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The Currituck Banks site is an excellent example of an undisturbed barrier island and low-salinity estuarine system. The site lies in the northeaster corner of North Carolina, 10 miles south of the Virginia border and three-quarters of a mile north of the village of Corolla. Bounded by Currituck Sound and the Atlantic Ocean, the site encompasses 954 acres. The Nature Conservancy and the U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service own neighboring tracts. Throughout recent geologic time, Currituck Banks has been a dynamic barrier landform, moving or “migrating” in response to sea level changes. While the Banks was once a series of islands, it is currently part of a complex barrier spit that extends about 70 miles from Virginia Beach to Oregon Inlet. Behind this barrier spit, extensive marshes have built up from inlet deltas and over wash fans that were submerged by rising sea level. The mixing of warm Gulf Stream currents and cooler northern currents off Currituck Banks creates a climate where northern species reach the southern limit of their ranges and southern species reach the northern limit of their ranges. As a result, a diversity of species from both regions is found here. The habitats are ocean beach, sand dunes, grasslands, shrub thicket, maritime forest, brackish and freshwater marshes, tidal flats and subtidal soft bottoms. The rich resource of commercial and game fish are largemouth bass, yellow perch, tidewater silverside, pumpkinseed, blue-spotted sunfish, bluegill, black crappie and channel catfish. Commercial fish catches also include white perch, carp, shad, herring and eel. Birds found in the area that are of special concern are the osprey, Wilson’s plover, black skimmer and least tern. Currituck Sound is located within the Atlantic Flyway and the site is especially important for migrating waterfowl.
Getting to the Site N.C. 12 in Currituck County leads to an ocean beach ramp within the reserve site; however, parking is only allowed on the ocean beach. The site can also be reached by driving up the beach strand from Dare County or by boating across Currituck Sound.
Visiting the Site A number of foot and jeep trails crisscross the Currituck Banks site, particularly in the southern half, and there is a Virginia Electric Power Company right-of-way, which may be followed. The trails that pass through the shrub thicket and maritime forest provide the best access with the least amount of damage to the habitats. Freshwater ponds within the site are good areas for education and research. The nearshore waters of Currituck Sound contain dense beds of aquatic plants, which are typical of low-salinity estuaries, and visitors should avoid disrupting this fragile ecosystem. |
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