Topsail is a 26-mile long bulwark isle located beneath the Outer Banks on Due north Carolina'due south coast. Boasting three main towns, lots of lovely beaches, and plenty of fun activities, information technology's a fantastic place to spend a few days when visiting this marvelous country. And entrenched beneath the isle'southward sugar-coated advent and great attractions is its gritty history that makes it an even more fascinating destination; it was once a missile testing site, and even further back in time it used to be a hideout spot for pirates.

Legend has it that the island caused its proper noun from people watching out for the "topsails" of pirate ships, which often parked and waited just behind the island. And, as a result of the pirate-infested waters and often horrific weather conditions in Black Beard's heyday, the isle'due south coastal waters are littered with historic shipwrecks, which led to the branding of the surrounding sea as "The Graveyard of the Atlantic."

About Topsail Island

Topsail Island'south three principal towns are Topsail Beach, Surf City, and North Topsail Beach, each offering plentiful accommodation, prissy restaurants, bright activities, and interesting attractions. The beaches are equally as noteworthy, boasting pristine white sands and reef-breaking surf ideal for surfing. Simply of course, i of the island's major draws is its rich waters full of fascinating marine creatures paving the style for splendid scuba diving and snorkeling opportunities.

Despite sea conditions and silt sometimes limiting visibility and swimming, myriads of underwater life can be observed all along the coastline, including fish, crabs, and fifty-fifty sea turtles. Topsail Island is peculiarly well-known for its maritime forests and bounding main turtle conservation, and for the whole 26 mile-length of coastline, loggerhead sea turtles oft come ashore to nest and lay eggs betwixt mid-May and Baronial. As it's such a prolific turtle haven, the island is dwelling to the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Middle in Surf Urban center, which is a must-visit for anyone in the area who wants to see and learn most real-life sea turtles who call Topside Island home.

And that'southward not all - visitors not into getting wet have lots to discover too; from the Missiles and More Museum and golf game courses to restaurants and shopping, the island is an accommodating slap-up place for a dry vacation. Moreover, Topsail is too notably a fantastic fishing spot; each of the 3 towns boasts its ain pier coupled with allurement and tackle shops and snack bars. All three piers are open up from March to November and offer line-fishing to anyone - fifty-fifty those without a North Carolina fishing license because the piers maintain a commonage recreational fishing license that also includes guests.

Snorkeling At Topsail Island

Information technology may not exist the best place in the world for snorkeling, however, Topsail Island'southward underwater world is incredibly unique with tons to encounter. And even though the surrounding ocean contains a varying amount of silt and sand, the visibility is articulate enough to keep snorkelers and divers happy most of the time. Combine this with ample marine life thriving below the water'southward surface, and it's no surprise that snorkeling is one of the most popular activities loved by guests and locals.

There are enough of public beaches and piers assuasive access to Topsail'south waters for snorkeling and pond in the island'south chief towns, with many private beaches at various resorts and hotels allowing swimming and snorkeling likewise. In that location are iii public beach accesses in North Topsail Beach alone, so there'south definitely no lack of places to dive in - however, due to strong currents, snorkeling and swimming are not permitted from New River Inlet, which is but off public beach access number three in Northward Topsail Beach.

Additionally, information technology's worth noting that the isle's behind offers one of the best-protected snorkeling areas along the North Carolina declension. And since the 26-mile-long barrier island itself is also a populated sea turtle sanctuary, it's fairly common to spot modest bounding main turtles swimming along the piers and jetties that extend right out into the water.

Other great places to look out for sea turtles and marine critters are seagrass beds, where aquatic animals typically become in search of food or shelter. Whilst snorkeling in seagrass beds may be heady, it is very important to respect the fragile underwater environment, taking care non to boot the grass nor stand up on the lesser as this can stir upward silt, harm the marine life, and even disturb stingrays and jellyfish that live virtually the bottom.

The Pine Knolls Aquarium

Accented snorkeling beginners and those who want to meet Topsail Island's marine life in transparent water away from sand and silt will really appreciate the Pine Knoll Shores Aquarium. Situated on the due east end of Emerald Isle, the aquarium boasts lots of exhibits and habitats to enlighten underwater enthusiasts - peculiarly kids who always charge per unit the place highly.

If that wasn't plenty of a fascination, the aquarium besides hosts scientist-led snorkeling and kayaking trips to some of the well-nigh fish-populated spots in and around Topsail. They even have a trip geared towards little ones too; it involves an chance to the mesmeric Bogue Sound area, which is of significant marine importance since being designated as an Essential Fish Habitat by the South Atlantic Fishery Management Council.

On this item trip, one can run into all manners of underwater animals, such as diverse species of shrimp, blueish crabs, tons of juvenile fish, and even v species of sea turtle. Another trip the aquarium offers takes guests to Radio Island where a rock jetty runs next to the beach. Forth this entire section located on the island'southward south finish, there are countless hidden spots for marine creatures to military camp in, alluring various species who are on the hunt for food and shelter. Amazingly, fifty-fifty game fish and some tropical fish can exist observed during the warm summertime months - how'due south that for underwater diversity?

