Hatteras Island

After crossing the Herbert C. Bonner Bridge heading south lies Hatteras Island. A beautiful island that’s about 42 miles long and at its widest parts only about 1 mile wide. The island is so narrow in some areas Highway 12 is just a few hundred feet from the waters of the Pamlico Sound and from the Atlantic Ocean surf. During bad storms or hurricanes the highway is covered by water and or sand. Hatteras is known as “the blue marlin capitol of the world” and is a great place to fish. There are several marinas located on the island. Taking a charter boat out for marlin, dolphin and red drum is a big business on the island. Due to an almost always blowing wind the island is very popular for the sport of windsurfing and kite boarding. Surfing is another popular activity. Cape Hatteras Beaches are frequently listed on the Top 10 Beaches List.

The first stop heading south from Oregon Inlet on Hatteras Island is the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge. A 13 mile long eco-system where more than 300 species of birds can flock thru out the year on their journey migrating north and south. The area consist of marsh, ponds, beaches and maritime forest that make it perfect for migrating birds to stop and rest in the refuge. At different times of the year visitors can see large numbers of pelicans, blue heron, geese, ducks, swans, shorebirds and wading birds. The refuge has a visitor’s center, bird watching stands a photography blind and 2 trails.

The Tri-villages of Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo

The first of 7 villages located on Hatteras Island that visitors reach heading south on Highway 12 is Rodanthe. Actually 3 villages make up the “tri-villages”. Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo all run together one next to the other. The Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station is located in Rodanthe. The station was built in 1874 and was one of the first life saving stations in North Carolina. The crew and the lifesaving stations later became what today is the US Coast Guard. Renovated in the 1970’s the 2 stations and 5 outbuildings are open to the public seasonally. Rescue demonstrations are held; tours of the station take place and a museum and gift shop are on the grounds.

Also in Rodanthe is the house used for the filming of the 2008 movie “Nights in Rodanthe” based on the book of the same name written by Nicholas Sparks. The house used to be the first oceanside house on the left as you enter Rodanthe on Highway 12. After being repeatedly damaged by ocean waves and flooding during storms the house was bought and the new owners moved the house (to prevent demolition). In the new location just down the road it sits oceanside but at a much safer distance and not as easy to see from the highway.

The first fishing pier on the island is located in Rodanthe. The Hatteras Island Fishing Pier is one of 3 fishing piers-only 2 intact and opens to the public for fishing. The 850 foot pier is open seasonally thru December. Common catches are blues, cobia, red drum, bass, tarpon and kings.

Rodanthe, Waves and Salvo have rental homes, shops, restaurants and lots of water related sports activities such as kite boarding, windsurfing and surfing.

Avon

After the Tri-villages the next village is Avon. The largest commercially of the 7 villages located on the entire island, Avon has the only major chain grocery store on Hatteras Island. First known as “Kinnakeet” this area grew up from 2 life saving stations located in the area. The crew and their families settled the community. Avon is now the most developed village on the island with restaurants, rental houses, shopping and a fishing pier.

The Avon Pier is 600 feet long and holds the World All-Tackle Record for red drum weighing 94 pounds and 2 ounces caught from the pier in 1984. Open seasonally the pier has a tackle shop, souvenirs and snacks.

Canadian Hole Area

After leaving Avon and before reaching the next village of Buxton is a well known area for kite boarding and windsurfing is Canadian Hole. It is located on the sound side of Highway 12. The haul-over, better known as the Canadian Hole, is the perfect place for water sports because of the shallow water and perfect winds. It is also a great place for families with small children to enjoy the shallow water and sandy bottom. The water is calm unlike the sometimes rough surf of the ocean. It has a small paved parking lot. It also has 4wheel drive (ORV) access. An ORV permit is required from the park service to park in the sand.

The area can become very crowded so get there earlier.It’s a great place to enjoy the sport or just watch all the fun. It’s also a great location to take a sunset picture each evening as the sun sinks into the Pamlico Sound.

