Wonderful things to do in Atlantic Beach

Located on the barrier island of Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, with miles of pristine beaches on both the ocean and sound side, this outdoor recreation paradise offers activities such as going to see the wild horses on Shackleford, visiting the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, surfing, fishing, boating, kayaking, and more. From lazy beach days to fun-filled adventures on the water to exciting nights out on the town, it’s easy to see what keeps vacationers coming back year after year.

For long days filled with fun in the sun, there’s no better place for memorable family beach vacations. Discover some of the best things to do in Atlantic Beach, NC during your next visit to North Carolina’s Crystal Coast.

Best Things to Do in Atlantic Beach, NC 

1. Hit the beach.

Situated on a barrier island that is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean and Bogue Sound, Atlantic Beach offers miles of pristine beaches for vacationers to enjoy a nearly endless list of activities both on and off the sand. The most popular public beach access point is at The Circle at Atlantic Beach, located just across the Atlantic Beach Causeway. Additional public beach access points can be found at Picnic Street Park and in Fort Macon State Park.

2. Stroll the boardwalk.

One of the highlights of The Circle at Atlantic Beach is the Atlantic Beach Boardwalk. Lining the short stretch of boardwalk are numerous beach shops and eateries, along with benches and picnic tables for vacationers to sit, relax and take in the beautiful views. Just off the sand are volleyball courts and a swing set for young children.

3. Visit North Carolina’s most visited state park.

Take a step back in time and explore some of North Carolina’s history with a visit to Fort Macon State Park. Surrounded by a beach that is accessible to the public, this 389-acre park is a perfectly restored Civil War-era fort, first constructed as a defense to thwart the region’s infamous pirate attacks.

Here you can learn about life on the battlefield and how the Civil War took place by the coast. The park is open daily with tours led by knowledgeable park staff. Civil War reenactments are held frequently, offering a unique way for visitors to watch history come to life. The beaches that border the fort on both the ocean and sound side are perfect for leisurely strolls, taking in the incredible views.

4. Enjoy panoramic ocean views from the pier.

A recognizable trademark of Atlantic Beach and a favorite local spot is the Oceanana Fishing Pier. Not only does the pier provide some of the best panoramic ocean views, it’s also one of the best fishing spots along the Crystal Coast. From spots, croakers, flounder and pompano during the summer months to black and red drum during the cooler spring and fall months, anglers have plenty of opportunities to reel in a great catch during any season.

Long strolls down the pier to take in the miles-long view is just as popular activity on the pier as fishing. 

5. Explore the coastal waterways by boat.

Boating is a great way to get out on the water and explore the natural wonders of the coast. Explore the day sightseeing along the coast. Spend a day exploring the Cape Lookout National Seashore and take photos of the wild Shackleford horses that roam the barrier islands.

There are several marinas located in Atlantic Beach including, Anchorage Marina and Fort Macon Marina. With ample parking and multiple boat ramps, you’ll be boating through the waterways within minutes.

6. Eat like a local.

One of the best parts of a beach vacation is the fresh seafood dinners that go along with it. Amos Mosquito specializes in serving modern American seafood dishes with a Southern flair. Situated on the sound side of Atlantic Beach, the restaurant boasts picturesque views of Bogue Sound from its quaint bayou-style setting.

From crab cakes, grilled shrimp and sushi rolls to comfort foods like meatloaf and fried boneless pork chops, enjoy an array of tasty dishes cooked with the freshest, seasonal ingredients. And for a dessert you won’t soon forget, try the tableside ‘campfire’ where you can enjoy make-your-own s’mores!

7. See what’s on tap.

Crystal Coast Brewing Company is a family-owned craft brewery in Atlantic Beach, NC. Brewed in Eastern North Carolina and made with many local ingredients, Crystal Coast Brewing has been providing visitors to the Crystal Coast with great tasting craft beer since 2017.

The Atlantic Beach Taproom is located just blocks from the beach and offers 17 amazing craft beers on tap, as well as wine, cider on tap and sodas. The whole family can enjoy hours of fun in the game area playing shuffleboard, giant Jenga, video games, corn hole and more. The Atlantic Beach Taproom offers plenty of space both indoors and out, making it the perfect spot for patrons to hang out with friends and family.

8. Venture through the maritime forest.

Looking to get up close with nature on the Crystal Coast? The Hoop Pole Creek Nature Trail is a 1-mile round-trip hike through the maritime forest that leads to views of a salt marsh and the estuary where Hoop Pool Creek flows into Bogue Sound. Hoop Pole Creek Preserve is listed as a natural heritage area and is protected by the NC Coastal Federation.

The trail is a mix of boardwalk, paved trail and hard ground, making it the perfect hike for people with small children, as well as those with mobility issues. The area is a refuge for fish, wildlife and plants. Hikers have the opportunity to see a variety of songbirds, wading birds and birds of prey, in addition to deer, raccoons, turtles and more.

It’s a great place to immerse yourself in the awesome natural landscapes that make up North Carolina’s Crystal Coast. The Hoop Pole Creek Nature Trail can be accessed from the parking lot of the Food Lion in the Atlantic Station Shopping Center.

9. Boat, Walk, Beach…Repeat.

While this may not sound like your standard beach activity, it’s actually one of the most popular and truly “Instagrammable” ecology tours offered by H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions.

The BWB Repeat tour is the trifecta of excursions. Travel along the scenic waterways beside Shackleford Banks where Captain Mark will take you on a guided land tour to see the wild Shackleford Banker horses, looking for shells on the beaches along the way, and then stop for a dip in the calm sound waters to cool off as you make your way back to the boat. You’ll then be taken through the north end of the Middle Marshes of the Rachel Carson Preserve, then up Taylors Creek along the historic Beaufort waterfront.

H2O Captain offers a variety of unique and memorable eco-tours that can be fully customized to include activities that your family will enjoy the most. During your next stay on the Crystal Coast, an excursion with Captain Mark is a must!

10. Explore fun things to do nearby Atlantic Beach, NC.

One of the Crystal Coast’s most popular family attractions is just a short drive away, the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. Take the kids on an aquatic journey to learn more about marine animals and their habitats. See Blackbeard’s infamous ship, the Queen Anne’s Revenge. Touch a stingray. It’s great fun for the whole family!

The information above was written by Emerald Isle Realty

An Island We’re Excited About: Shackleford Banks, an island in Carteret County, Crystal Coast, Southern Outer Banks, near Atlantic Beach and Beaufort, NC

Where is Shackleford Banks?
Located at the southern-most barrier island in Cape Lookout National Seashore, just west of Cape Lookout which is the most southern area of the Outer Banks, and just east of Atlantic Beach, NC.

How do I get to Shackleford Banks?
Shackleford Banks is only accessible by boat. Most tourists who wish to reach the island travel there by ferry. However, many visitors and adventure travelers prefer to have a guided tour, not only on the water but on the island itself. With its many trails leading from the protected waters north of the island to the other side where the Atlantic Ocean laps at the shores of Shackleford, many discoveries and memories can be created. For example, looking for wild horses or discovering great shelling without the competitive crowds of a ferry. Make sure you are traveling with an authorized permittee of the National Park Service to provide safe, and legal excursions to Shackleford Banks. *

Can you swim to Shackleford Banks?
Unless your name is Katie Ledecky or Michael Phelps, the answer is NO!

What is Shackleford Banks known for?
Shelling and viewing its Wild Horses
The Shackleford Banks is known for some of the best shelling North Carolina has to offer. Make sure to keep your eyes peeled for the North Carolina State Shell, the Scotch Bonnet, and the always coveted Sand Dollars. The Atlantic-facing beaches have the best shells.

Can you see Cape Lookout from Shackleford Banks?
From the eastern half of the island looking from the ocean beach, YES.

How large is Shackleford?
About 8.5 miles long and is uninhabited by humans.
Shackleford Banks once had permanent residents. The now-abandoned settlement of Diamond City was located on the Banks, but the last occupants had relocated by 1902. Until 1933, Shackleford Banks was connected to the Core Banks. Barden Inlet was opened by the 1933 Outer Banks Hurricane, separating the Shackleford Banks from South Core Banks.

