The North Carolina Outer Banks string more than 90 miles along the eastern seaboard of the Carolina coast from the Virginia border to Ocracoke and Portsmouth Islands. The North Carolina Outer Banks function as barrier islands that protect the mainland. These barrier islands prevent large ocean waves and storm surges from battering the mainland and protect them from damage.

The North Carolina barrier islands were formed thousands of years ago as glaciers melted following the close of the last Ice Age. During the Ice Age, the coast of North Carolina was 50 to 75 miles east of its present location. The various rivers of the area flowed directly into the Atlantic Ocean.

Formation of the North Carolina Outer Banks
During this low water point, the prevailing winds from the west brought sediment that piled up sand dunes on the eastern edge of the land. Thus, the eastern border of land was slightly higher than the low marshes and forests just to the west. Therefore, when the water levels rose, the sea reclaimed these lowlands and formed a "sound" that separated the mainland from the newly formed islands.

Today, the winds and waves still impact the barrier islands and continue to shape the landscape. The islands continue to move west and the sound between the mainland and the North Carolina Outer Banks continues to shrink. So enjoy them while they last because in a few hundred thousand years, they may be gone!

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