Estuarine Reserves in the Carolinas

While we've visited a couple of these destinations, I'm not familiar with this organization or entirely clear on all units involved. But that won't stop me from pointing them out to you. I happened on these potential sites while perusing A Guide to Nature Conservancy Projects in North Carolina, and subsequent research indicates this could be interesting.

Though it appears this is a national effort, the National Estuarine Research Reserve System oversees several "components" on both Carolina shores. These are:

In NC:

• Currituck (which we visited this past winter)


• Masonboro Island - the "largest undisturbed barrier island" in the southern NC coast


• Rachel Carson Estuarine Research Reserve Islands, off Beaufort


• Zeke's Island

Permuda Island fits in there somewhere, but I'm still working through that.

The Currituck component is accessible by land. Masonboro (between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach), Rachel Carson, and Zeke's Island, by private ferry or boat. At these locations, you may find include uninhabited lands, hiking trails, waterfowls, and during nesting season, endangered sea turtles.

In SC:

• North Inlet-Winyah Bay - near Georgetown


• The ACE Basin near Beaufort and Edisto, which we attempted to visit once.

This is officially on our list.

For more information on NERRS in NC, go to http://nerrs.noaa.gov/