ONSLOW COUNTY — With a shoreline that recedes as much as 100 feet a year, North Topsail Beach is in trouble. The northernmost section of the 22-mile barrier island that includes Onslow and Pender counties has been clobbered by hurricanes and is under the constant threat of erosion.

North Topsail Beach has for years battled severe inlet erosion, which has forced the demolition and relocation of more than a dozen homes at the north end of Topsail Island within the past couple of decades.

Topsail Beach – Topsail Beach is the southernmost town on Topsail Island. North Topsail Beach is home to the Jolly Roger Pier, South End Outfitters, The Gift Basket and multiple bars and grills.

It is very rare, but alligators do venture out of the marshy areas of Topsail Island and onto the beach and into the surf. On June 1, 2019, multiple alligators were seen on North Topsail Beach.

In the most basic sense, a terminal groin is a type of rock wall built on the shoreline, extending into the water that are used to help grow beaches and slow erosion. “A groin is built perpendicular to the coast and works similar to the way a jetty works. Terminal groins are relatively new concoctions.

Are dogs allowed on the beach? Yes, dogs are allowed, but all dogs must be on a leash (no longer than 20ft) when off its own property limits from the period between May 15 through September 30 of each year.

In terms of devastation, 26-mile-long Topsail Island — which is shared by Topsail Beach, Surf City and North Topsail Beach — was ground zero. According to the state’s post-storm estimates, Fran’s winds and storm surge damaged three-quarters of the structures on the island and destroyed 331 homes.

Topsail Island isn’t a part of the Outer Banks, which are also a set of barrier islands off the coast of North Carolina but are located farther north. Choose to stay in one of the three main towns: North Topsail Beach, Surf City, or Topsail Beach.

Topsail Island is home to some of the most beautiful, peaceful, and least crowded beaches in North Carolina. There is plenty to do to keep the whole family happy and coming back for years. And, the three towns of Topsail Island are home to wonderfully comfortable and affordable vacation rentals.

Topsail Beach
Near the south end of Topsail Island, in the town of Topsail Beach, there is a seemingly bottomless hole; the locals call it the “Gold Hole”. In the mid 1900’s, a team of treasure seekers came to Topsail from the North and identified that hole as the hiding place for Blackbeard’s treasure.

History of the “Seawall” Ban The CRC concluded that the potential negative effects of such structures could cause irreversible damage to North Carolina’s beaches. As a result, the CRC recommended banning the construction of hard structures to protect buildings at the coast.