![]() There are several public accesses in Kitty Hawk and Kill Devil Hills where visitors to the Outer Banks can experience the Albemarle Sound for themselves. Unfortunately, overfishing saw that industry cease and today, most of the towns along the sound are small maritime communities where visitors flock for the nature trails, bird watching, recreational fishing, and boating. By the 1800s, the sound was surrounded by major ports that expanded into a massive commercial fishing industry. Due to its wide span, The Albemarle Sound once served as a major transportation and trade route for both Natives and European colonists. In fact, it is one of the largest estuaries in North Carolina and is the connecting point for dozens of major waterways including rivers that travel up to Virginia. The Albemarle Sound is a huge body of water encompassing the area West of the Outer Banks and stretches inland to mainland North Carolina. To see the Currituck Sound for yourself, stop by the Historic Currituck Park where you can have a picnic by the water and launch your kayak or visit Duck Town Park where a mile-long boardwalk along the sound offers beautiful up-close views. These conditions draw in ample wildlife making it a popular location for visitors to explore by kayak. Connecting to the Albemarle Sound west of Kitty Hawk, the Currituck Sound is comprised of wide-open waterways and is surrounded by acres of naturally sustained maritime forests and marshland. The Currituck Sound is the body of water between mainland Currituck and the northern portion of the island containing Southern Shores, Duck, Corolla, and the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. The Outer Banks sounds are part of the Albemarle - Pamlico National Estuary system, the second largest estuary in the contiguous states. The sound itself is protected from ocean waves, coastal winds and bad weather systems by a series of barrier islands and sandbars (hence the name “bar-built). ![]() According to National Geographic, there are 4 types of natural estuaries: coastal plain estuaries (like the Chesapeake Bay), tectonic estuaries (like San Francisco Bay), fjord estuaries (like the Puget Sound), and bar-built estuaries (like the Outer Banks sounds). This system of sounds is actually a natural estuary – the place where freshwater streams and rivers meet the open ocean. The Outer Banks sound side is just one large continuous stretch of water, the waterway is broken up geographically into 5 distinct sounds - the Currituck Sound, the Albemarle Sound, the Croatan Sound, the Roanoke Sound, and the Pamlico Sound (c lick on the sound name to view location on Google Maps).įind out more about each of these locations below! The term “sound side” specifically refers to the west side of the Outer Banks whose shoreline borders the sound from the northernmost parts of Corolla all the way south to Ocracoke Island. The “sound” is the name for the water system between mainland North Carolina and the Outer Banks barrier islands. If you want to learn more about the “other side” of the beach, we’ve prepared some helpful information so that you can experience the sound side of the Outer Banks for yourself. However, if you’ve never been to the Outer Banks, you may be surprised to find that we are surrounded by water on both sides! Since the Outer Banks is a string of barrier islands, we have two ways for you to experience North Carolina’s coastal waters – the Ocean Side to the East and the Sound Side to the West. ![]() Luckily for beach goers, the Outer Banks offers miles of pristine beaches and plenty of unobstructed views. ![]() ![]() We know that the main reason most people head to the beach is to be near the ocean. LIMITED TIME ONLY: SEPTEMBER STAYS ARE UP TO 20% OFF! Read More ![]()
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