Causeway Marina
Atlantic Beach Cswy., Atlantic Beach 
(252)726-6977

Causeway does not charter, but it does rent do-it-yourself, outboard-driven Carolina skiffs and pontoons. Local navigation information and charts are furnished with each boat. Reservations are recommended at this popular spot.

Kayaking

Water Sports Rentals offers Waverunner rentals by the half-hour or hourly and kayak rentals by the hour, day or week. Experienced staff members will provide you with lessons and guidance. If you are looking for family adventure consider embarking on a Banana Boat Ride that accommodates up to eight people. It's fun for ages 4 and older.

Water Sports Rentals friendly staff invites landlubbers to enjoy their 180-foot pier and two-level observation deck. Also, don't  forget to check out the Dolphin Deck Tiki Bar for the best sunsets on the Crystal Coast. Sit, relax and have a cold beer or soft drink with your family and friends.The public is always welcome. It's located at Mile Marker 12 on the border of Emerald Isle and Indian Beach. Call for further information and reservations.
 

Kayakers now have easy access to the beautiful waters Down East, thanks to Core Sound Kayaks and Touring Company and Cape Lookout Outfitters. Here you can rent a kayak from Core Sound native Capt. Dennis Chadwick and his wife, Robin, plus find some basic instruction and gain some Insider knowledge on the most picturesque areas for a day of paddling. Go at it alone or let the Chadwicks give you a tour of local destinations such as Cape Lookout Lighthouse. Kayaks are rented by the half-day and full day. Drinks and snacks are available on-site. Core Sound Kayaks is an authorized dealer of Wilderness Systems Kayaks. Capt. Chadwick also offers birding and sight-seeing tours around Harkers Island, Cape Lookout, Shackleford Banks and the Rachel Carson estuary for groups up to six aboard his Harkers Island–built, flared-bow wooden skiff.
 

DolphinMoonKayak specializes in individual and small-group touring and instruction to assist in your exploration of the pristine Crystal Coast region. This company is the one to contact to learn about the history, environment and geology of the coast as you glide past the shorebirds, horses, dolphins and sea turtles that inhabit this barrier island region. Local touring favorites include trips to the Rachel Carson Reserve, Cape Lookout, the Beaufort waterfront, Shackleford Banks, Core Banks and Hammock's Beach. Half-day, full-day and extended trips are available, and custom trips can be designed just for you.

 

Watersports Outfitters offers Banana Boat Rides and rentals of Waverunners, kayaks, surfboards, scooters, bicycles and beach equipment. The store has unique gifts for all of your friends and family members. They carry beach jewelry, fun T-shirts, metal wall art, souvenirs, beach toys, pirate gifts and much more. Check out their front porch deck where there is always a sale going on. The shop is located between the Crab Shack Restaurant and Willis Seafood Market in the heart of Salter Path. Be sure to stop by and say hello.

Water Sports Rentals
MM 12, N.C. Hwy. 58, Indian Beach
(252) 247-7303

Water Sports Rentals offers Waverunner rentals by the half-hour or hourly, and kayak rentals by the hour, day or week. Experienced staff members will provide you with lessons and guidance. Looking for family adventure? Consider embarking on a Banana Boat Ride, fun for ages 4 and older, that accommodates up to eight people. Water Sports Rentals' friendly staff invites landlubbers to enjoy their 180-foot pier and two-level observation deck. Don't forget to check out the Dolphin Deck Tiki Bar for the best sunsets on the Crystal Coast. Sit and relax and have a cold beer or soft drink with your family and friends. The public is always welcome. Call for further information and reservations.

