![]() The term "Outer Banks" refers to the islands, shoals, and spits from Cape Lookout northward, including Core Banks, and is frequently abbreviated OBX on regional tourism marketing. Tropical storms like Hurricane Irene in 2011 have already destroyed significant infrastructure and property. Some sections have significantly eroded already, with portions of Hatteras Island at 25% of its original width as of 2014. In some locations on the banks, sea levels rose 5 inches from 2011 to 2015. The Outer Banks are particularly vulnerable to sea level rise and coastal erosion the effects of climate change compounds existing coastal erosion caused by poor coastal management and construction practices. During the 20th century the region became increasingly important for coastal tourism. The Outer Banks were also home to the Wright brothers' first flight in a controlled, powered, heavier-than-air vehicle on December 17, 1903, at Kill Devil Hills. The hundreds of shipwrecks along the Outer Banks have given the surrounding seas the nickname Graveyard of the Atlantic. Most notably the English Roanoke Colony vanished from Roanoke Island in 1587 and was the first location where an English person, Virginia Dare, was born in the Americas. The Outer Banks were sites of early European settlement in the United States and remain important economic and cultural sites. The seashore and surrounding ecosystem are important biodiversity zones, including beach grasses and shrubland that help maintain the form of the land. A major tourist destination, the Outer Banks are known for their wide expanse of open beachfront and the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. ![]() They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating Currituck Sound, Albemarle Sound, and Pamlico Sound from the Atlantic Ocean. The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a 200 mi (320 km) string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. ![]() The Outer Banks, separating the Atlantic Ocean (east) from Currituck and Albemarle Sounds (north) and Pamlico Sound (south) ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |