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| This site uses
GPS coordinates where applicable, displayed in red in the decimal
degrees format (hddd.ddddd°). As
coordinates are collected, they will be retrofitted to existing information,
and incorporated into future information. ((More
info and conversions)) |
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The
map below represents the area of North Carolina's coast covered in some
way within the pages of OuterBanksGuidebook.com. Obviously there
are cities and features included here which are not actually "on" the
Outer Banks. But just as the history, folklore and legend of these barrier
islands are so inextricably intertwined, it is equally difficult to separate
much of the surrounding maritime area from inclusion. For example, Bath,
the first town in North Carolina, was once home to Edward Teach, better
know as Blackbeard. His flagship, the "Queen Anne's Revenge", was scuttled
in the early 1700's near Beaufort, where its remains were discovered
in 1996 in Beaufort Inlet. Blackbeard was killed in 1718 in a Naval battle
near Ocracoke.
So it goes, each small bit of history, legend or
folklore leads the curious explorer from one location to another. Although
the water of the sounds and rivers separates the barrier islands from
the mainland coastline, it has always served just as surely to connect
them. Anyone who explores the Outer Banks will eventually find themselves
visiting other places all along the coastline. |
Related Links -
Beach Ramp access map and information |
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The
cities, towns and villages listed on this map, and many, many
more in-between, have been visited by the author. Every bridge
and ferry,
each of the lighthouses, and hundreds of miles of road and
the water connecting them were all explored for this web site.
But
the exploration is not finished by any means, as this is an
ongoing photographic odyssey which will be expanded and refined
with time.
For example, plans are in the works to sail and photograph
the full length of the Intracoastal Waterway through North
Carolina,
from the Virginia line to South Carolina.
The three initial explorations which prepared
the groundwork for this site came immediately following Hurricane
Isabel. The hurricane delayed the original trip plans by more than
two weeks, and some areas were still off limits due to Isabel's
devastation. Hatteras Village was still isolated by the new inlet
Isabel had just created, and only residents were allowed access
to the village. |
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During
the first trip to Ocracoke and Cape Lookout, the entire island
of Ocracoke, except for the village proper and about two miles
of Highway 12 north, was off limits to all but National Park
Service personnel. Likewise, the "roads" on Cape Lookout were
still closed to non-Park Service vehicles.
The following week,
on a subsequent trip to the same areas, Highway 12 on Ocracoke
was open farther north, but only as far as the pony pens,
and there
was still no Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry. The National Park Service
still had Portsmouth Village on Core Banks off limits
for the private ferry
services
running from Ocracoke, so that portion of the trip had to
be left for
another time as well. The first day back at Cape Lookout
was the first time since Isabel that vehicles were allowed
on the
4WD roads there.
Such small omissions will be remedied through
future trips, which will expand and enhance this site. For now
though, take some time to look over the map, or try
this larger, easier to read zoomable version of the map
in PDF format. Then explore North Carolina's Outer Banks through
the rest of this site, and discover something beautiful
and interesting for yourself.
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| Visit
these other web sites by Fred Hurteau |
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