Surfing

Surfing has become a popular sport along much of North Carolina's shoreline and the Cape Lookout National Seashore is a popular surfing destination. If conditions are right…an onshore swell and offshore wind…there are quality surfing waves here to be ridden!

The most popular sites for surfing at Cape Lookout, simply because access is better, include the south end of Core Banks (from the Light Station to the Cape) and west end of Shackleford Banks near Beaufort Inlet. The beaches of Core Banks face east and thus the best surfing occurs when swells are coming in from the east or southeast and the wind in westerly. Shackleford's beaches face south, so the combination of south swells and north winds produces better surfing conditions.

East and south swells are most prevalent during June through November…which, unfortunately, corresponds with hurricane season. Water temperature during the summer will often approach the low 80's, but will drop to the 50's in the spring and fall. Most local surfers wear a good wetsuit except, perhaps, during the hottest months of July and August.

Remember, the only access to the Seashore is by boat, so a private boat or ferry is needed. Thus, a surfing trip to Cape Lookout takes some planning. See Crystal Coast Surf Shops for a fairly current list of local surf shops you can contact.