Ocracoke, North Carolina - Getting There is Half the Fun

The quaint barrier island of Ocracoke, North Carolina -- population under 1,000 in 2011 - is an island in time as well as in geographical space. From the moment visitors first step off the ferry to the time they search rear-view mirrors for its last tracess, visitors walk along streets lined with bike riders and occasional golf carts taking advantage of two popular types of transportation on this island.

Occasional glances at their modern watches remind them that it's 2011, not the 1950s or 1960s, as surrounding homes and businesses make it appear.

How to Travel to Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Although the village of Ocracoke possesses enough charm of its own to offer travelers, the getting there itself remains half the fun of visiting Ocracoke Island.

One does not drive to Ocracoke. There are only two ways to reach the island, no doubt a side benefit Edward Teach, the Pirate Blackbeard, discovered in the early 1700s. Visitors must reach to Ocracoke by either boat or plane.

Yes, Ocracoke does boast a small landing strip and airfield. Large enough for private passenger planes, the airfield lies at the northern end of the island near Ocracoke Village. To experience eastern North Carolina in all its glory, travelers must see the barrier islands and the "Graveyard of the Atlantic" from the air at least once in their lifetimes.

Private boats, no matter the type, remain a popular way of arrival at Ocracoke. Fishing boats, motor boats and sailboats enter Silver Lake Bay and pull up within walking distance to a string of quaint hotels, condos, restaurants and small shops.

Most visitors arrive in Ocracoke via way of the North Carolina State Ferry system. From northern routes, visitors enter from NC Highway 12 out of Nags Head, North Carolina via a tiny ribbon of highway that runs down the length of Cape Hatteras National Seashore. At times the overwash from the Atlantic Ocean on the east and the Pamlico Sound on the west almost touch each other. Views through the dune-lined stretches of the best beaches in North Carolina make the drive spectacular. Visitors who leave their cars and walk to the beach are rewarded with panoramic vistas of pristine sand, sky and shoreline.

From Nags Head, visitors travel southward over the high Oregon Inlet Bridge and through the tiny towns of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras before reaching the free ferry from Hatteras Island to Ocracoke Island. The ferry ride lasts approximately 40 minutes, but there may be a lengthy wait for the ferry during peak tourist season. Don't worry, though. The scenery is well worth the wait.

Visitors can reach Ocracoke via the Swan Quarter Ferry over the Pamlico Sound from Swan Quarter and NC-45, or they can take the Cedar Island Ferry from US-70 East and NC-12 headed north from Morehead and points on the North Carolina Crystal Coast. Both of these ferries require payment, but the ride is worth the price.

North Carolina prides itself on its ferry system. Ferries are comfortable, safe and offer spectacular views of surf-churned inlets and surf, sand and sky. Tourists often see pods of dolphin, osprey and hundreds of water fowl. Wild ponies have lived on Ocracoke Island since Spanish explorers brought them there in the 16th century. Descendants of those early ponies still thrill children and adult visitors.

What visitors to will not see at Ocracoke are chain restaurants, hotels or chain stores of any type. Their absence alone is where the other half of the fun of Ocracoke begins - but that's another story.

References:

National Park Service: Cape Hatteras National Seashore. Accessed February 11, 2011

www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/directions.htm

North Carolina Department of Transportation: Ferry Division. Accessed February 11, 2011

On the Water: Pirates in the Atlantic World. Accessed February 11, 2011

Preserve America: Ocracoke, North Carolina. Accessed February 10, 2011

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