The Crystal Coast has been named one of the ten best diving locales in North America by several popular dive magazines. And with the number of shipwrecks located off Carteret County's coastline, wreck diving is growing in popularity. Local businesses are quick to keep up with demand. Diving is an all-year activity thanks to the Gulf Stream's warm waters, which are about 40 miles offshore. In summer, water temperatures average in the 80s, with visibility of 75 feet to as much as 150 feet. The best dive months are June through September, when the most tropical fish are present. Since 1994, readers of Scuba Diving magazine have consistently ranked North Carolina as one of the Best Diving Destinations in North America. It's also been recognized by Scuba Diving readers as the top spot for Wreck Diving and Big Animal Life Diving.
 

Olympus Dive Center
713 Shepard St., Morehead City
(252) 726-9432

In business since 1976, Olympus is operated by the Purifoy family. With two custom dive boats, it is a full-service shop offering full- and half-day dive charters, equipment rental and instruction. The shop is also a Nitrox facility. Beginners can take National Association of Underwater Instructors (NAUI) and Professional Association of Diving Instructors (PADI) entry-level courses. For the advanced diver, the center offers specialty certifications such as night diving and wreck diving. Equipment rentals and sales, charters and instruction are available for everyone from the novice to the serious diver. Olympus also has some interesting dive artifacts on display, and it's worth a trip to check these out.
 

Discovery Diving Company
414 Orange St., Beaufort
(252) 728-2265

 Windsurfing

To many, windsurfing is the thrill of thrills, and wave sailors are discovering that the Crystal Coast is a nearly perfect place for the watersport.  The mild temperatures, miles of open water and windy conditions windsurfers need are right here on the Crystal Coast. Insiders know the shallow, protected waters of Bogue Sound are ideal for the neophyte windsurfer, while the more exposed areas, such as Beaufort, Bogue, Shackleford and Drum inlets, offer exciting challenges for experienced sailors. Comfortable water temperatures and steady winds year round add to the attraction of windsurfing in our area.

A Sport-Fishing Guide for North Carolina's Coast

Hot Wax Surf Shop offers on-line and in-store kayaks, surfboards, Action Sports accessories and other watersports equipment. Hot Wax T-shirts and sweats are the highest quality and are their best sellers. They also carry gift items and active wear. Ask about their Hot Wax Surf Camps to learn the basics of surfing, marine life and water safety. Daily, weekly or private lessons are available. The shop also carries rental equipment.

 

You can swim just about anywhere along the Crystal Coast, with the exception of a few posted areas. But even the most skilled pool swimmer may have difficulty dealing with ocean waves and undertows, so be careful and never swim alone. Rip currents are very common along the North Carolina shoreline. If you find yourself being pulled by frightening currents, the most important thing to do is to stay calm. Never swim against the currents. If you are caught in a rip current, relax and let it carry you toward the sea. Eventually it will dissipate. Swim parallel to the shore to get out of the rip current, and then swim diagonally toward the shore instead of straight in. Be aware that only a handful of beaches employ lifeguards. Areas along Bogue Banks, such as the Atlantic Beach Circle area and Fort Macon State Park, post lifeguards during the summer season. Swimming is not allowed around Fort Macon's rock jetties or on the inlet side. There are no public pools on the Crystal Coast, only those at hotels, condominiums, private communities and fitness centers. (Read our chapter on Sports, Fitness and Parks to learn more about fitness center swimming pools.)

 

You've Caught the Fish.  Now What?

Beach Access

If you want to swim, walk or run, surf fish, collect shells or sunbathe, how do you get onto our marvelous Crystal Coast beaches? As is true in many coastal areas, getting onto the beach can be confusing. It can be difficult to tell where the private property ends and public access begins. Parking can also be difficult at times.

Towns along Bogue Banks, including Indian Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Emerald Isle, are currently working on making the beach more accessible to visitors and locals. Until then, Insiders know where to go. In this section we list many of the spots that will take you directly to the ocean or sound. We also tell you which places have parking and bathroom facilities and are disabled accessible. Public Beach Access areas are marked with signs that feature blue letters and a sea gull flying in an orange circle. These signs are not large, so keep your eyes open for them.

