Anyone who’s frequented North Carolina’s Outer Banks will notice something very different this summer: a brand new island. Off the tip of Cape Point in Buxton, a massive sandbar that measures a mile long has emerged from the water. It’s large enough to explore, and yet conditions to get there are unpredictable and potentially dangerous. Here’s more on the North Carolina’s newest island:
The Outer Banks of North Carolina is a group of barrier islands that makes an ideal vacation spot for residents and visitors alike.
sugargliding/flickr
The most southern of the barrier islands, Hatteras, is located in the heart of Cape Hatteras National Seashore and is known for its picturesque and undeveloped beaches.
Zach Frailey/flickr
And just off the coast of Hatteras now sits something quite unexpected: a new island!
Chad Koczera The sand dune, which measures a mile in length and three football fields in width, is situated just off of the tip of Cape Point. The sand bars of this area are known to shrink and expand according to currents, so the lifespan of this new island is uncertain.
So far this new addition to the Outer Banks has attracted fishermen, seashell collectors, and all kinds of explorers.
clio1789/flickr Among locals, the island has been deemed “Shelly Island” for its vast collection of seashells.
Officials warn against trying to make the journey from Hatteras to the new island, though.
grahamvphoto/flickr Depending on the tide, the current of water between the two sand bars can stretch 50 yards wide with the strength of a rip tide. The area is also known for its shark and stingray activity.
While the new island is certainly alluring, Hatteras has undergone improvements which make it more accessible than ever.
daveynin/flickr
So in the meantime, visitors can marvel at the new island from a safer distance.
Alistair Nicol/flickr And who knows…if the new island continues to expand, perhaps it too will become an accessible vacation spot in the Outer Banks.
What are your thoughts on North Carolina’s newest island? Feel free to share your thoughts with us! For related content, be sure to check out This Stunning Drone Footage Of North Carolina’s Outer Banks.
sugargliding/flickr
Zach Frailey/flickr
Chad Koczera
The sand dune, which measures a mile in length and three football fields in width, is situated just off of the tip of Cape Point. The sand bars of this area are known to shrink and expand according to currents, so the lifespan of this new island is uncertain.
clio1789/flickr
Among locals, the island has been deemed “Shelly Island” for its vast collection of seashells.
grahamvphoto/flickr
Depending on the tide, the current of water between the two sand bars can stretch 50 yards wide with the strength of a rip tide. The area is also known for its shark and stingray activity.
daveynin/flickr
Alistair Nicol/flickr
And who knows…if the new island continues to expand, perhaps it too will become an accessible vacation spot in the Outer Banks.
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