North Carolina's beaches
 

Hey,
I was wondering about the water temp in North Carolina and also the sand texture,
I know it sounds weird but my boyfriend and my self are looking for a place with "warm waters" and dune sand (not rocky),
thanks,
Shannee

The sand on the beaches is fine, but not as fine as some of the Florida beaches, the ones you can drive on, but you & your boy friend will be very happy -- not rocky.

Depending on the time of the year you are going, you can go on line and check out the average water temperatures. ((b))

Sandy beaches--no rocks. Nice beaches south of Wilmington (and around Wilmington) on down into SC. Water temp comfortable in June for swimming.

the largest sand dune is Jockey's Ridge on the outer banks (near Kill Devil Hills). However, that dune isn't on the water. Gulf stream waters are usually pretty warm in this area too.

NC would be fine I think. If it's not out of budget, take a look at South Padre Island in Texas. The water there is very comfortable and the beaches are great!

In June, the water temperature is usually in lower 70s, warms up to upper 70s in July, can be in 80s for Aug. and Sept. Obviously, the further south you go, the warmer the temperature. Most of the Outer Banks and south are sandy, not rocky. Sand is good quality -- not as fine, white powdery as Gulf Coast, but not as gritty-muddy as, say, NJ-Delaware or even some parts of SC/Ga (although the island beachs there are nice).

You don't say when you want to go, but I recommend you consider late Sept., if you aren't dealing with school schedules, or even early Oct. The water is still wonderfully warm, the days are pleasant and not searingly hot, the nights are cool and pleasant, most of the crowds are gone, but most of the facilities are still up and running.

You need to head south of the North Carolina border for the water temps to hit 80 degrees.

Doubtful it gets that warm in the Outerbanks.

To give you an example, most divers will not dive without a wetsuit if the water is below 83 degrees.

http://www.nodc.noaa.gov/dsdt/cwtg/satl.html

I've been in Duck when the water temp was 84. Have to say, if the air is in the 90s, that water temp. is too warm for me. Like it around 75-78. As I kid I used to swim in Cape Cod water that sometimes got down to 58! Can't do that now, for sure. Not even close.

HKP, that link gave no information for Duck.

In that area, the colder northern Atlantic pushes the water southeast helping turn the warmer waters of the Gulf Stream which is why the big disparity in water temps between NC and SC waters.

Water temp south of Hatteras peaks in July/August in southern North Carolina at about 82-85 degrees.

As for the sand, it is white. Nothing fancy. It is comfortable to walk in except, occasionally, the red hot sand between the dunes and the high tide line.

GoTravel, are you somehow trying to convince Shannee to utterly rule out NC for strange reasons known only to you?

Can't imagine why it's a battle to discredit NC beach water and promote SC or Ga beaches, esp. since OP asked specifically about NC.

(And btw, why focus on absence of Duck info? Duck wasn't specifically part of the original question, and/but it is pretty far north in the OB, and/but the website does include today's water temp, which was listed as over 75.)

There may well be a difference between Corolla and Bald Head (far north to far south in NC), but it's a VERY long coast, and many very lovely, very swimmable beaches. Hatteras splits the difference, but in any case, you're only talking 2-3 degrees difference between there and Myrtle Beach ---- and I'd take Ocracoke WAAAY before I'd consider Myrtle Beach, just for one comparison.

Bottom line, NC waters are almost never actually chilly in the usual summer, and some summers you'd almost call the water "hot" on certain days.

CFC -- thanks for reminding me of the name of the restaurant next to SSuites -- could welcome an Oceanic crab cake right now.

Woops, CFC was responding to another post on NC beaches. At the risk of using a seriously ugly phrase I don't like much, "my bad."

HKP, I think the OBX are simply gorgeous. I'm just replying to Shanees request for warm waters.

There is is big difference between 85 degree water and 75 degree water even though it doesn't sound like much.

You wouldn't think three degrees would be a big deal but 80 degrees will cool your core body temp down much faster than 83.

I guess the question has to go to Shannee: What do you mean "warm waters"?