How wide is Shackleford Banks?
Short of a mile wide
This is one of the few places in the eastern United States where wild horses can still be seen. Shackleford Banks is approximately 8.5 miles long and averages less than a mile wide. It contains many habitats, unique to barrier islands, which support the horses.

Who was Shackleford Banks named after?
The island is named after John Shackleford who acquired the island in the early 1700s. Over the next hundred years or so, parcels of the island were willed to children, some parcels were sold and the population on the banks began to grow through the 1800s.

Photos above by Captain Mark of H2O Captain

* H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions is an authorized permittee of the U.S. National Park Service allowing the company to take passengers to both Shackleford Banks and Cape Lookout. https://h2ocaptain.com/tours

Earth Day

Earth Day is this Friday, April 22, 2022. Should we be calling it “Earth Day,” or might it be more accurate to call it “Save the human race, animals, insects, plants, water Day”? After all, the planet will continue to be here. It’s life that will cease to exist. Humans are killing the environment we live in across the Earth.

Two-thirds of the Earth is covered in water. At H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions this is our life, our job, and our being. What can we all do to help our planet and our Seven Seas?
- Collect plastic at your local beaches and recycle.
- Plant a tree.
- Support Our Pollinators.
- Use Wildflowers and Native Plants.
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle in all areas.
- Stop using pesticides and chemicals, both commercially and personally as this runs off into our streams, rivers, bays & sounds, and into our oceans.
- Conserve energy at home.
- Become a vegan saving animals, fowl, and fish.
- Commercially and personally, don’t overfish.
- Reduce paper waste and junk mail.
- Recycle your electronics.
- Give your car a break.
- Turn off the tap.
- Replace your bulbs.
- Bring your own bags to the store, as plastic bags can end up in our oceans killing sea turtles, sharks, and other animals.

Think about the day, every day!

The Lighthouse is closed but the Lightkeeper's House is Open!

2022…another year when the Cape Lookout Lighthouse, located at the most southern point in the beautiful Outer Banks of North Carolina will be closed to the public for climbing.  However, the Lightkeeper’s House, located directly in front of the Lighthouse, is open.

That home however was not the original Lightkeeper’s House.  Interestingly, the Lighthouse as we know it today also was not the original Cape Lookout Lighthouse!

The First Lightkeeper's Quarters was built in 1812.  This Keeper's Quarters was built at the same time as the first Cape Lookout Lighthouse. The house was to be 24 feet square and 1.5 stories tall. Each of the three rooms had a fireplace that fed into the chimney in the center of the house. The exterior was made of pine and covered with pine or cedar shingles. In 1869, this house received extensive repairs.

A kitchen was to be built at least 6 feet away from the house and connected with a covered walkway. The proposal request indicated that this kitchen should be 14'x16' and one story tall. A well was also part of this request.

It is unknown how long these structures remained standing. Photographic records indicate that the Keeper's Quarters remained standing at least until 1893. Part of the foundation of this dwelling can be seen on a sand dune in the lighthouse area.  Sadly, the structure got destroyed.

The Second Keeper's Quarters, the one that we know today, (see photo above by Captain Mark) was built in 1873.  Soon after the second Cape Lookout lighthouse was completed, Assistant Keepers were assigned to the station. This new Keepers' Quarters were built to accommodate these keepers. The house was designed as a single-family residence, but by the early 1900s, all three keepers were living in this building. In response to complaints that their families could not be with them, a new Head Keeper's Quarters was built in 1907. The two Assistant Keepers and their families then shared the Second Keeper's 1873 home.

Today, this Second Keepers' Quarters serves as a museum, giving visitors a glimpse into the lives of Lighthouse Keepers and Surfmen of the US Life-Saving Service, now the US Coast Guard.  The museum is open from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM, seven days a week during the boating season.

H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions runs trips from Atlantic Beach to the Lighthouse via the North Atlantic Ocean, the only powerboat company with a permit to do so from the National Park Service.  Captain Mark will anchor just off the beach in front of the Lightkeeper’s house and will walk you in while also showing you the area around the Lighthouse.

