 
Over the years we've spent many enjoyable vacations at Topsail Island. This jewel on the Carolina coast is 2 and a half hours from our door in Carrboro. This closest beach with loads of family appeal has kept us coming back over the years, and made us fall in love with Surf City and the rest of the island. 
Oddly enough, going on a tour boat wasn't something that we had done on any of our past visits to the Island. This summer, we decided to take a ride and hear a little history about the island. We put on our sunscreen and headed for the sound to embark on a more than an hour-long boat ride along the Intercoastal Waterway at Topsail Island. 
The boat we rode on was Dorothy, a small but very nice cruiser that took us on our journey along the sound. The sky soon turned cloudy, but the temperatures were perfect as we made our way along the waterway. The scene couldn't have been more breathtaking. We passed under one of a handful of vertical bridges still in existence here in the US, the entryway onto Topsail when you travel by car. This serene place is where many of the water scenes for the TV show Dawson's Creek are filmed. It's a place of incredible natural beauty and provides a stunning view of the island by boat.
Our skipper was Charlie Watson, who made his way effortlessly along the sound. The first mate was a friendly fellow named Vic Young, who definitely looked the part with his white beard and nautical hat. He possessed a wealth of historical information about the Island, pointing out areas of interest as we cruised along.
It seems that it wasn't until 1946 that anyone lived here on Topsail Island. Folks would go fishing here, but there were no houses on the Island. All of that changed when the government decided to build a testing ground here. Back in those days the army brought plenty of personnel in, and before you know it the population soared. While there are still traces of this early government involvement, over the years the Island has prospered, and is now one of the most popular places around, with tourists who pour into the area each year for their annual getaways.
There was plenty of wildlife to be seen on the tour. Vic pointed out the osprey nests that peppered the area. We also saw beautiful pure white egrets and an occasional pelican, but the alligator that is rumored to make an appearance from time to time eluded us on this trip.Worth noting is the behavior of some of the other wildlife in the area. According to Vic, each fall as hunting season approaches, herds of deer from the mainland can be seen making their way across the sound, where they stay on the uninhabited jutting of land for a month or two, traveling back across occasionally for fresh water. It's as if they know when the season begins, and find refuge in this place across the water. It's easy to see how this deserted, unspoiled area would appeal to them.  Computer Stuff | Downtown Carrboro Map | Events | Prices | Restaurants | UniqueOrn Website Development 
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