By Abby Rosenstock

This past summer, my family and I took a trip to Cape Hatteras, located in the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Although the trip was enjoyable and relaxing, the primary reason for this trip was to celebrate my grandfather’s life. 

My grandfather, Glen Ash Hunt, passed away in 2019 at the age of 76, as the COVID-19 pandemic was starting. Unfortunately, we could not appropriately celebrate him because of coronavirus restrictions and safety precautions at the time. Since his passing, my family has been trying to find a time to gather and commemorate such an important person and life. Because of our hectic schedules, we could not find a time to get together until this past summer. 

When planning our trip, my mother, uncle, and grandmother knew the most important and sentimental place to my grandfather: Cape Hatteras. When my mother was growing up, her family owned a beach house in Hatteras and would visit often. Several weeks of their summers were spent in Hatteras at the beach in the enjoyable, warm weather. Although I never had the opportunity to visit this beach house as a child, I have heard countless stories from my family about the Cape and the memories made there.

Cape Hatteras beach landscape. Photo credit: @mdulieu on iStock by Getty Images.

Cape Hatteras is one of the capes of North Carolina’s coast, approximately 30 miles off the coast of North Carolina. As a barrier island, Hatteras stretches over 70 miles. According to the United States Geological Survey, Hatteras accounts for 70 of the 125 miles of barrier islands located in the Outer Banks. Seven small towns make up this cape: Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco, and Hatteras. My family’s house was between Salvo and Buxton, in Avon. The island’s widest point, Buxton, reaches a maximum width of only 3.5 miles. Buxton and Frisco are the most inhabited and lively communities out of these seven towns, and the island is believed to be home to approximately 3,000-4,000 permanent residents. These numbers escalate significantly during the summer months, when the average number of visitors rises to around 50,000 per week. 

My mother, Catherine Hunt, was eager to return and visit the place where she spent much of her childhood. The family beach house was sold while my mother and uncle were in college, and everyone’s schedules became busier as they grew up, so finding time to go back and visit Hatteras became more difficult. Because of this, nobody has been back to visit the Cape for several decades. Leading up to our summer trip, my family was highly interested in seeing how much the area had changed in that time. I was intrigued to see the house and what state it was currently in, as well as the island as a whole. 

Dividing their time between Sarasota, Florida, and Pagosa Springs, Colorado, my grandfather and his wife, Carole Ash Hunt, enjoyed spending time outside together in nature. They would often spend their summers in Colorado and winters in Florida to avoid the scorching hot Florida summers. By far, their favorite activity in both of these places was fishing. I vividly remember learning to fish off of my grandparents’ dock in Florida as a child, with my siblings by my side. We would carry this skill to the lakes and mountains of Pagosa Springs. My grandfather would find a place to fish, no matter where he was. Cape Hatteras was no exception. According to my mother, when they visited the Outer Banks in North Carolina during her childhood, my grandfather would spend hours fishing each day, often catching their dinner for the evening. 

According to information listed by FishingBooker, a website for booking charter fishing trips, some of the most common fish found around Hatteras include red drum, cobia, mackerel, tuna, and marlin. Hatteras offers several different types of fishing trips, including charter fishing, party boat fishing, kayak fishing, and their most notable surf fishing. 

Aside from the fishing available in Hatteras, it is also well-known for its surfing scene, known as one of the best locations for surfing on the East Coast. According to a blog posted by KOA Resorts and Campgrounds, “The beach’s prime location north of Cape Point makes it a top-quality surf spot with good waves and dependable conditions.” While visiting Hatteras this past summer, my family visited The Edge, my grandfather’s favorite spot to fish on Hatteras. When we arrived, it was filled with fishermen who reminded me of my grandfather, doing what they loved and enjoyed. I was intrigued by this location, as we were able to see around both points of the island and could see infinitely out to sea. While we were standing there, my mother pulled out her phone and went to the Google Maps app. She pointed out that where we were standing in real life was marked much differently on the satellite view of The Edge on Google Maps. We questioned why this was and concluded that it was because of the natural coastal erosion. 

