the Homeland Security program.
  • Priority passage lanes for those who have a priority pass.  No exceptions!
  • The last ferry from Hatteras Island or Ocracoke is 12:00 AM.  Don’t miss the boat!
  • The ferry terminal reserves the right to postpone or cancel ferry service due to extreme weather conditions, such as high winds.
  • The most scenic time  to take the ferry is at sunset or sunrise.

During our vacations to the Outer Banks, our family has continued  the tradition of taking the Hatteras to Ocracoke Ferry to explore the island.   The look on the children’s faces as we drive our cars on the ramp is an enjoyable moment.  They love the seagulls and feeling the sea mist upon their faces.  You can’t beat the price and experience of this entertaining mode of transportation and the memories that are made are forever priceless.

Have you had the opportunity to visit Okracoke Island by taking the Hatteras Ferry?  What are some of your most cherished memories of your visit?  I would love to hear from you if you would kindly leave your comments below.  Many thanks for reading about my wonderful memories of the Outer Banks and wishing you many Happy Travels!

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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

 

Bodie Island Lighthouse, Outer Banks, North Carolina

Driving south towards Ocracoke on Highway 12, I caught a glimpse of the Bodie (pronounced “Body”) Island Lighthouse in the distance.  I was halfway there, but decided to take the side road to have a closer look.  Towering over 156 feet, there are 214 steps to reach the top with spectacular views of the Albemarle Sound, the Oregon Inlet and the Atlantic Ocean.  The lighthouse recently reopened in 2014 after an extensive renovation and is the third lighthouse to stand in this place.

Bodie Light initially opened in 1872, under the recommendation of Lieutenant Napoleon L. Coste who was tasked with deciding the placement of lighthouses along the North Carolina Coast.  It was his opinion during his 1837 examination that “more vessels are lost there than on any other part of our coast” resulting in Congress’s decision to allocate funds to the project.

Unfortunately, the first lighthouse built on the site met with many challenges from the purchasing of the land and lack of experience to complete the project.  At 54 feet in height, the initial lighthouse was not only leaning, it would have cost more for the repairs than to start from the ground up.  This lighthouse project was abandoned in 1859.  That same year, a second lighthouse was constructed in close proximity to the first light reaching 80 feet in height.  Unfortunately, with the start of the Civil War, Confederate troops destroyed the lighthouse in fear that Union soldiers would use it in battle.

The lighthouse that stands today on the 15-acre site is north of the original lighthouses and was completed in 1872.  Surrounded by saltwater ponds, marshlands and maritime forest, it too had its problems as geese were known to have been flying into the lens and adequate grounding had not been installed to absorb the electric from lightning strikes.

The lightkeeper’s quarters was completed in 1872 as well, but due to its isolating location, the family lived off site during the cold winter months.  Eventually, there would be an improvement to access on the island and the families would live at the Keepers’ Quarters year around.   Once the light was electrified in 1932, the former keeper’s quarters was eventually converted into the visitor’s center.  Public tours of the lighthouse are permitted each year by purchasing tickets online.

Have you visited the Bodie Island Lighthouse?  Did you climb to the top to see the spectacular views?  I would love to hear about your visit if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below.  Many thanks for reading about my visit to Bodie Island Lighthouse and wishing you many Happy Travels!

What to See and What to Do:

Bodie Island Lighthouse
8210 Bodie Island Lighthouse Road
Nags Head, NC 27959
Telephone:  252 441 5711

  • Admission Fee:  There is a fee for climbing Bodie Lighthouse:  $10 for adults (13+) and $5 for children 12 and under.
  • Hours:  Visitor’s Center open daily from 9AM to 5PM, with the exception to Christmas; Bodie Island Lighthouse Climbing;  Open 3rd Friday in April through Columbus Day
  • Amenities:  visitor center, lighthouse climb
  • Scenic View: Spectacular views of the Hatteras coastline from the top of the lighthouse
  • Length of Visit:  less than 1 hour
  • Tips for Your Visit:  Wear comfortable shoes and be careful climbing the lighthouse

Where to Stay:

Scarborough Inn
524 US-64
Manteo, NC  27954
Telephone:    252 473 3979

Where to Eat:

Fish Heads Bar & Grill
8901 S. Old Oregon Inlet Road
Nags Head, NC  27959
Telephone:  252 441 5740

What more can you want?  Ocean views, seafood and a variety of craft beers?  Starting with the conch fritters, I enjoyed the light breading on the outside, yummy conch on the inside with a side of Napoleon Complex Pale Ale from Wicked Weed Brewing in Ashville, NC.  For my main meal, I decided on the crabcake without the bun and it was prepared perfectly!  I ordered the Pineapple Cider from Austin Eastciders Collaboratory from Austin, Texas, which had a refreshing tropical taste.

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