Oak Island~North Carolina

Oak Island
                                                                 Picture by Tammy Hanson

                                                   "Put your footprints in the sand"

Located on the Atlantic Ocean, enjoy the ocean breezes that sweep across Oak Island while golfing at one of two gold courses on the Island.  With beautiful live oaks and yaupon trees, the Island has so much to offer, you must see it for yourself.  This town is best described as a family-oriented community with 10 miles of beautiful beaches on one side and the Intracoastal Waterway on the other.    
                                                                    Picutre by Jim Harper 
                                
                


With Oak Island facing south, there is gentle surf, moderate tides and spectacular sunrises and sunsets.  For people who want sun, sand and sea, Oak Island extends to the public unmatched access to the beach, intracoastal waterway and Davis Creek, there are more than 60 public beach accesses, two fishing piers, three marinas, five public boat/canoe ramps, two educational centers, bike paths, numerous picnic areas, walking and canoe trails and an extensive sidewalk system.  King Mackerel fisherman flock to the end of the pier to reel in their catches, or fish anytime for flounder, whiting, spot, drum, cobia and many more.

                                

                                           Picutres by Jim Harper

There are many parks with a variety of things to offer like playgrounds, fields for various sports like baseball, basketball and tennis.  Scenic walkways span Davis Creek offering a close-up view of wildlife and vegetation.       
   
                           
                             Picture by Jim Harper 

The

Oak Island Lighthouse

The present 1958 Oak Island Lighthouse was the last lighthouse built in North Carolina and was one of the last lighthouses built in the United States.  It's constructed of eight-inch-thick reinforced concrete and stands 169 feet high with 139 steps to the top.  The base is anchored 70 feet below ground to make it strong enough to support the tower.  The concrete was permanently colored with paint mixed in with the concrete and, therefore, will never need to be repainted.

The tower is equipped with four 1000-watt aerobeam lights that produce 2.5 million candlepower, making Oak Island light one of the most powerful lighthouses in the world.  The lights flash intermittently and can be seen for up to 24 miles out to sea.

The lighthouse is located on Coast Guard property, surrounded by a chain-link fence, and is not open to the public.  The lighthouse, however, can be easily view from the road that goes right by the property and the lighthouse.