It is no secret that coastal erosion has significantly impacted the Outer Banks as a whole. There have been several stories about houses that used to be several hundred feet from the ocean that ended up collapsing into the sea. One of these collapses took place last March. 23228 East Point Drive, located in Rodanthe, North Carolina, subsided and fell into the ocean. This event and viral video reached many news outlets, as it is becoming a growing concern for those living near the ocean. Not only was this event tragic for the homeowners, but the debris and waste from the collapse of this house affected the Hatteras National Seashore as a whole. Soon after the house collapsed, the National Park Service began to help clean up the debris as best they could to protect the ocean and surrounding areas. According to E&E News, because of these houses collapsing, there is significant debris on the beach; however, it is often difficult to see, as it is hidden under the sand. Superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore David Hallac said, “It’s a mess … It’s a very sad situation right now. … There’s tar paper, pieces of wood, nails, pieces of insulation, foam, drywall, and carpet padding.” 

The reality is that it is very possible for homes to collapse into the ocean due to coastal erosion and shifting shorelines. This has forced homeowners in the Outer Banks and other surrounding areas to take matters into their own hands regarding the logistics of owning such an undependable property. The home on East Point Drive was the fourth home in the Outer Banks to collapse in the past year. 

One of the most notable features of Hatteras is the iconic Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Due to the same issue of coastal erosion, this lighthouse had to be moved inland to preserve and protect it. Nearly 25 years ago, in 1999, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was moved 2,900 feet to its present location. This lighthouse was originally built in 1870 and is famous for being the tallest in the United States, standing at 198.49 feet. When it was first built, it was 1,500 feet from the ocean, and between the years 1870 and 1999, the erosion of the shoreline brought the surf much closer. It is heavily predicted that this lighthouse will need to be moved again sometime in the future.

Cape Hatteras lighthouse. Photo credit: @Jens_Lambert_Photography on iStock by Getty Images.

Unfortunately, during my trip to Hatteras, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was closed for renovation, so I was unable to climb it and admire the views from the top of this historical landmark. However, since the National Park Service owns the lighthouse, my family and I were able to venture to the Bodie Island Visitor Center. We read about the history of the lighthouse and the island as a whole. It is a short walk to the famous lighthouse and offers a trail to see the old location as well.

Looking more closely into the history of Cape Hatteras, it is believed that native tribes first inhabited the area around 500 AD. There is not much dependable information accessible about this first set of inhabitants of the region. Several centuries later, in the 1580s, the Croatoan Indians inhabited the island. This tribe is known to have inhabited the coastal areas of North Carolina before they largely disappeared in the early 17th century. This tribe is believed to have succumbed to the diseases circulating during this time period, one of the most prominent being smallpox. Although the tribe died out, their name lived on as the name of the island: Croatoan Island. This name lasted until 1585, when the cape was renamed Hatteras. This name comes from the word “Hatrask,” which was an inlet noted by an admiral during the Roanoke Colony expedition. 

Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum in Hatteras. Photo credit: @Sgoodwin4813 on Dreamstime.

Another noticeable trait about this island is that it is known as “The Graveyard of the Atlantic” due to its countless shipwrecks off its coast. The reasons for these many shipwrecks include the shifting coastline, shifting sandbars, storms, severe hurricanes, and more. Near Hatteras alone, nearly 1,000 sunken ships are believed to remain in the ocean today. Hatteras is also home to the Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum. According to the museum’s website, it offers entertaining, interactive scavenger hunts relating to the numerous shipwrecks occurring in the Outer Banks. In addition to these activities, the museum also provides fascinating information and facts about shipwrecks. 

Hatteras Island is a crucial barrier island. According to Merriam-Webster, a barrier island is defined as “A long, broad sandy island lying parallel to a shore that is built up by the action of waves, currents, and winds and that protects the shore from the effects of the ocean.” Barrier islands are important because they protect coastlines from extreme weather. Without Hatteras, the Pamlico Sound, between Hatteras and coastal North Carolina, and cities to the island’s west would be more susceptible to extreme weather, including storm surges from hurricanes. 

The future of Hatteras Island is concerning. According to data collected from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the sea level near the Outer Banks is rising at an increasingly alarming rate of 5.3 millimeters each year. Several news outlets and scientific studies have predicted that a significant part of the Outer Banks has a high risk of being completely submerged in the next 50-100 years. There is no way of knowing for sure what the future of Hatteras looks like, as our earth and environment are constantly changing. This possibility of the island becoming submerged affects us humans and has a crucial effect on the animals whose habitats are on Hatteras Island. 

From a personal perspective, I had an incredible time visiting Hatteras this summer. It is one of the most beautiful beaches I have visited in my lifetime. The town I visited, Avon, felt very secluded, allowing me to cherish my time with my family. I thoroughly enjoyed getting to see where my grandfather and family enjoyed so much of their time and made so many everlasting memories.