The United States has ten protected areas known as national seashores. One of these protected seashores is located in Carteret County. Cape Lookout National Seashore consists of three barrier islands, or banks as they are called: North Core Banks, South Core Banks, and Shackleford Banks. All three are basically giant, shifting sand bars that can change drastically with any given storm. Indeed, Cape Lookout National Seashore is an ever changing world and one of the most unstable geographical features in the world, more so some say than even an active volcanic area. For example, 100 years ago, Shackleford was connected to South Core Banks and Cape Lookout Light. Then, as a result of the 1933 Outer Banks Hurricane an inlet formed on the eastern edge of the Shackleford Banks. This inlet, now called Barden Inlet, separates Shackleford Banks from the rest of Cape Lookout National Seashore. This skinny island is approximately 8.5 miles long and is roughly a mile wide at its widest point, (depending on the tide.) The Shackleford Banks is bordered to the north by the Back Sound, and to the south by the Atlantic Ocean. Its western edge is bordered by Beaufort Inlet, while its eastern end is bordered by the much narrower Barden Inlet. Visitors who want to explore the Cape Lookout National Seashore with little effort, who would like to relax, take in the salt air, and enjoy the beach scene will want to check out the Shackleford Banks. Located just a few miles away at most from both Harkers Island and Beaufort, with a number of ferry services that depart from the heart of Downtown Beaufort, Shackleford Banks is arguably the easiest barrier island to reach out of the three islands that comprise the Cape Lookout National Seashore.
John Shackleford acquired the island that would eventually bear his name, along with other large tracts of coastal NC land in 1713. Initially, however , the island became known as “Cart Island,” which was probably a nod to Carteret County where the land resides, and the area remained in the Shackleford family until it was sold in 1805. By the late 1800s, the island was home to a small community of permanent residents – a settlement known as “Diamond City” – which, at its peak, had roughly 500 full-time locals. This island town, however, would not last for long, as an 1899 hurricane persuaded virtually all of the residents to abandon the town, with the last island dwellers leaving by 1902. Another hurricane, The island was eventually acquired by the National Park Service in the 1960s as part of the newly formed Cape Lookout National Seashore and has been a popular vacation destination – albeit an isolated one – ever since.
Although the Shackleford Banks is only accessible by boat, reaching the Shackleford Banks is a fairly easy venture thanks to Island Express Ferry Service. Island Express Ferry Service has two locations to serve the public. The first location is on Front Street in Downtown Beaufort. The second location is at the Harkers Island Visitors Center on Harkers Island. Island Express Ferry Service provides trips to and from the Shackleford Banks in 15-30 minute intervals, making it easy to catch a ride to the beach and back. The trip takes 20 minutes at the very most, and is a scenic ride across the Back Sound to reach your destination. Rates vary, but are generally in the $15 per person range, (with reduced rates for kids), for round-trip transport. In the summertime, the waters that border the Shackleford Banks are teeming with privately owned skiffs and small vessels that anchor just offshore, and mariners can easily hop off the boat to enjoy a day of sunning on the sand. The Back Sound waters are shallow and calm, and are ideal for anchoring for an afternoon. Several boat launches are available throughout the Crystal Coast, (including a convenient one located in the heart of Beaufort along Lennoxville Rd which has 31 parking spaces), and reaching the island from the center of Beaufort is a 20 minute cruise at the very most. While it’s a bit of a trek to reach the Shackleford Banks, (expect a 2 mile paddle or a little less), experienced paddlers can make the journey from the heart of Beaufort to the outlying barrier island shoreline. Steer clear of the inlets whenever possible to avoid big tidal currents, and watch for maritime traffic of all sizes that can be found within the Back Sound, which is part of the IntraCoastal Waterway.
Once you’ve arrived on the Shackleford Banks, there are a wealth of sunny beach activities in store. There is shelling – the Shackleford Banks are perhaps best known as an exceptional shelling destination, as the undeveloped and pristine beaches are completely unhabituated, with lots of shoreline to go around. A wide variety of seashells can be found along the beaches, including whelks, Scotch bonnets, olive shells, augers, sand dollars, colorful scallops, and moon snails. Beachcombers will have the best luck close to the inlets, after a high or a low tide. There is fishing – Like shelling, fishing is a very popular pastime on the Shackleford Banks due to the island’s isolation as well as its sound and ocean bordering beaches. Depending on the specific time of year, surf fishermen can expect to target Spanish and king mackerels, croaker, cobia, pompano, spot, trout, sea mullet, and even the occasional shark. Red drum and puppy drum also make seasonal appearances, especially in the spring and fall months when they are making their migratory cruise along the shoreline. There is surfing, kayaking, and other watersports – Because the Shackleford Banks borders both the Atlantic Ocean and the Back Sound, visitors can enjoy a wealth of watersports. The oceanside waves are generally gentle enough for beginner surfers, and are enticing throughout the summer months for swimmers, bodyboarders, and even skim-boarders. Meanwhile, the sound waters are perfect for kayaking, stand-up paddle boarding and windsurfing. Regardless of what sport you want to try, the sheer miles of saltwater will provide a perfect playground for discovering something new. Just use caution – there are no lifeguarded beaches on the isolated Shackleford Banks.
There is birdwatching – The Shackleford Banks is the perfect destination to catch a variety of shorebirds, water birds, and even migrating birds in the spring and fall months, thanks to a collection of different habitats, and a completely undeveloped landscape. Look for pelicans, plovers, skimmers, terns, and sandpipers close to the ocean, as well as egrets, ibises, and other wading birds in the salty marsh areas found close to the soundside. And, of course, there are the Banker Ponies. The Shackleford Banks are famed as an island home to the Cape Lookout National Seashore’s “Banker Ponies” – feral horses whose ancestors are believed to be shipwrecked Spanish Mustangs from the late 1500s. In addition to the feral horses which freely roam the beaches, shrub thickets, and maritime forests, the Shackleford Banks is also home to an assortment of fascinating critters – including ghost crabs, gray foxes, otters, blue crabs, and more – that will allure wildlife lovers of all ages. The Shackleford Banks are a must-see destination for any visitor who wants an introspective look at a deserted barrier island landscape. Teeming with exceptional shelling, fishing, and an abundance of wildlife, a Shackleford Banks exploration is easily within reach for family vacationers visitors to the Crystal Coast. To learn more about easy day trips from your vacation stay in Emerald Isle, go to my website, www.EmeraldIsleHomesforSaleNC.com and sign up for my blog. Ready to buy or sell? Call me at 919-308-2292. Explore the video tab for my weekly uploads to my YouTube channel. Subscribe to my YouTube channel and receive free donuts at my Flip Flops Donut shop. Text your email address to 919-308-2292 and subscribe to my newsletter. My book, "Live Where You Vacation" is available on Amazon.com or at Kindle.
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