A Bright Spot

05/16/2024

NCDOT officials are dropping the speed limit in parts of Currituck and Dare counties ahead of the anticipated peak travel season.

05/13/2024

🐢 The first sea turtle nest of the season was found over the weekend by park biologists! The nest was found near Frisco on Saturday, May 11th and was a Loggerhead (Caretta caretta) sea turtle.

Do you think we will have another busy nesting season?

The sea turtles were busy last summer, and so were our staff! With 380 total nests, 2023 was the seashore’s 2nd highest recorded nesting year (2019 was the highest on record with 473 nests total).

A few other records were broken in 2023, too:

- Highest number of Green turtle nests recorded in a nesting season (52).
- First successful Leatherback nest hatch since 2007.
- Highest number of false crawls recorded (456).
- Latest sea turtle nest found for the seashore and the state (December 3rd, 2023).

Find out more about sea turtles on Cape Hatteras national Seashore here: https://www.nps.gov/caha/learn/nature/seaturtles.htm

📸 NPS taken 5/11/24 | A resource protection area installed around a Loggerhead Sea turtle nest showing the sea turtle tracks coming and going from shore.

05/03/2024

04/17/2024

The lighthouse says tickets can only be purchased the same day you intend to climb.

04/07/2024

We can’t wait for your family to enjoy all the new updates to A Bright Spot!! New carpet and flooring, interior paint and light fixtures, all new stainless steel appliances, and a new hot tub!! Only a couple weeks left available this summer!! ☀️🌊👙⛱️🕶️

https://www.brindleybeach.com/outer-banks-vacation-rentals/hia400-bright-spot

04/04/2024

W. Verde Watson photo of a Sunrise Service conducted at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse - Easter Sunday, April 1, 1956

09/27/2023

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is getting a major $19.2 million facelift.

09/01/2023

08/31/2023

08/31/2023

Yes, NC 12 is open and passable. BUT this is NOT a day to be out on the roads. Standing rainwater, blowing sand and strong winds can be expected anywhere you go today. High tide is coming up in another 90 minutes or so. If you must drive today, do it with EXTREME CAUTION.

07/19/2023

The Ocracoke Express passenger ferry is back in service and ready to take you on a relaxing day trip to Ocracoke! Daily departures from Hatteras at 9:30 a.m., 1 p.m. and 4:30 p.m. Return trips from Ocracoke at 11 a.m., 3 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. No cars, no waits, no worries!

03/21/2023

Did you see the Wienermobile? 🌭 😊

01/17/2023

So cool!

Video by Mike Hysong A critically endangered juvenile North Atlantic right whale was spotted off the Avon Pier on Sunday, January 8, and the rare encounter was captured on video by beachgoer Mike Hysong. The sighting caught the attention of Marina Doshkov, Database Technician and Marine Mammal Stran...

12/19/2022

A Bright Spot is now booking for the summer 2023 season!! Who else is looking forward to toes in the sand?! 🙋🏼‍♀️

HIA400, A Bright Spot is a 4.00 bedroom, 2.00 bathroom vacation rental.

11/08/2022

Incredible!!!

Last lunar eclipse until 2025? Of course I was going to be out capturing it. Even if there were crazy 30mph winds and where better than the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse?

PS... Me and my laptop both hate Photoshop now 😂

11/07/2022

So cool!!

10/20/2022

So sorry to see this…

08/26/2022

Woah!!

08/07/2022

08/02/2022

♥️

On July 23rd, the first sea turtle nest hatched on the seashore (cue all of the cute sea turtle hatchling photos)! Since then, several more nests have hatched and park biologists have started nest excavations.

During a recent excavation on July 27th, a live, leucistic loggerhead sea turtle was found at the bottom of the nest chamber. It was released that evening when it crawled its way into the Atlantic Ocean. This genetic deviation is rare since we typically only see a few per year. What does leucistic mean? Great question!

At first glance it may look albino since it lacks the typical pigment and coloration of a loggerhead sea turtle. Albinism occurs when there's an absence of melanin, which makes the animal appear white with eyes pink in color. Leucism is similar, but the sea turtle still has some pigmentation and its eyes are often normal in coloration (as shown in the image below).

NPS photo by M. Davis
Alt Text: A sea turtle hatchling (white in color with brown eyes) crawls on the sandy beach towards the ocean.

07/28/2022

So exciting!!

07/24/2022

Great info!

Good afternoon everyone,
Welcome to the island!!!

Here are a few useful pieces of information.
1. BEACH DRIVING PERMITS: MUST be purchased
online at the link below and then stop by Frank &
Fran's Fisherman's Friend and we have beach driving
cards you can write your permit number on and place in
your windshield.
https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/permitsandrese
rvations.htm?fbclid=IwAR1V8OsjMTNZ-1u5eS6
ePVCBcJWSGIYtBmYcKCPlU7dRmOSz0PvGkULPEK8
2. FIRE PERMITS: We sell bundles of firewood and
there is a free permit wrapped around each bundle. If
you don't need firewood, you can stop in and grab a
free fire permit.
3. FISHING LICENSES: We sell licenses in the shop
and you can get either a 10 day or annual license.
Anyone who is 16 and older that will be fishing on the
beach, sound or in the fresh water ponds, will need a
NC fishing license.
4. CRABBING: We sell chicken necks, crab nets, crab
pots, crab lines. You can crab any where in the sound
and can be great fun with the kids!
5. FISHING: We have fresh and frozen bait as well as all the tackle needed to fish the surf, sound or from a kayak. We have been catching croaker on lugworms and bloodworms off the beach and off the pier, bluefish and a few puppy drum from the surf on cut mullet. The speckled trout bite has also been good on the sound on popping corks and soft plastics. Stop in and we can set you up with tackle and bait to fit your budget. We have 7', 8' and 9' fishing starter kits. Comes with rod, reel, sand spike, rig, artificial bait, sinker and a 5 gallon bucket. Just add a fishing license (required for fisherman 16 and over) and hit the beach!

07/13/2022

07/08/2022

UPDATE: Due to overwhelming interest, we are suspending recruitment at this time! Please check out www.volunteer.gov for additional volunteer opportunities across the country!

Looking to volunteer (and live) on Ocracoke Island this summer? We are currently recruiting for one volunteer to assist with sea turtle patrols and other resource management tasks. we are looking for someone who can commit from August 1-October 1. Park housing is provided with 32 hours of service a week. This position will require extensive walking on the beach.

05/19/2022

Do you or someone you're traveling with have mobility issues? Cape Hatteras National Seashore offers beach wheelchairs to assist with doing what we all love - getting outside and enjoying the beach!

Beach wheelchairs are available in all districts at the Lifeguarded beaches: Coquina Beach Access (Bodie Island), Old Lighthouse Beach Access (Buxton, Hatteras Island), Frisco Beach Access (Hatteras Island), and Ocracoke Beach Access (Ocracoke Island). Lifeguards are on duty Memorial Day - Labor Day from 9:00am - 5:00pm.

You may also inquire about beach wheelchairs at any visitor center if you're traveling outside of the Memorial Day - Labor Day window. Please visit our website for other Accessibility options at https://www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/accessibility.htm

Alt Text: A park ranger stands behind a beach wheelchair on the seashore.