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Morehead City

 The Crystal Coast

Given its location a little off the beaten path, you’re unlikely to end up in Morehead City, N.C., accidentally, although anyone who did could almost be forgiven for driving by without realizing they’d been anywhere of note – let alone past one of the finest coastal communities in the southeast.

Spend a little time here exploring the coast roads, bridges, ferry routes and waterfront streets and you’ll soon realize that this seemingly nondescript industrial town disguises a place with a windswept gentility, a mysterious past and, in all probability, a glistening future.

Because if there’s a general lack of ostentation in Morehead City, there’s no lack of pride: the residents of this town know where they have come from as a coastal community, and they have a good idea where they’re going, too, as the commercial crossroads of an incomparable resort and recreational area known as the Crystal Coast.

Regeneration of Morehead City’s compact, waterfront downtown is well underway. In neighboring Beaufort, a ramshackle historic district that was once a well-kept secret has already been transformed into an idyllic (yet genuine) waterfront community with upscale restaurants and restored Victorian bed and breakfasts full of affluent guests, many of whom will sit on a front porch, watching yachts and fishing boats pass, wondering…

Few people who visit the Crystal Coast once can say they haven’t thought about what living here would be like. Those who come back a second time may well be hooked for life – on an area haunted by shipwrecks and ghost towns, blessed with miles of sandy beaches and situated a mere boat ride from one of the most serene and ecologically rich of America’s National Parks.

North Carolinians have known about the Crystal Coast for years; now people from other parts of the world are beginning to discover its open spaces and friendly people, suggesting that a population boom could be on the way and that anyone buying property here, whether as a home, second home or vacation rental will be making a good investment.

Crystal Coast Fast Facts

Location: On the southern coast of North Carolina, at the base of the barrier islands known as the Outer Banks

Population: 61,587

Mean household income: $65,283
Average real estate sale price: $213,153
Average annual rainfall: 46.5 inches

Average temperatures: 79°F in summer, 48°F in winter

Weather

Morehead City’s temperate weather is a central part of the area’s appeal. Mid-Atlantic breezes and the Gulf Stream take the edge off both summer and winter here, with high temperatures averaging a warm 87°F in summer and a comfortable 59°F in winter.

Southern humidity and coastal wind chills, however, can sometimes make the weather here feel more extreme than it is. But air conditioning helps with the humidity, and thanks to a south-facing exposure, the winter winds are not as frigid as they can be further up the coast.

Hurricanes are a potential threat to the Crystal Coast, as they are anywhere on the eastern seaboard. But the area is well-equipped to respond to them, with clear evacuation and recovery plans. Also, the inhabited parts of the Crystal Coast enjoy the protection of barrier islands, shielding them from the brunt of most storms.

Transportation

Although no interstate highway runs to Morehead City, the four-lane U.S. Highway 70 connects the area with New Bern, Raleigh and other metropolitan areas, while N.C. highways 24 and 58 offer further driving routes.

In a place where salt bogs, inlets, sounds and open sea are as much a part of the topography as the land itself, getting around by boat is a realistic proposition. Indeed, some of the best parts of the Crystal Coast are only accessible this way. Boat ramps and marinas are plentiful, although slots can get tight during the peak autumn fishing season, so book ahead.

Should you have access to a private plane, Beaufort has an airstrip that can handle single and twin-engine planes. For commercial air travel, the airport at New Bern, about a 45-minute drive from Morehead City, offers several daily flights to the international airport at Charlotte.

Morehead City is well-placed for daytrips to Wilmington or New Bern, or for ambling drives along a number of scenic byways. Taking the Cedar Island ferry to the beautiful fishing village on Ocracoke Island is an especially pleasant way to spend a day.

Housing

For the prospective home buyer, the best part about the Morehead City area is that the great development boom hasn’t happened yet. That means property prices are moderate compared to similar areas on the Southern coast, and that you might still be able to find a reasonably priced, vacant lot on which to build your coastal dream home from scratch.

Existing housing runs the gamut from older brick homes and condominiums to really old (historic) homes to marina developments, stilted beachfront houses and country club status homes; which is to say there’s something for almost any budget.

Although the average sale price for all homes in the area was $213,153 as of 2002, the going price for residential homes was considerably lower at $177,061, reflecting the premium placed on waterfront and historic properties – and the big budgets of the people from further inland who have been buying or building second homes here.

There are still bargains to be had, especially if you cast a wide net and consider some of the outlying areas of the Crystal Coast – or if you are willing to live without direct waterfront access. Even on Bogue Banks, where the area’s tourist beaches are, lots not adjacent to the ocean or sound start at about $40,000. Of course, if you can afford it, you can easily spend over $1 million on a large, beachfront home there.

Communities

Commercial life in Morehead City clings to the main road, stretching westward from the town’s industrial port and waterfront marina through a sizeable and growing development of shopping centers, restaurants and amenities. Residential areas are mostly suburban in feel, ranging from the modest to the affluent, and new prestige homes continue to be built in the town’s country club district.

The quaint Promise’ Land community, near downtown, is made up of clapboard houses that were moved here by boat around 1900 after double hurricanes drove residents off nearby Shackleford Banks.

