I'll begin this blog by defining what Down East means to me. For starters, I'm not referring to Down East Maine. No, I am speaking about Down East, North Carolina. And, let's clear up some more confusion. In North Carolina, Down East can refer to two areas of Eastern North Carolina. The more general is anywhere east of I-95 in North Carolina in the coastal plain region. I'm not concerned about that area. The second is the historical group of coastal communities east of Beaufort in Carteret County. This is my Down East and it is this Down East that is the subject of this blog
A number of communities focused on fishing and the water are associated with Down East. These communities all are east of Beaufort with Bettie the closest to Beaufort and Cedar Island the furthest. In between, are the communities of Otway, Straits, Harkers Island, Gloucester, Marshallberg, Tusk, Smyrna, Williston, Davis, Stacy, Masontown, Sea Level, and Atlantic. Of these, Harkers Island is the largest community with about 1200 fulltime residents. All of these communities are unincorporated, so there are no mayors or city councils. Many native residents of these communities feature a High Tider ("Hoi Toider") accent, a dialect remnant of Elizabethan English that was once spoken in colonial Carolina. This dialect is indigenous to the lowland areas of North Carolina. As more and more Yankees move here, the accent is being asubsumed by the general southern accent of the Southeastern region. Down East is a major commercial and recreational fishing area, including shrimping and blue crabs and hunting, farming decoy carving and boating are other important revenue streams. Above all, family is important.
Highway 70 East/West travels from the westernmost community of Bettie to the easternmost community of Cedar Island, NC where there is a car ferry to take people to Ocracoke Island, NC and Cherry Branch. Harkers Island Road exits off Highway 70 to go to Harkers Island. Marshallberg Road takes travelers in to Marshallberg and Community Road takes travelers in to Davis, NC. Stacy Loop Rd takes travelers through residential areas of Stacy, NC. Highway 12 runs through Cedar Island, NC.
PruittHealth is a small community hospital in Sea Level where locals are treated for very minor conditions or stabilized for transport to Carteret General Hospital in Morehead City, NC (70 miles away). Vidant Medical Center is the largest tertiary trauma center and is located in Greenville, NC, about thre hours away.
The NC Ferry Division operates a car ferry service in Cedar Island NC and there are several private ferry service providers in Harkers Island that take people to Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout. In Davis, there is ferry service that takes people over to Great Island on Cape Lookout National Seashore. Additionally, in Atlantic NC, there is a ferry that takes people to Portsmouth Island.
The largest employer in Down East is commercial fishing, shrimping, shellfish harvesting, and crabbing. Commercial fishing is very much a culture and heritage in this community within Carteret County NC. Next to commercial fishing, being employed in Beaufort, Morehead City, or Havelock, NC (Cherry Point Marine Corps Air Station) at private companies or government is the 2nd largest employer.
All law enforcement in Down East is handled by the Carteret County Sheriffs Department. All 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th graders attend East Carteret High School in Beaufort, NC. East Carteret is second only to the Chapel Hill-Carrboro school system in SAT performance and Advance Placement scores. Open Ground Farms is partially located in this region and is likely a large employer of people in the area. Open Ground Farms is a large 45,000 acre farm focusing on agriculture. Many people locally enjoy duck and deer hunting and there are ample places to do so in various communities in the area.
If you are seeking recreational activities for the family, Cape Lookout is located on the Core Banks barrier island that is a few miles from Harkers Island. It is accessible only by boat. The visitors center provides a wealth of information about the lighthouse, campgrounds, and other information about local waters, tours, and marine life that are a part of this incredible area. I see this as a must visit area. Visiting this attraction also gives you a chance to talk with the federal rangers who work the lighthouse daily to ask more questions.
The Core Sound Waterfowl Museum located in Harkers Island is a very popular place to see a collection of artifacts related to the various waterfowl that inhabit the many communities Down East and it provides a great opportunity to learn more about decoy carving.
Shackleford Banks is an island that sits adjacent to the lighthouse and is a stretch of land that is completely uninhabited by humans, but does have a thriving community of wild horses that live there. Shackleford Island is under the control of the U.S. National Parks and is a very popular place for locals and tourists alike in the busy summer and fall months. However, this island is only accessible by boat so we encourage you to check out the local official boat ferries that take people over to this island. Ferries usually run every 30 minutes throughout the day except during inclement weather. Visiting this island is also another great opportunity to explore wildlife of our coastal region.
If you visit Down East be sure to return home with a crab pot Christmas Tree. To learn how to buy one at the source, or to subscribe to my newsletter, text your email address to: 919-308-2292. To learn more about Down East real estate or anywhere along the Crystal Coast of North Carolina sign up for my blog on my website, www.EIHomesforSale.com. Subscribe to Emerald Isle Vacation Home Specialist on You Tube. To receive my newsletter or my NEW book, “How to Enjoy Selling Your House,” text your email address to: 919-308-2292. Stay well and stay safe.
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