For the Bogue Banks areas we cite the mile marker (MM) and we begin with one of the area's most popular public beach playgrounds, the access at The Circle. Then we work from east to west (from Fort Macon to Emerald Isle). Some access areas have gates that are opened at first light and closed at dusk; others allow driving on the beach with certain restrictions.

Atlantic Beach

Pine Knoll Shores

Pine Knoll Shores has worked diligently over the past few years to provide more public beach access points throughout the town. One of the town's largest public access points is located at Memorial Park, MM 6, with 40 parking spaces, an overlook deck and a picnic table; another is adjacent to the Iron Steamer, MM 7, featuring a restroom and parking spaces for about 60 cars. Parking only is available at these access points: 25 spaces along the western boundary of the Ramada Inn near MM 8, and 20 slots underneath the water tower at the Indian Beach/Pine Knoll Shores town boundary, right past MM 9.

Salter Path

Indian Beach

Trinity Center parking (20 spaces) is located underneath the water tower at the Indian Beach/Pine Knoll Shores town boundary, MM 9.5. Sea Isle Plantation West parking (10 spaces) is located in wooded area just east of MM 10. Salter Path Regional Access includes 75 parking spaces, outside showers, picnic tables and bathrooms located within the Roosevelt State Park area. Indian Beach Access includes 36 parking spaces and a four-wheel-drive access ramp. Ocean Club parking (10 spaces) and access are located at the border of the Salter Path Campground and the Ocean Club Townhouses, MM 11.5. Baptist Church Gazebo is an oceanfront facility with 10 parking spaces located at MM 12.

Emerald Isle

Emerald Isle features quite a few public beach access points, many of them handicapped-accessible. Be aware that parking at many of the access points may be limited or non-existent. We've listed a few of the largest ones that offer public parking.

Third Street Ocean Access, located just west of the Indian Beach line near MM 12, offers parking for 12 cars, an overlook picnic area and a ramp that goes over the dunes to the beach. The Eastern Ocean Regional Access is located at 2700 Emerald Drive between Pier Point and Ocean Reef Condominiums. The parking lot can accommodate 250 cars, and daytrippers will appreciate the picnic gazebo, outdoor showers, bathrooms and drink machines. The Western Ocean Regional Access is located just over the B. Cameron Langston Bridge near the Islander Motor Inn at 299 Islander Drive. This access area features sand volleyball courts, restrooms, outdoor showers and parking for 200 cars.

Emerald Isle Parks and Recreation loans out four beach wheelchairs for disabled persons. The wheelchairs have great big tires for negotiating the sandy beaches, and they break down to fit into a car trunk. You can borrow one for a day for free; pick them up at the Emerald Isle Fire Department on N.C. 58. Pick up after 8 AM and return by 8 PM. A driver's license is required to borrow a wheelchair. Handicapped-accessible beach access points include Randy's Way Access at 9519 Ocean Drive and Wyndtree Access at 10535 Wyndtree Drive; both feature a single handicapped parking space.

Beaufort

The Newport River Park is on the east side of the Beaufort-Morehead City high-rise bridge, off the causeway on U.S. 70. It has a pier, sandy beach, picnic area, bathhouse and launching ramp sufficient for small sailboats. This is a popular spot for fishing. The park entrance is directly across from Radio Island. Radio Island, off the causeway on U.S. 70, is the largest island between the Beaufort-Morehead City high-rise bridge and the drawbridge into Beaufort. It is home to a variety of businesses — marinas, boat builders, a fuel terminal and a condominium complex. The beach access is a favorite spot for locals because it fronts Beaufort Channel and affords an impressive view of Beaufort and the surrounding islands. Swimmers are advised to stay close to shore when swimming due to dangerous currents in the deeper water. Portable toilets are provided, grills and picnic tables are available, and there's plenty of parking.

Harkers Island

Located on the southeast side of the Harkers Island drawbridge, a beach access point offers 20 parking spaces but no facilities.