Topsail Beach

Topsail Beach (pronounced Tops'l by the locals) is located on North Carolina's coast at the southern tip of Topsail Island, below North Topsail and Surf City. It's a great place to visit, not only because the atmosphere is laid back and friendly, but because, located at the southern-most tip at the confluence of the sound and the Atlantic Ocean, is a long stretch of quiet, pristine shore, much of which is reserved for nesting wildlife.

I can't top that in words, so I'll show you in pictures:

THE TOWN:

Maritime forest coat lots and dunes around the island, protecting it from surges and storms:

Sand, brush, and Sun Blankets (wildflowers) occupy empty lots. I'm told past hurricanes have destroyed the buildings that once stood here.

But the vacant lots give the island an open feel. We stopped to take pictures several times, earning the attention of local law enforcement personnel. This happens more often than I care to admit. I just smile (for I'm fond of law enforcement personnel, and don't blame them for protecting their hometown) and show them the camera.

Topsail Beach is the home of the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, which I covered in a post of that name:

The blue tanks are temporary homes for sea turtles recovering from injury or illness. One of these days, I hope we'll get to witness a patient's release:

Sun Blankets (aka Indian Blankets) grow on some of the dunes, stabilizing them:

THE BEACH:

Topsail has a great beach, and it stretches for what has to be a couple of miles. Below is the pier-which we've managed to overlook on all our visits:

Other beach scenes:


There should be a sign: Warning--Beaches are Patrolled at All Times!


Look closely along the horizon, you'll see the pier:

I took this shot for my blog banner:

This is the northern edge of the southern tip of Topsail Beach, where the pristine part begins:


The pier can barely be seen at this point. We're at least a mile away by now, if not further:

Kell poses for scale. Beyond him is the watery confluence:



Overall, a great place to kick back and relax.

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Carolina Beach and Carolina Beach State Park, NC

Because North Carolina is a coastal state, one expects to find beaches along its soggy border. And boy does NC have them--a lot of them. In addition to exploring the sands of the Outer Banks, we've visited three beaches near Wilmington this past year. And to our surprise, though close in proximity, each has a distinct culture and pace.

With its pristine beaches and the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital, Topsail Beach, which we've visited three times and have yet to write about, appears more family oriented (though I'm told they've had issues in the past with nude sunbathers. Before I recommend it as a family destination, I'll check on the status of that issue.) Wrightsville Beach has more of an upscale feel.

Carolina Beach, located on the hang-nail of a peninsula just south of Wilmington, is a throwback to the beaches of old. Think Coney Island. A boardwalk--actually a wide sidewalk--runs between two strips of clothing stores, sweets shops, and other beachy-type businesses, to a small amusement park complete with Ferris wheel. From there, you can either cross the real boardwalk to a shady pavilion to catch the breeze (my choice!) or head to the sand and waves.

Note: Included at the boardwalk are at least two prominently located bars. A dichotomy in light of the nearby kiddie rides, but we've yet to visit Carolina Beach in the evening to see if a bit of Myrtle Beach's pollen has taken root in this state. During the day, the place is great, so feel free to do your own research! And I suggest you start on a Sunday- or Thursday night.

Each Thursday, head to the beach, and when the sun packs up and heads home, finish out the day with a colorful explosion of fireworks. And on Sundays, movies are shown at nearby Carolina Beach Lake.

I see Goonies is playing on August 16th. Hmm, guess where I'll be that evening.

Also spotted at Carolina Beach: a marina with two large ships just waiting to take passengers on a day or dinner cruise, and several fishing boats resting after early morning charters. You have no idea how long I had to wait while my husband collected brochures from each of those slips.

Hikers, nature- and shade-lovers, take heart. Just northwest of the boardwalk sits Carolina in Beach State Park. In addition to hiking trails, one can find pitcher plants, among other coastal species, and several species of birds. We couldn't tackle the trails on this visit, since it happened to coincide with the hottest day of the year, but we plan to return.

Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Hospital at Topsail Beach, NC

Update June 28, 2013: While updating this post, I checked the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle website and discovered the hospital is closed for tours while they prepare to move to their new, larger facilities.The original post (below) still conveys the tireless efforts of those dedicated to saving these gentle creatures.

Original Post:

A handful of ladies, a few summer interns, and an ocean of dedication have saved over 200 endangered sea turtles since the hospital opened in 1997. Though sixteen turtles were released this past Tuesday (at the time of this writing) fourteen still remain at the hospital. One, a loggerhead whose skull had been split. Another, a green turtle that injured a flipper in an encounter with a boat propeller. Yet another, a turtle named Lennie who went blind after getting struck by a blunt object. Though hospital workers will return his fellow patients to the water this fall, Lennie can no longer care for himself and must stay. He's a Kemp's Ridley, the number one endangered sea turtle.

Everyone associated with the hospital--from the people who patrol the beach each morning searching for turtle nests and report their findings, to the workers at the hospital, and those who help haul these 200+ pound turtles to the sea for a release--are volunteers. Astounding considering the time and physical demands of their job. During our visit, at least ten people were on duty to give the steady line of visitors a tour of the turtles currently residing in tubs in a room the size of a one-and-a-half car garage. They receive no compensation for this and the tours are free. They ask only for a donation. They also offer attractive logo items in their gift store, the proceeds of which go back to the turtle hospital.

There are currently nine sea turtle nests on Topsail Beach. Nine. All are most likely Loggerhead nests and probably contain about a hundred eggs. Only a few of these turtles will grow to adulthood. If they do, the females will begin returning in about twenty years to lay their own eggs. Unfortunately, boaters and other Samaritans may bring a few of them home before that for treatment for illnesses or injuries.

For more information about the Karen Beasley Sea Turtle hospital including news about the mass release and a chance to watch a patient via the turtle cam, go to www.seaturtlehospital.org/.

For more information about the turtle hospital located at the South Carolina Aquarium, go to www.scaquarium.org/seaturtle/rescue.aspx

And while you're at Topsail, go to the beach.