Excerpts above are taken from the Cape Lookout National Seashore, part of NPS.gov

Art Imitating Life or Life Imitating Art: Reality TV, or at least “reality” for some, the yachts of Bravo’s Successful TV Series, Below Deck.

With all the talk as well as seizing of Russian Oligarchs' superyachts, we are seeing them on our TV sets through the eyes of the Captain, crew, and passengers of the TV Show Below Deck. No, these are not owned by any Russian Oligarchs but are legally owned and run by others for private charters.

Let’s look a little closer at these vessels.

At its inception, the show introduced us to a 164-foot Benetti, with the now-famous Captain Lee at the helm. Cruising around the Caribbean, one of the top destinations for cruisers in general, whose name was changed to Honor for the show – whose real name is in reality, Barents - wowed viewers with her luxury and elegance. With six staterooms, a sun deck, a drinks bar, and a hot tub enjoyed multiple-night charters. Barents was designed by Stefano Natucci and has recently undergone a full refit adding a sleek interior design to the arsenal of water toys, gym, beach club, and indoor and outdoor cinemas. MY (Motor Yacht) Barents charters for just over $170,000 per week.

Ohana
While 154-foot superyacht Ohana appeared in Season 2 under her own name, she was renamed Star Diamond since her sale. Built by Admiral Marine Works in 1998, Star Diamond had a major refit in 2018 and oozes classic superyacht elegance with interior works by Donald Starkey Designs, as well as plenty of deck space. She also cruised around the Caribbean, mainly in the BVI. Ohana charters for around $160,000 per week.

Eros
Season 3 saw the 163-foot Eros make her TV debut as she cruised the waters of The Bahamas with Captain Lee on the bridge. At the time she was officially named Mustang Sally but has since been renamed Stay Salty. With space for 12 guests and 10 crew members, Stay Salty is currently not available for charter, which is a disappointment to those who dreamed of lounging in her outdoor hot tub or enjoying a meal with friends around the alfresco dining table. Designed by Geoff Van Aller, Stay Salty offers a classically elegant interior styling, with rich woods and neutral tones, as well as plenty of deck space…all of which needed meticulous cleaning by her crew in 2015.

Valor
Valor appeared in Season 4, 5, and 7 cruising around the US Virgin Islands, Saint-Martin, and Phuket in Thailand. The 154-foot Dutch shipbuilder Feadship is actually named BG (for her owner, the Canadian entrepreneur Bobby Genovese) and spends her winters in the Caribbean and summers in the Med. With her monogram palette, sky lounge, beautiful outdoor spaces, and that water slide, it is easy to see why Bravo used BG as the setting for so many of its seasons. BG charters for around $154,000 per week.

MY Seanna
MY Seanna has joined Valor in featuring more times than any other Below Deck superyacht, with appearances in three of the nine seasons. When we first met her she was cruising around the islands of French Polynesia under her own name but has since been renamed Starship (although in Season 9 Below Deck she is still using her original name). Throughout her seasons on the show, MY Seanna has cruised to some other destinations including Antigua and St Kitts. With her open-air Jacuzzi, spacious beach club, and array of water toys, it’s no surprise she has been one of the show’s best-loved superyachts. Starship charters from $260,000/week.

Below Deck Mediterranean and Below Deck Sailing Yacht

Below Deck’s astounding popularity has seen spin-off series’ Below Deck Mediterranean, with the much-loved Captain Sandy at the helm, and Below Deck Sailing Yacht, with Captain Glen air simultaneously. With new cruising grounds and a whole new fleet of spectacular charter superyachts, viewers feel this is “must-see TV!”

Of course, for those not able to afford that level of luxury yet and are still seeking a private boat experience, check out H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions at https://h2ocaptain.com if you are looking for an experience that includes seeing wild horses and discovering great shelling on Shackleford Banks or seeing a Lighthouse at Cape Lookout and of course cruising the waterways of The Crystal Coast in the Southern Outer Banks of North Carolina, USA!

Whichever adventure you choose, welcome aboard!

