North Carolina’s Outer Banks, a long strip of barrier islands, are unlike any other islands along the Mid-Atlantic coast. Vulnerable to wind and wave, they extend in a crescent from the Virginia state line bending farther and farther out to sea until Cape Hatteras and then abruptly sweep back west, leaving an exposed and dangerous cape. They finally meet with the mainland at Cape Lookout near Morehead City and Beaufort.

The Outer Banks enclose Currituck, Albemarle, Roanoke, Croatan, Pamlico and Core Sounds (in that order). As an alternative to the better-protected ICW route that cuts across Albemarle and Pamlico Sounds, this route offers higher speeds, more opportunity to sail and some of the most pristine and wild scenery on the East Coast should you choose to go ashore. Currituck and Core Sounds, at the two extremes, are narrow, shoal and suitable only for small or shoal-draft craft with local knowledge.