Snorkeling Shipwrecks

With a nickname like "The Graveyard of the Atlantic", it's clear that information technology's not simply the fascinating marine life that makes the waters in and around Topsail Island so extraordinary to explore. Over time, powerful waves and offshore currents caused dozens of ships to be swallowed by the sea just off the coast, and amid the sand and silt-laden waters, underwater explorers tin explore many of the sunken ship's skeletons that nonetheless lay at murky depths to this day.

Of detail note for shipwreck snorkeling fanatics are the half-a-dozen sunken vessels just off the beach in Nags Head. Embankment-goers can swim 100 to 350 yards from the embankment to find ghostly sunken ships resting between 20 and25 feet of h2o, which means they're fairly attainable to snorkelers - especially those who know how to duck dive.

For more shipwreck snorkeling, visitors tin can apply the Second Street beach access to venture out to the Kyzickes - an impressive tanker located nigh 100 yards offshore that's also popular amongst scuba divers. And that's non all - heading out for some other 100 yards will bring snorkelers to the Carl Gerhard wreck, which is a 1929 freighter at present split in half and resting on the ocean flooring.

From the Bladen Street access signal, visitors tin also discover the Explorer - a tugboat that sank in the early on twentieth century now lying about 100 yards north of Nags Caput Angling Pier. A further 250 yards northward from the same pier, there'due south likewise the 1877 gunship named the Huron.

Though many of these Topside Island wrecks are accessible to snorkelers and seem fairly easy, it is ever crucial to stay safe and prepare appropriately. Currents can sometimes be stiff, which means those who aren't stiff swimmers will benefit from going out with a boat. Also, don't forget to wear a wetsuit when swimming during spring, fall, and winter - information technology gets cold enough to spark a bout of hypothermia!

Scuba Diving in Topside Isle

While some shipwrecks can be explored by snorkeling right off the shore, others require much more of an adventurous journey (and a few scuba diving certifications also). There are a few swoop shops in the surface area offer chartered swoop excursions, equipment rental, and fifty-fifty lessons for those who want to larn to dive or earn the next certification level up. These local dive operators are definitely the experts and know everything in that location is virtually the island's population of sunken vessels ripe for exploration. As such, they should be any diver's get-go point of call should they wish to hop on a scuba diving trip.

Every diver in this function of Due north Carolina has their favorite shipwreck, but ane that commonly comes upwards equally a much-loved subaquatic attraction is the Hyde. Located around 26 miles westward of Topsail, it was purposely sunk to serve as part of the Northward Carolina artificial reef program. Encrusted and playing shelter for a plethora of marine species, the sunken vessel now rests upright in about 60 anxiety of water and is perfect for scuba defined to explore.

On the other hand, a further four miles out westward of the New River Outlet is the Cassimer shipwreck - a Earth War Two tanker now resting at xc anxiety deep. Furthermore, a fiddling farther out on the same line is the isle'southward most famous sunken subsea attraction - the U-352, which is an incredible World War 2 German submarine that sank into 100 feet of clear ocean.

The Best Time To Snorkel Or Swoop At Topsail Island

The best time for snorkeling and scuba diving at Topsail Island depends on a few things. Just subsequently high or low tide is inarguably the most ideal time of day thank you to lesser tidal water movement and minimal currents. Less water move means that there's far less silt and sand upheaval, which means snorkelers and divers tin can savor better visibility during this time - as well as calmer, electric current-complimentary water that's much easier and more than pleasant to swim in.

If temperature and weather are an result though, the thermally-challenged snorkeler and diver would be better visiting Topsail for underwater adventures in the summertime from June to the terminate of August when the sea is far warmer. Still, pack a wetsuit no affair the season; information technology's improve to accept ane and not demand it than need it and not have information technology - yes, even in summertime. And that's the best gratuitous advice you'll always get from a professional scuba diver!

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About The Author

Lauren Feather (76 Manufactures Published)

Lauren is a scuba diving instructor and award-winning underwater photographer originally from the United Kingdom. Having spent the concluding decade traveling and working around the world managing dive centers in Nippon, the Philippines, Thailand and France, she enjoys sharing her passion for the underwater globe with others. Before her adventures, Lauren attained her degree in Japanese and French languages at the Academy of Hull, which has served her well in the world of travel, diving and tourism. Whilst her solar day job involves training people to scuba swoop, by nighttime, she indulges in various projects such as writing, translating, and working as a volunteer for an international canis familiaris rescue organization. When she's not busy with whatever of these things, she's walking her dogs, sipping coconut h2o on the beach, indulging in anime and manga, or rocking out to her hefty heavy metallic collection.

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