File:Coast watch (1979) (20665944781).jpg

Title: Coast watch
Identifier: coastwatch00uncs_2 (find matches)
Year: 1979 (1970s)
Authors: UNC Sea Grant College Program
Subjects: Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology
Publisher: (Raleigh, N. C. : UNC Sea Grant College Program)
Contributing Library: State Library of North Carolina
Digitizing Sponsor: North Carolina Digital Heritage Center

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a mother sea turtle struggle to shore to lay her eggs. Make these discoveries on your own, or join one of the ranger-led programs available June 15 through Labor Day. 919/728-2121. â Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Dare and Hyde counties. Picture yourself in a landscape at the beach. The sky is painted dark rose and orange as the sun sets behind you. A flock of gulls pass overhead, and the ocean glimmers. Now turn up the volume. Feel the wind; then smell the salty air. From Bodie Island to Ocracoke Island, scenes like this occur almost every day. The Cape Hatteras National Seashore stretches more than 70 miles along the Outer Banks, offering nature, history and adventure to its visitors. A variety of fishing spots, from the surf to offshore waters, keep fishermen angling for fish like striped bass and bluefish. Surf casting and charter boat trips are popu- lar pastimes at Ocracoke, too. If you'd rather stay on the island, go bird watching or view the wild "Banker Ponies," said to have been on the island since the 1500s. The seashore calendar fills quickly in the summer with organized programs at the six visitor centers. Take a morning bird walk, hear a whale of a tale or find out what's cooking in Ocracoke. National Park Service headquar- ters, 919/473-2111. Visitor Centers: Whalebone Junction, 919/441-6644; Fort Raleigh, 919/473- 5772; Wright Brothers, 919/441-7430; Bodie Island, 919/441-5711; Hatteras Island, 919/995- 5209; and Ocracoke Island, 919/928-4531. â National Wildlife refuges. You could go wild traipsing through any of the seven refuges at North Carolina's coast. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service established these reserves as natural habitats for certain species of animals; however, each offers human visitors rich op- portunities for observing the wildlife. Alligator River complex: Alligator River National Wildlife Refuge, Dare and Tyrrell counties. A relatively new and undeveloped refuge, this 120,000-acre re- serve is "wide open," says assistant manager Al Schriver. Its coastal and swamp habitats are unique to this part of the country, attracting many varieties of waterbirds and animals such as deer and black bear. To see the refuge, U.S. 264 is the easiest access, says Schriver. Old logging roads exist for the adventurous. Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge, Dare County. Some people might say Pea Island is for the birds. More than 260 species have been spotted in the 5,915-acre refuge that extends along the Outer Banks from Oregon Inlet to the village of Rodanthe. With a pair of binoculars and a little luck, visitors may spot a brown pelican skimming by or a fox or a pheasant hiding in the brush. Although bird watching is a Photo by Gene Furr
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favorite activity in the refuge, nature study programs, photography, hiking, surf fishing, swimming, sunbathing, surfing and crabbing are equally popular. For those who really want to rough it, the Currituck Wildlife Refuge in Currituck County waits. Shorebirds and wildlife are similar to the kinds found at Pea Island, but brushland is more plentiful here, providing habitat for smaller creatures. The refuge and beaches are open to the public; however, there are no facili- ties or developed roads. For information on any of the refuges in the Alligator River complex, call 919/473-1131. Mattamuskeet complex: Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge, Hyde County. In the winter, things get kind of crowded at Lake Mattamuskeet. It gets awfully tough for a tundra swan or a Canada goose to find a parking place with thousands of Continued on next page North Carolina beaches offer endless hours of summer fun

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