16 tales about local phenomena and bizarre happenings on the Outer Banks.

Legends of Virginia Dare, Theodosia Burr, Blackbeard, and the witch of Nags Head on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.

Stories about Indians, trappers, ghosts, firebirds, sea horses, and sand dollars in this collection of tales from coastal NC.

Wind, currents, tides, and sand. Kingsnakes and rice rats. The disappearance of the Lost Colony, the raids of the pirate Blackbeard, and the Wright brothers' first attempts at flight. The Outer Banks is a place like no other.

Keywords: Ocracoke, Outer Banks, Lighthouse, Blackbeard, shipwrecks, beaches, British Cemetery, Howard Street. FIRST PAPERBACK EDITION. OCRACOKE, that magical name that refers to both island and village, has always meant something special. It may have been derived from a Native American word for "enclosed place," fitting for the village of Ocracoke is indeed an enclosed place on the island of Ocracoke, at least as much as possible on North Carolina's OUTER BANKS. It is tucked away from the Atlantic Ocean on the Pamlico Sound -- like a pearl. It is a vacation paradise. Ocracoke, though beautiful and often serene, has rarely been entirely safe. TREACHEROUS STORMS, PIRATES AND EVEN GERMAN SUBMARINES HAVE TAKEN DOWN SHIPS offshore and made the onshore lives of islanders uncertain. It was at Ocracoke that America's most famous pirate, the ruthless BLACKBEARD, met his end in a ferocious battle with naval authorities. The pirate was shot or wounded 25 times before finally dying of a throat slashing. There is, of course, a gentler side to Ocracoke, as well. The island is home to the iconic 1823 LIGHTHOUSE that is only 75 feet tall and a photographer's favorite. Here, too, are ferries full of visitors and throngs of bicycle riders, a legendary herd of once-wild PONIES and miles upon miles of nationally honored BEACHES, the charmingly unpaved HOWARD STREET and the poignantly serene BRITISH CEMETERY. Award-winning author Ray McAllister explores them all, then goes further in search of the soul of Ocracoke, discovering what it is that pulls visitors back year after year. Along the way, he teams with Dr. Stephen Leatherman, the world-famous Dr. Beach, to advance an audacious and compelling new proposal for the island. Ocracoke: The Pearl of the Outer Banks is a delightful look at what has made Ocracoke special -- and likely always will.