The Atlantic coastline encompasses 100 miles of beach and barrier islands known as the Outer Banks North Carolina. This area receives many tourists, attracted by the mild climate and excellent beaches. The only downside is the threat of hurricanes. It used to have the nickname, 'Graveyard of the Atlantic', due to the high number of shipwrecks off the coast, caused by ferocious storms and difficult currents. Today, the ocean is a playground for fishing and surfing enthusiasts and migrating waterfowl call it home for part of the year.

Natives to the region are known as 'bankers' and the herds of wild horses that can be seen are called 'banker ponies'. These are the descendents of Spanish Mustangs that were washed on shore on the Outer Banks North Carolina hundreds of years ago after shipwrecks. Many of them are resident on Ocracoke Island, which is also famous for being the home territory of Edward Teach, better known as Blackbeard, the notorious pirate.

Another claim to fame for the area is the record-breaking aviators, the Wright Brothers. They undertook an historic flight here in 1903 on a site that is now the beachfront town of Kill Devil Hills. A National Monument pays tribute to their achievement.

One of the most popular landmarks and visitor attractions in the Outer Banks North Carolina is the striped lighthouse at Cape Hatteras. A major project involved the lighthouse, when it was decommissioned in 1998 and moved 2,900 feet to a new location. It re-opened in 2000 and the public could once again visit it during the summer season.

Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge on Hatteras Island is a protected area for birds, reptiles, mammals and amphibians in a terrain that includes beach and salt marshes. Migratory birds nest here for the winter, including snow geese, wading birds and raptors. There are threatened species too, such as peregrine falcons and piping plovers. It's a very popular area for birdwatchers, nature photographers, canoeists and kayakers.

History is remembered in the region at the Fort Raleigh National Historic Site on Roanoke Island, the location of the first English settlers in North America. The site is preserved in tribute to the colonists and contains Elizabethan Gardens that demonstrate a typical garden of the time. Productions are staged at the outdoor Waterside Theatre. Outer Banks North Carolina residents are proud of their region's rugged scenery, wildlife and significant historical and maritime legacy.

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