The island does not have life-guards; we swim at our own risk in the ocean.
People Also Ask
Though Ocean Isle Beach is much less busy than other popular beaches along the coast of North Carolina and South Carolina, the town still experiences the occasional busy Saturday when weeklong visitors settle into their vacation rentals and head to the grocery store for food.
Yes, Ocean Isle Beach has a downtown area. It is located near the center of the island and features a variety of restaurants, shops, and other attractions. The downtown area also offers plenty of parking for visitors to explore all that Ocean Isle Beach has to offer.
Some areas of the Outer Banks have fixed lifeguard stands, while others only offer roving patrols. It is always safest to swim near a fixed lifeguard station - particularly if you have children. Lifeguards are generally on duty between Memorial Day and Labor Day weekend.
It's one of the North Carolina barrier islands known as the Brunswick Islands, where you will find more beach for your blanket. Because Ocean Isle Beach stretches for seven miles in an unusual east-west direction, sunrises and sunsets are amazingly dramatic.
Public Beach Access: Ocean Isle Beach offers Public Beach Access points up and down the island FREE PARKING at just about all locations. Click here to download a pdf map of all beach access points with handicap accessible access points noted.
The annual beach water quality report by the National Resources Defense Council found that North Carolina beaches are among the cleanest in the country. The latest report of testing shows Ocean Isle Beach's water to be among the cleanest in the country! Good news for swimmers (and parents).
Ocean Isle Beach is the Perfect Vacation DestinationFamily friendly, white sand beaches with lots of restaurants, local attractions, events, and outdoor activities for everyone, Ocean Isle is the perfect destination for everyone.
The town and island of Nantucket ranked first on the list — by far — for most-expensive beach destination in the world, with an average price of $694 per night for the least-expensive double room, the site found. TravelMag researchers said they investigated every destination worldwide with at least one beach.
Rip Currents on the Outer BanksSeaward currents, also called rip currents or rip tides, are created by breaks in the sand bar off shore and are very dangerous. Rip currents are channels of water flowing away from the shore and will pull a swimmer out from shore.
Outer Banks water is cold because southwest winds push warm water up to the surface of the Atlantic Ocean and away from the shore. This flow of wind enables cold water that is below the warm water to move in. Is it safe to swim in the Outer Banks? It is safe to swim in the Outer Banks.