Though easily identifiable in the distance by its unique lighthouse, Bald Head Island is 4 miles off the coast of Southport at the mouth of the Cape Fear River where it meets the sea. The lighthouse, built in 1817 and retired in 1935, is cataloged as the oldest lighthouse in North Carolina.
Once a favorite hiding spot for pirates such as Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, Bald Head Island is now an affluent residential and resort community with about 220 year-round residents. It can only be reached by the island's private ferry or by personal boat. No cars are allowed on the island — transportation is by golf cart, bicycle or walking. The island is graciously open to the public, and the summer population can reach from 7,000 to 8,000, with visitors renting vacation homes and playing golf (see our Golf chapter for course information).
It is probably safe to say this is one of the most unspoiled beach and maritime forest areas on the North Carolina coast. The island's natural beauty is protected, despite residential development as well as a few commercial amenities such as a restaurant, bed and breakfast inns, general store with deli, marina, golf course, specialty store, and golf cart and bike rental business.
The island has dunes, creeks, forests and 14 miles of beaches. The 2,000 acres of high land are surrounded by 12,000 acres of salt marshes, maritime forest preserve and tidal creeks. The owners have deeded nearby Middle Island and Bluff Island to the state and The Nature Conservancy. The Bald Head Island Conservancy, a nonprofit organization, was formed to ensure that the unique natural resources of the island are maintained and preserved.
Turtle nesting on Bald Head Island historically accounts for 50 percent of all sea turtle eggs laid in North Carolina. The Sea Turtle Program protects and monitors these wonderful creatures. There is an Adopt-a-Nest Program that pairs concerned humans with turtle nests in an effort to protect the nests and encourage the hatchlings toward the sea. Studies in which female turtles were tagged have revealed that pregnant turtles return to the same site to lay eggs every other year. Due to the many species of birds found on the island, the Audubon Society conducts an annual count here as part of its national program.
A day visitor can take the private ferry from Indigo Plantation in Southport. The cost is $15 round trip. Day parking in Southport is $5 or $7, depending on the lot you choose. At this writing, plans are in the works to relocate the ferry landing to Deep Point Marina off East Moore Street. For a longer stay, there are many rental accommodations on the island. The cost, compared to rental on much of the mainland, is on the upper end, but so is the experience for the visitor who wants to really get away from it all in quiet style.