Buxton

Hatteras Island, Cape Hatteras Lighthouse

A quick drive further south on Highway 12 takes you into Buxton. The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is located in Buxton. Climbing the lighthouse is a must while in Buxton. Nearby is Cape Point. Cape Point is world famous for great surf fishing. “The Point” is where the beach comes to a point close to the nearby warm waters of the Gulf Stream. Game fish migrating up and down the coast via the Gulf Stream can be caught. Fishing the point can result in reeling in Spanish mackerel, king mackerel, pompano, bluefish, red drum, mahi mahi, cobia and flounder plus shark and skat.

On the quieter side south of Cape Point is South Beach. The ocean meets the beach is gentle waves and the area is great for beach combing. After storms this is the place to find a variety of shells washed up onshore.

Diamonds Shoals are located off the coast of Buxton. The cold waters of the Labrador Current and the warm waters of the Gulf Stream current create rough waters and dangerous sandbars off the coast. Many shipwrecks have occurred off the N.C. coast in this area.

Frisco

After Buxton is the village of Frisco. Once called “Trent”. This area of Hatteras Island was where a large number of Native American Indians lived. Part of the Algonquin tribe, the Croatan Indians lived on the island. By the late 1700’s they tribe was no longer present. The Frisco Native Museum has many local artifacts found on the island on display.

The beaches of Frisco are perfect for families that want a day on the beach. The ocean waves are usually calm and the bottom is nice and sandy. It’s a great place for the kids to play in the ocean. The Scotch Bonnet Marina on the sound side has sound access for boaters and the Scotch Bonnet is the place to buy fudge made fresh daily in many different flavors.

Along Highway 12 visitors see signs about stables that offer horseback riding along the beach. There are also several tackle and bait shops for the fisherman. The Billy Mitchell Airstrip is located in Frisco and just past the airstrip is Ramp 49. This is a great beach if you have an ORV to enjoy a day at the ocean. The island also has the only airport (other than the Manteo Airport on Roanoke Island) on the Outer Banks.

The Frisco Pier located on Frisco was victim to a Hurricane Earl in 2010. It still stands but was heavily damaged. The pier house still stands and the area is a local landmark and a good surf fishing spot.

Hatteras Village

At the southern end of the island lies Hatteras Village. The main focus of Hatteras is fishing. Several marinas are located here with charter boats that take visitors out thru Hatteras Inlet to the Gulf Stream just 15 miles off the coast. In 1962 a 810 pound blue marlin was caught off the coast earning Hatteras the title Blue Marlin Fishing Capital of the World. Each afternoon when the charter boats return to the marinas crowds gather at the docks to see the catches unloaded. Catches of wahoo, yellowfin tuna, dolphin, cobia, red drum, blue marlin, white marlin, snapper and other species are common.

There are lots of shops, galleries, restaurants, coffee shops and beach supply stores along the highway. Hatteras has an historic village community with quaint old houses that once made up the fishing village. The library is located next to the church and the rescue squad in the bend of the road just before reaching the local Red and White grocery store.

The paved highway nears an end at Hatteras Landing. A shopping center painted in multi-pastel colors offering a number of different beach shops and eateries plus the Hatteras Landing Marina and office. Next door is the State Ferry System terminal to Ocracoke. And the last building at the end of the paved road is the Graveyard of the Atlantic museum. The museum actually looks like a ship with porthole windows, curved timbers and mask like poles. The museum has several displays of artifacts from numerous shipwrecks that occurred off the coast of Hatteras. It offers exhibits of Blackbeard and other pirates, artifacts from his ship the Queen Anne’s Revenge, war history and how the island was involved, and the Billy Mitchell exhibit. It also has weather related information and its affect on the island. In the lobby just as you enter the museum is the huge display of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse original first order Fresnel lens that once was atop the lighthouse in earlier days. The Meekins Gallery Gift Shop is located in the museum offering books, gifts and clothing that is island related.