North Topsail Beach - Shipwatch (S30E)

North Topsail Beach is located on the northern end of Topsail Island. The island offers 26 miles of stunning coastline for both locals and visitors to enjoy. Note that there are no lifeguards on this quiet beach. Local history has it that Topsail received its name from the many pirates that used to hid in the channel, waiting to ambush merchants ships. The merchants caught on to this hiding spot and kept a sharp watch for pirate ships’ topsails beyond the dunes when they sailed through the area. Please be mindful of the sand dunes and the sea grasses. Dunes are extremely important to the ecosystem as well as to the properties on this low lying island, and breaches in the dunes leaves the beach extremely vulnerable to storms and floods. There is 500$ fine for walking on the dunes. Topsail Island’s coastline is nesting beach for several species of threatened and endangered sea turtles. The Topsail Sea Turtle Project manages sea turtle activities along the 26 miles of coastline. Beach goers should take care to avoid disturbing nesting females, nests, and hatchlings during the nesting season (May1-August 31). During nesting and hatching season the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission strongly encourages Topsail Beach visitors and residents use red filters on flashlights when walking on the beach at night and to ensure that lights facing the beach are turned off.