Maritime Work Songs

Although we do not sing for work on any H2O Captain excursion, Sea Shanties were sung in days gone by aboard large merchant sailing vessels by the laborers generally on British and other ships from Europe. The songs or shanties sung at sea starting in the mid 1850ies were to give assistance to synchronize and optimize the labor force.

Labor onboard these large ships usually required a coordinated group effort in either a pulling, pushing, hauling, or heaving action including weighing anchor, rowing, and setting sail. The music was a combination of folk songs, minstrel music, and marches.  

The shanty’s “trademark” was a call and response, performed between a soloist and the rest of the laborers in chorus. The leader, called the shantyman, was valued for his “spicy” language, combined with his strong voice. Shanties were sung A cappella and, historically, they were only sung only in work-based environments rather than entertainment-oriented events.  This is what distinguishes shanties from the other kinds of songs and ballads sailors might have sung in pubs and taverns while onshore.

The switch to steam-powered vessels and the use of machines for shipboard tasks, by the end of the 19th century, meant that shanties gradually ceased to serve a practical function. Their use as work songs became negligible in the first half of the 20th century.

Two of the most notable sea shanties that you may know or at least have heard of are: "Blow The Man Down" and "Drunken Sailor.”

Shanty can also be spelled, chanty or chantey.

Photo:  Saturday Night At Sea by George Cruikshank | Wikipedia | Public Domain

Boating Safety Minute

Advice, suggestions, recommendations can be created and transmitted by many sources.  One source heard on 3 radio stations throughout "the season" mid-March through mid-October, in Eastern North Carolina (heard on FM 107.1 • AM 1240 • FM 92.9) is the Boating Safety Minute.  This 60-second spot was created by Captain Mark, the Immediate Past Flotilla Commander at the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary, and this PSA is presented by the USCG Aux.  Captain Mark is also the writer, producer, voice, and recording engineer of this weekly Public Service Announcement.

You will hear the anticipated water temperature for the week in the Beaufort, Atlantic Beach, Morehead City area, as well as any Local Notice to Mariners in this area, plus Captain Mark's "advice" on many educational topics for the respective week. 

So listen in, or click in to hear what is going on in these waterways in Eastern North Carolina.

Captain Mark is also a guest announcer and preparer of press releases at various times during the year for the Boating Safety Minute for the Eastern Shore of Virginia on WESR 103.3 FM, 105.7 FM, AM 1330, and the Eastern Shore Post.

Should you like Captain Mark to address questions you may have, please email him at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with the Subject Line as Boating Safety Minute.

Just remember, an educated boater is a safe boater!

A Day Out on the Water,
What you should bring

Being the skipper of your boat has its benefits AND its responsibilities.  Whether a professional Master Captain like Captain Mark or a recreational skipper, safety must be prevalent in your preparation and throughout the day until you are back in port.

In a previous Blog, we have already introduced you to filing your Float Plan.  A necessity to let others know when you expect to depart.  Where you expect to go.  When you expect to return.  Exactly who is on board.  Not to mention, the specific identification of your boat with its name/registration number, etc.  With this information the person on land can hand over this plan to the authorities should you are tardy in your return.

Safety Gear you will want on board.  At H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions they publish a list of items passengers may wish to bring with them for the day's adventure.  A Checklist for Your Excursion

You, being the skipper, will want to make sure your boat has:

• PFDs or personal floating devices/life jackets for everyone who is coming aboard sized for adults, children, etc.
• At least 1 throwable floatation device AND a throwable line e.g. kayak throw rope
• Depending on the size of your boat, at least 1 fire extinguisher
• Visual Distress Signals
• Sound signaling device
• Registration, both State paperwork as well as your State Registration Numbers on both sides of your bow
• Insurance for your boat
• Food & Beverages, hydration is the goal here...H2O is your friend
• Sun protection:  lotion, hat, long sleeves, etc.
• Additional lines.  Bow and stern lines, plus extras as you never know
• First Aid Kit
• Anchors, both bow and stern with line, rode, chain
• VHF radio.  Even when cell service/the network is down, your VHF radio will work
• Dry bag/waterproof bag, for extra clothing  and valuables
• Nothing like being up a creek without a paddle, so bring 2 paddles!!  The H2O Captain boat ALWAYS carries 2 easily accessible paddles!!
• and emergency tools...as you never know what may happen out there!

For a FREE Vessel Safety Check, leading to a USCG Decal to display on your boat, call Captain Mark in the Atlantic Beach, Morehead City, Beaufort, NC area.

So enjoy the benefits of boating, once you take the responsibility of having the right safety equipment on board!  For more safety tips CLICK HERE.

Fair Winds and Following Seas

You read the title in the signature of every email Captain Mark sends from H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions as a complimentary close, blessing, and safe journey wish while the wind is at your back to all, "Fair Winds and Following Seas." The below is from the Navy Historical Center with an explanation of its origins.

Origin of: "Fair Winds and Following Seas."
The origin of the quote "Fair Winds and Following Seas" is unknown. It is often said to have been lifted from a poem, phrase, or literary work, but to the best of this researcher's knowledge, it wasn't. Over the last century at least, the two quotes "Fair Winds" and "Following Seas" have evolved, by usage, into a single phrase that is often used as a nautical blessing.

"Fair Winds": The Dictionary of American Regional English defines "Fair Wind" as a "safe journey; good fortune." An early example of the phrase's use is in Herman Melville's Moby Dick, published in 1851, where it says near the end "Let me square the yards, while we may, old man, and make a fair wind of it homeward." In other words, let me square the yards (add on all sail) and make a safe journey home.

"Following Seas": Defined by Bowditch's American Practical Navigator as "A sea in which the waves move in the general direction of the heading." It further defines "Tide" as "the periodic rise and fall of the water resulting from gravitational interactions between the sun, moon, and earth. . . . the accompanying horizontal movement of the water is part of the same phenomenon." In simple terms: the movement of the water, the waves, and the surface correspond with the movement of the tide.

"Fair Winds and Following Seas" is really two quotes originating from different sources. The two quotes are a nautical phrase of good luck--a blessing as it were--as the person, group, or thing it is said to depart on a voyage in life. It is often used at a "beginning" ceremony such as a commissioning ceremony of a ship or people, as well as in retirement, change of command, or farewell ceremonies.

Source: Researched by Samuel Loring Morison.
From: DEPARTMENT OF THE NAVY -- NAVAL HISTORICAL CENTER
805 KIDDER BREESE SE -- WASHINGTON NAVY YARD
WASHINGTON DC 20374-5060
Image from: USMC

Sharing The Ocean

February 20th was World Whale Day. We discuss this huge world challenge and the role the people of Shackleford Banks played in its 250-year story on every BWB...Repeat Excursion. Populations of the Critically Endangered North Atlantic right whale are estimated to have fallen by 30 individuals since 2019, leaving only around 336 of the animals left in the world. 

This brings into discussion  other questions about  the sea life around us:

Q. Loggerhead turtles' shells provide a habitat for many kinds of organisms. How many animal and plant species have been found living on one loggerhead turtle?
A. From algae to barnacles to nematodes, colonies of small plants and animals make their home on loggerhead turtles' shells. Scientists have recorded as many as 100 species of animals and plants living on a single turtle's shell. That's one way loggerhead turtles help their ecosystem, here's another -  the way they feed on their hard-shelled prey—such as conchs, clams, and urchins as they recycle important nutrients and keep ocean floor sediments in balance.  Visit the NC Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores.

Q. True or false: whale poop plays a critical role in our global climate and the air we breathe.
A. Whale poop fertilizes our oceans by providing iron and nitrogen to phytoplankton, which are microscopic plants that capture around 40% of global carbon emissions and produce half of the oxygen in our atmosphere. Put another way, that's oxygen for every second breath we take. Wherever whales are found, so are phytoplankton. Protecting whales helps protect the planet.

For those looking to do a deep-dive into whales, visit the Bonehenge Whale Center in Beaufort, NC.  H2O Captain Eco-Tour Private Boat Excursions is proud to be in their Donor Hall of Fame for its financial contributions.  Furthermore, the NC Maritime Museum, also in Beaufort, NC features a skeleton overhead of a whale.   Captain Mark is a Friends of the Museum member.

At the end of the day, safe whale watching is up to everyone!