The communities surrounding Morehead City range from small towns to beachfront developments to yacht and golf clubs.

Beaufort: For lovers of small town charms, Beaufort, N.C., is easily one of the best places to live in the United States. Neighbors who greet each other from their Victorian front porches, a Front Street lined with independent shops and restaurants, glitzy yachts in the marina, and views of wild horses grazing – it’s beyond picturesque. Of course, charms like these come at a price. Homes in the 15-block historic district start at $300,000.

Bogue Banks beaches: Across the high-rise bridge from Morehead City, the beach communities on the long barrier island, Bogue Banks, are dominated by luxury condominiums, stilted vacation homes and beachfront motels. Atlantic Beach is the most developed of these communities, attracting younger crowds, while it, along with Emerald Isle and Pine Knoll Shores, are all increasingly popular with retired people. Bogue Banks is still relatively green for a resort area of its scale, and since almost any home on the island is within walking distance of the beach, quieter sound-side properties are well worth a look.

Harkers Island: As recently as a few years ago, the fishermen and boat builders of Harkers Island, who still speak with the brogue of their English ancestors, would not have thought of their island as a potential home for outsiders (or “ditdotters” as they’re known in the colorful local dialect). Many still don’t, but with a new upscale housing development, reasonable prices and the area’s best access to the Cape Lookout seashore, new residents and second-home owners are increasingly prevalent.

Swansboro: Shrimp boats and historic homes mingle in the harbor view of this small town on the mouth of the White Oak River, across from Cape Carteret, making Swansboro a more affordable and less touristy alternative to Beaufort.

Attractions

There is something in the air in the Morehead City area that seems to relax a person. The urge to “do” just isn’t as great here as it is elsewhere, and that may partly explain why there are fewer tawdry beach amusements here compared to similar resort areas (though if you do want a Ferris wheel or miniature golf, don’t despair – you’ll find them).

Still, when friends or family want to see the sights or the kids or grandkids get restless, it helps to know where to find some attractions. Here are a few of the best.

North Carolina Maritime Museum: Built in the style of the lifesaving stations that were once prevalent in this part of the world, North Carolina’s Maritime Museum, in Beaufort, houses exhibits about marine life, commercial fishing and watercraft. The museum also displays artifacts recovered from the Queen Anne’s Revenge, one of Blackbeard’s ships, which sank in Beaufort Inlet in 1718 and was discovered in 1997.

Fort Macon State Park: This Civil War fort, on the tip of Bogue Banks, gives Fort Sumpter in Charleston a run for its money, at least in terms of how well preserved it is. Visitors can take guided and self-guided tours that include original rooms, cannons and displays on weapons, tools and other artifacts. Battle reenactments are staged three times a year. The surrounding park includes walking trails, wildlife and a well-equipped family beach.

Cape Lookout National Seashore: For fishermen and nature lovers, this is the undisputed gem of the Crystal Coast. Made up of three narrow islands that form the southern tip of North Carolina’s Outer Banks, this national park includes a well-known lighthouse (1859), an island populated by wild horses and many miles of sandy, unspoiled natural habitats. The islands are accessible by boat only; privately-run ferries run from Beaufort, Morehead City and Harkers Island.

North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores: The Pine Knoll Shores branch of the North Carolina Aquarium is closed until Spring 2006 for a major renovation. When it reopens, it will include a 300,000-gallon ocean tank containing a replica of the German submarine U-352 that sank off Cape Lookout in 1942, a stingray touch pool, a jellyfish gallery and much more.

Historic Beaufort: In the center of Beaufort, visitors can glimpse what life in coastal North Carolina was like in the 1700s and 1800s. While not exactly Colonial Williamsburg, the seven restored buildings on show here, including homes, the old courthouse and a jail, are a pleasant way to spend a day. And the town’s evocative Old Burying Ground is well worth a look.

Portsmouth Village: If you have ever wondered whether ghost towns exist outside the American West, Portsmouth Village is proof that they do. Settled in the 1700s, this village on Portsmouth Island, now part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore, once housed 600 residents. Changing times and harsh weather took their toll on the island’s population, and by the 1970s the last full-time residents had gone. But the village remains. Ferries to Portsmouth run from the town of Atlantic.

Core Sound Waterfowl Museum: First there was the festival that brought practitioners of the old art of decoy carving (and their admirers) to Harkers Island each year, now there’s a spacious – and free – museum where visitors can see carvings and waterfowl art, along with special exhibitions and a large freshwater pond.

Beaches

With mile after mile of sandy beaches and summer water temperatures in the high 70s or even low 80s, the Crystal Coast is a beachgoers paradise. Each of the beach communities on Bogue Banks offers designated public beach access, and the family beach at the Fort Macon State Park offers plentiful parking, a bath house, restrooms, a snack bar, wheelchair access, and lifeguards, making it the best public beach in the area. The six piers along the ocean side of Bogue Banks are great for evening strolls or night fishing.

