More than 420 species of birds have been recorded in this strip of shoreline, making it a primo birding location. Spring and fall are especially good times as birds are moving north-south, others are mating and nesting. Well, turns out the Outer Banks is right along the Atlantic Flyway, the “highway” for birds as they follow their seasonal migratory paths. If you wanted to spot the latest models of cars, you’d sit by the highway. Binoculars bring those little smudges into focus, and soon we were oohing and aah-ing at clusters of light and pointing out celestial bodies like Orion and the Milky Way. With so little light pollution, the stars tumble right down to the horizon. We always bring along binoculars for birding, but also to watch the nighttime action as the stars pop out in ink-black skies that are some of the darkest east of the Mississippi.
Special programs include guided dune walks and spotting for migrating raptors like peregrine falcons and hawks.
#Orion sandbox enhanced book of travels free
Entry to the park is free and you’ll think you’ve landed in the nation’s largest sandbox. The shifting sand mesmerizes at stops like Jockey’s Ridge State Park, home to the highest natural sand dunes on the east coast. There are many marked pull-offs and parking areas with trails over the dunes to the water.
We are great walkers and lovers of the ocean, so walks in the morning and late afternoon perfectly bookended each day. On the soundside, the waters are calmer and if you bring a standup paddleboard you could easily pass a half-day at Canadian Hole in Pamlico Sound. The Outer Banks are also renowned for the winds, which are perfect for launching a kite or windsurfing.
#Orion sandbox enhanced book of travels license
You can also throw a fishing line in the water (there’s a nominal license fee for individuals over age 16) or grab a flashlight and hunt the sand for ghost crabs from late May to early September.
It was beyond perfect for barefoot beach walks, gathering shells, building sandcastles and evening fires on the sand. But through the shoulder seasons-both spring and fall-we found we often had the sand to ourselves. This fragile shoreline is home to nesting birds and turtles and is under special protection-use pathways and stay off the dunes dogs must be on a leash.įrom mid-spring through late summer the beaches are busy with visitors looking to escape the sweltering summer heat. A large part of the entire sweep is the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (the first one in the nation) reaching from just south of Whalebone to the tip of Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. You could be forgiven if you never left the Outer Banks’ stunning beaches. We found there was so much on offer at this one-of-a-kind spot that the biggest challenge was choosing and trying to see and do as much as possible. Quite the opposite is true on the Outer Banks-that gorgeous 130-mile strip of barrier island off North Carolina’s Atlantic coast-where that old adage that “the best things in life are free” rings true. Oh-so often the highlights of a destination come with a hefty dip into your wallet.
0 kommentar(er)
