07/05/2024
To many people, the Outer Banks are synonymous with shipwrecks.
Did you know that there is estimated to be over 2,000 shipwrecks off the coast of North Carolina?
But why? Flowing like massive rivers in the sea, the cold-water Labrador Current from the north and the warm Gulf Stream from the south converge just offshore from Cape Hatteras National Seashore. To take advantage of these currents, vessels must draw close to the Outer Banks. As those currents move quick, sand and sediment build up creating underwater sandbars which constantly shift.
To learn more about shipwrecks that are sometimes visible on the Seashore, visit: https://www.nps.gov/caha/learn/historyculture/shipwrecks.htm
📸 NPS | S. Johnson on a Cape Hatteras beach holding an image of a vintage shipwreck post card.