With a little exploration around the Crystal Coast, you’ll find some of the locals’ favorite swimming spots on quieter sound-side beaches, where the water is markedly warmer. Boaters and those who are willing to walk a ways from ferry drop-off points on the Outer Banks islands can easily find themselves on completely secluded beaches, with ghost crabs, gulls and sandpipers as their only company.

The “mule trains” and other organized seashell-hunting outfits that run along the Cape Lookout seashore mean casual seashell hunting is not as rewarding here as it once was. But locals know that the ocean yields its greatest bounty of conchs and other majestic shells during a storm – there to fill buckets on the morning after.

Surfing is best in the off-season, when the bigger waves role in. But riptides and currents are strong year-round, so children should never swim unsupervised and adults should not normally swim alone.

Recreation

Not surprisingly, most of the best recreational activities in the Morehead City area have something to do with water. With 80 miles of surf and 400 miles of waterways, not to mention some really big fish passing through in the Gulf Stream, fishing tops the list. For many locals, it’s in the blood, and it’s one of the biggest attractions for visitors to the area, particularly in the autumn months, when cooler waters bring in schools of Spanish mackerel and puppy drum.

Scuba diving comes a close second. The ocean floor in the “Graveyard of the Atlantic” is littered with sunken ships, submarines and other vessels, making this one of North America’s best diving areas.

Kayaking has gained markedly in popularity here in the past several years. The area’s rivers, salt bogs and other intracoastal waterways are ideal for it. A number of Morehead City-area shops now offer sale or rental equipment along with both guided and self-guided kayaking tours.

Boating, surfing, windsurfing, snorkeling and water skiing are all popular, too, while landlubber activities like camping and golf are also well catered for.

Dining & nightlife

The tradition of the family-run fish restaurant, serving freshly-caught seafood with hush puppies and a bottomless pitcher of iced tea, is alive and well in Morehead City. The Sanitary, Captain Bill’s and Mrs. Willis’ are all long-time favorites of locals and returning visitors alike.

More upscale establishments come and go, but The Beaufort Grocery Company, in a converted grocer’s in the Beaufort historic district, is an enduring and characterful bastion of fine dining. Other independent restaurants cluster around the downtowns of Beaufort and Morehead City, while most of the nationwide chains, from fast food to steakhouses, can be found in the business district.

With no urban center as such and a culture focused on faith and family, nightlife options are never going to be the main attraction in the Morehead City area. You’ll find a few bars and nightclubs, mainly near the beaches, but you can’t go wrong with laid-back drinks at a waterfront bar in Beaufort, say, with live Beach Music to accompany the setting sun.

Arts & culture

The people of the Crystal Coast love their coastal heritage, and the cultural scene here largely revolves around the area’s sea legends, island stories and natural bounty. Annual festivals celebrate seafood, fishing, wooden boats, kayaking, surfing, pirates and yacht racing, while events like the Fourth of July boat parade bring a coastal flair to all-American occasions.

The slow-paced life and relatively low costs of living make the Morehead City area attractive to painters and writers, especially those working with a palette of coastal blues and tans or interested in folk art traditions. Commercial galleries are abundant in Morehead City and Beaufort.

The musical calendar includes a series of chamber music concerts, the multi-genre Beaufort Music Festival, visits from the North Carolina Symphony Orchestra, and summer concerts in area parks.

With more than 80 churches in and around Morehead City, some of them meeting in historic buildings, religion is an important part of the cultural fabric of the Crystal Coast. The nearest synagogue is in New Bern, a 45-minute drive away.

Employment

Economically, the Morehead City area is still very much tied to its coastal heritage. Commercial fishing, boatbuilding, and shipping continue to be important ways of life here, while tourism ensures a thriving service economy – at least during the summer months. Because of this, unemployment rates fluctuate from season to season.

Attempts at diversification, including the building of a new business park, have so far mainly attracted manufacturing companies, including the makers of fishing tackle, wood veneers and refrigeration boxes. The military is another key employer, with the Marine Corps base at Cherry Point providing a substantial number of civilian jobs.

Average wages here are on the low end of the spectrum compared to other metropolitan areas, but so are the costs of living. As such, Morehead City would be an excellent base for the new breed of teleworkers and home-based workers.

Education

Morehead City is served by Carteret County public schools, with around 8,000 students from grades kindergarten through 12. Two charter schools, including the Cape Lookout Marine Science High School, with its curriculum focused on scuba diving, boating and sailing, offer alternatives to traditional schooling.

Private schools include the Crystal Coast School of the Arts (K-2), Gramercy Christian School and St. Egbert’s Catholic School. The Newport Development Center trains children with developmental disorders and other disabilities.

Carteret County Community College provides two-year programs in vocational and technical training as well as a range of continuing education programs. Mount Olive College in New Bern is also within commuting distance. All three of North Carolina’s leading research universities now have marine research facilities in Morehead City, giving it one of the largest concentrations of marine scientists on the east coast.

Informal educational opportunities are abundant, especially if you are interested in marine life or history. The North Carolina Maritime Museum and the North Carolina Aquarium both offer ongoing educational events for adults and children, while knowledgeable locals offer eco tours and historical walks.

Written by Jonathan Holt, exclusively for Eastbiz.com

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