I enjoy the beach in the winter time.  I’ve traveled to the Outer Banks several times over the last few years and it’s never failed to provide moments of awe and an excellent respite from dreary humdrum winter days. It’s a great escape from the cabin fever of working from home with the same four walls.

The island of Ocracoke sits well off the coast of North Carolina and is 9.6 square miles.  Almost the whole island is part of the Hatteras National Seashore.  There are absolutely no structures along the beach for the entire length of the island except for a ferry building and a bathroom. The only way to get to the island is by private boat, a ferry from either Cape Hatteras, Swan Quarter or Cedar Island or by private plane into the tiny airport. With a population of less than 800 and miles of open, undeveloped beaches, this is a great place for an escape.

My 5 tips on Ocracoke in the winter:

Ferries.  I had initially thought that I was going to take the ferry from Swan Quarter or Cedar Island to get to Ocracoke.  The problem was that there were only two departure times, 10 AM or 4 PM.  I couldn’t see getting to either location which was at least a 3 1/2-hour drive from my home.  It meant leaving home at 5:30 AM and absolutely nothing going wrong.  I didn’t want to arrive in the dark to the place I was staying.  My only other option was driving to Cape Hatteras which has upwards of 10 ferries a day to Ocracoke which gave me more flexibility in my arrival time. The added bonus was stopping at Bodie Island and Hatteras Lighthouses on the way to the ferry station.  I ended up taking the Cedar Island ferry home at the end of the week because it departed at 7:30 AM and that was easy to make since it was less than a mile from where I was staying. Plan accordingly.

Sunrise.  Sunrise on Ocracoke in January is between 7:15 and 7 AM.  I scouted a few beaches when I first arrived.  Since it’s about 15 miles to travel the length of the island on Highway 12, it was pretty easy to figure which spot would be easiest to navigate in the twilight of dawn. The closest access point to the village of Ocracoke had a lovely boardwalk out to the beach but it was chest high in sand.  While I was able to get up and over the sand, I didn’t think it made sense to do that in the darkness before dawn.  I found my spot at the beach right across from the pony pen about half way up the island.  There was a great boardwalk out to the beach and a pony pen. Each morning was like Christmas, wondering what the sunrise would be like.  Some were pink and red, others were clear and stark with just the sun and a blue horizon and some were streaked with clouds.  The anticipation of the drive out in the fog or full moon and then the sound of the waves crashing and not knowing if there would be beach enough to walk (one morning high tide and sunrise corresponded at 7:08 AM which made for very little sand to walk on). Each morning was a surprise and had its own beauty and awe.  There was never another soul on the beach. See the sunrise.

Traffic. Well, there isn’t any traffic unless a ferry has just arrived. And the two ferries in the village of Ocracoke (from Swan Quarter and Cedar Island) are lucky to have 10 vehicles on them.  But if you suddenly see five cars in a row, you can bet a ferry just came in or the small K-12 school has let out at the end of the school day.  Highway 12 along the national seashore is 55 miles an hour and practically everyone on the road is either coming or going from the Hatteras ferry. Once you are in the Village of Ocracoke the speed limit is 20 miles an hour.   That’s right, 20 MILES AN HOUR.  I figured out by Friday, when it was 65 degrees and some folks from the mainland were coming in for the weekend, that golf carts are the main mode of transportation. Hence the 20 miles an hour on all roads in the village. There are no traffic lights and quite a few folks tooling around on golf carts and signaling with their hands.  There is one turn in town which is marked with 15 miles an hour! The speed limit creates a relaxing pace, there is nothing to hurry to.  There is no traffic.

Businesses. When I was planning my visit, I read about a coffee shop that was right across the street from where I was staying and several restaurants.  Practically everything was closed for the season.  So, if you go before March or April, make sure you are prepared.  No boat tours, art studios, cappuccinos, kayak rentals or para sailing (I know way too cold).  These are available in the summer but not in January.  I had brought most of my food in my car but I’m glad I did.  There was one market that is open daily and it had a surprisingly good selection of produce and staples. There were two restaurants (re bars) open.  There are absolutely no franchise businesses like McDonalds, Subway or Starbucks, which adds to the quaintness of the village. I started to panic a few days before heading back home because I only had a quarter tank of gas and had not noticed any gas stations.  I found it through a google search in front of a camp ground. There were two pumps and I was able to pay by credit card. There was no obvious place to pay with cash. So be sure to gas up before you go.

Sights.  Besides walking on the beach there are a few sights to see in the winter.  I explored Springer’s Point Nature Reserve which is a small park with trails and is walking distance from the Ocracoke Lighthouse.   Springer’s Point is a 122-acre nature reserve with a maritime forest and some wetlands.  It’s also where Edward Teach (Blackbeard) had a hideout and lost his life right off the shoreline at Teach’s Hole in a battle with the British. The Ocracoke Lighthouse is the oldest operating lighthouse in North Carolina and is a stark plain white.  It sits right in the middle of the village as opposed to Hatteras and Bodie Island which are not near any other buildings. It was put into operation in 1824 and stands 75 feet tall.  It’s not open to climb although it’s open to visit in the summer time. The Ocracoke Ponies were allegedly “Banker” horses that were left by shipwrecked explorers in the 16th and 17th century. They have been on Ocracoke since the first European settles came in 1730.  The horses are in pens since the construction on the island long highway 12 so that they would not be injured.  There is a nice boardwalk to see several other horse pens and a grandstand of sorts to be able to get a bird’s eye view of the horses.  There are a few sights to see in the winter but if you don’t like walking on the beach or being curled up in your accommodations, there is not much else to see.

I think that Ocracoke is a great place to visit in the winter because it’s so quiet, peaceful and has a slow pace. It’s one of the best places to see the night sky on the east coast because of its lack of buildings.  I drove out the one clear night I had and was able to see several constellations. As long as you come prepared with a gassed-up car, plenty of food and a love of solitude, this is the place for you.