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Cape Lookout lies south and east of Beaufort and makes for
an ideal overnight anchorage. As part of the Cape Lookout
National Seashore, commercial development on the island is
prohibited, but camping, hiking and doing absolutely nothing
are encouraged. The depths in the Bight average over 20-feet
~ perfect for anchoring for a day or longer.
Over the years Cape Lookout and the adjoining barrier islands
of the Cape Lookout National Seashore have served as prominent
landmarks for seamen. In the early 1700's Blackbeard sailed
the waters off Cape Lookout, using what was then known as
Top Sail inlet (now known as Beaufort inlet) as a route out
to the Atlantic to terrorize passing ships. Early European
sailors knew both the dangerous shoals off Cape Lookout Point
and the safe harbor of Lookout Bight. In later years, the
Cape Lookout Lighthouse warned of the hazards and life-saving
operations rescued seamen in trouble. During World War II,
German U-boats were a threat to ships sailing along the Core
Banks.
Fishing has always been the dominant vocation of those living
on and around Cape Lookout. With increased maritime activity,
Portsmouth Village just north of the lighthouse became a transshipment
point where cargo was unloaded and reloaded when ships passed
through the shallow Ocracoke Inlet. Later, as storms changed
the shoals and ships began to use the inlet at Hatteras, the
activity at Portsmouth Village gradually decreased until,
in the end, all residents left the village to live in other
places. Now the village serves as a unique reminder of past
cultural and economic life on the Outer Banks.
Cape Lookout National Seashore is a 56-mile-long stretch
of barrier islands running from the inlet south of Ocracoke
village to Beaufort Inlet south and west. The three undeveloped
barrier islands which make up the seashore - North Core Banks,
South Core Banks and Shackleford Banks - may seem barren and
isolated, but they offer many natural and historical features
that can make a visit very rewarding.
- Eddie Jones
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