Friday, July 19, 1974
Strive
Page 7
BANKS
“Birth Of The Nation
the odd name is that it was
named for the highest point on
the Scilly Islands, the last sight
early voyagers had of old
England.
In any event, the name has
survived, and for more than a
century Nags Head has been
one of North Carolina’s most
popular resorts.
In addition to normal beach
attractions. Nags Head is the
site of Jockey Ridge, the
nation’s highest sand dune.
Towering 138 feet above the
sea and the sound, the dune
attracts many who enjoy “sand
skiing” down its smooth slopes
or taking photographs of the
area. Numerous other dunes in
the area exceed 100 feet in
height and are popular for
hiking and picnicking.
Fort Raleigh
Fort Raleigh on Roanoke
Island was originally built by
Ralph Lane, governor of the
expedition sent out from
England by Sir Walter Raleigh
in 1585.
It was here that Virginia
Dare, the first child born of
English parentage in the New
World, was christened. And it
was from here that the hardy
band of colonists vanished,
leaving the mystery of the Lost
Colony.
The historic site is the scene
of the outdoor symphonic
drama, “The Lost Colony,”
which dramatizes the fascin
ating story of the lost settlers.
Written by Tar Heel writer
Paul Green, the play has been
presented annually during the
summre since 1937.
Adjacent to Fort Raleigh are
the Elizabethan Gardens, ten
beautifully landscaped acres
developed through the assis
tance of the Garden Club of
North Carolina. In addition to
hundreds of beatiful and
unusual flowers and shrubs, the
gardens contain a famous col
lection of garden ornaments.
Cape Hatteras
National Seashore
The first such National Park
Service recreation areas in the
United States, Cape Hatteras
National Seashore is comprised
of 28,500 acres of beach and
dunes, extending some 70 miles
southward along the Outer
Banks from Whalebone June-
Dear Chief
(Continued from Page 2)
back and remember U. B. with
smiles.
The Bridge Students of ’74
Dear Chief:
Over the past few days I
have noticed that certain of our
fellow students do not know the
difference between proper
public language and bathroom
graffiti. When it comes to the
cafeteria certain things are just
not appropriate, and are
bettern left unsaid and undone.
It we must live together for six
weeks, we should at least be
courteous enough to have
decent manners toward one
another.
A Concerned Person
tion near Nags Head to Ocra-
coke Village.
Commercial enterprise is
prohibited in the area, leaving a
vast area of tranquil beauty for
camping, fishing and hiking—
just right for the family that
truly wants to get away from it
all.
The area provides some of
the best surf fishing in the
nation, and offshore, big game
fish run in large schools.
Nearby are the colorful
fishing villages of Buxton,
Frisco, Avon, Waves, Rodan-
the, and Hatteras. Residents of
the villages are descendants of
the earliest settlers. When they
are not fishing, they stay busy
mending their nets beneath the
weathered live oakes that grow
on the island.
Between Oregon Inlet and
the villege of Rodanthe is the
Pea Island Migratory Water
fowl Refuge, wintering grounds
for many species of geese and
ducks and a great spot for bird
watching.
The customs and the langu
age on Hatteras retain traces of
the people’s British heritage,
and many here still speak in the
picturesque language of the
nation’s maritime history.
Wildlife, including ducks and
geese and small game, is abun
dant in the forested porsmall
game, is excellent during the
season.
At the southernmost tip is
Hatteras Lighthouse, the tall
est brick lighthouse in Ameri
ca. From atop the black and
white structure, you can see a
broad sweep of the “Graveyard
of the Atlantic”.
Virtually all sections of the
seashore area are easily acces
sible from a modern all weather
highway that extends like con
crete ribbon the entire length
of Hatteras Island.
Oeracoke
According to one legend, this
remote island on the Outer
Banks was named by the
infamous pirate Blackboard
who dropped anchor in the inlet
to unload his botty. Noting the
vast still stretches of sand and
water, he shook his fist and
yelled into the calm breeze,
“Oh, Crow, Cock.”
The inlet on Ocracoke Island
still bears the name, Teach’s
Hole, in memory of Blackbeard,
whose real name was Edward
Teach.
Winding through the village
of Ocracoke, the only populated
area on the island, are narrow
sandy streets overhung with
water oaks and yaupon. The old
town is built around Silver
Lake, a natural, clear body of
water connected to Pamlico
Sound.
The island’s shoreline is
dotted with the rotting remains
of wrecked ships, and in its
center roam shaggy ponies,
believed to be descendants of
animals brought to America
centuries ago. Superstitious
banker folk say, however, that
the ponies evolved from the
many sand fiddlers that creep
along the beaches.
A free State-operated ferry
links Ocracoke to Hatteras
Island, and Cedar Island, a
halfday ride across the sound.
A
I
■S '
i
From: Aycock Brown, Manteo, N. C.
Hang-gliding is a new form of recreation at Jockeys Ridge in Nags Head, the taUest sand dune on
the American coast. [Aycock Brown Photo]
From: Aycock Brown, Manteo, N. C.
FREE ATTRACTION: FERRY CRUISE AND GULL FEEDING
One of the unusual free attractions of Dare Coast-Outer Banks is to visit Ocracoke Island and
ride the state owned-toU free ferries across Oregon Inlet. The ferries in summer operate from each
shore, every 40 minutes. It takes about 45 minutes to make the crossing—and a bonus attraction is
to feed and photograph the gulls that fly in the wake of the ferry. [Dare County Tourist Bureau
Photo]