Camping Cape Lookout National Seashore

[wjsmith82]

Has anybody camped out at Cape Lookout? If the weather stays nice, I may give it a try this Saturday and perhaps some night fishing.

http://www.nps.gov/calo/planyourvisit/camping.htm

Thanks,

Regards,

Bill

[lakebiker]

Better check the bird closures. *006*

[Shakespeare]

Has anybody camped out at Cape Lookout? If the weather stays nice, I may give it a try this Saturday and perhaps some night fishing.

I've thunk on it pretty hard but never made the commitment. It is, by every sense of the word, primitive camping. You can have camp fires as long as they're below the high tide line. It would be nice to drive in via Davis and at least have everything in the back of a truck, else if you come by boat you need some sort of cart to tote everything in.

It still may be early in the year but I would avoid being near the pine thickets. Dang mosquito holes back there and they are the mean nasty variety.

[Capt. Mick]

I was born and raised in Morehead City and some of my best childhood memories was camping at the Cape and Shackleford Banks. My preference is Shackleford, it is my ubderstanding that you can no longer have a fire at the cape. I remember taking an old army surplus knap sack and putting a battery in it and gigging flounder until my arms were sore. My dad bought us a 50 foot pull seine and we would catch tons of shrimp in it. Great fishing in both places especially for flounder or blues and spanish in the inlet. Probably will be some trout in the middle marsh. In a couple of weeks the cobia should show their heads. Line up to the day marker on Shackleford with the Beaufort water tower go about 50 yards off the beach and there is a deep hole that will be the best cobia bite around. Cut up 1/2 a blue crab and sink it to the bottom and the fight will be on. Ohh don't forget to wade on the sandbar at the turn to Harkers Island there are millions of sand dollars there. And bring plenty of bug spray those islands are the sand gnat capital of the world.

[Shakespeare]

it is my ubderstanding that you can no longer have a fire at the cape.

Capt. Mick... I dunno maybe this info is old and I guess the best thing to do is call the 800 number, but it says in the FAQ that you can have camp fires. That's where I was getting my info.

http://www.nps.gov/calo/faqs.htm

[fishmonger]

WJ,

I've spent the night at the end of Shackleford closest to the light several years back and will do this again with the kids. Great area to fish and a "special place" as others have eluded to, nice area for flounder. You can scrounge driftwood for a fire (below the waterline). A good place to launch a boat would be Calico Jacks or Barbors Harbor both on Harkers Island and make the short run. Any ways the bugs might not too bad this time of year, or said differently it'll only get worse. Might catch a view of the ponies and you'll be surprized at how bright the stars at night from there.

Enjoy it.

[Capt. Mick]

If you realy want to have fun there check this out. www.outerbankshouseboats.com Some of my old high school friends stated this and it is a blast!!!!!!!

[wjsmith82]

Thanks Lakebiker, I will call ahead. Aren't the bird closure mostly on the Outer banks?

Mike, I saw you will be down this weekend. Feel free to join us. See ya Friday night.

Thanks for the tips Capt. Mick. It sure would be nice for the kids to land a cobia in a few weeks. Outerbanks are also a good option. How are the bugs on the outer banks?

Fish Monger, we are staying Friday night at Calico Jack's. I took pictures of the kids eyeing the ponies last October from this area on the way back from the jetty. It is a special place.

Thanks to all. I will bring the camera and hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Thanks again.

Bill

[lakebiker]

Thanks Lakebiker, I will call ahead. Aren't the bird closure mostly on the Outer banks?

Mike, I saw you will be down this weekend. Feel free to join us. See ya Friday night.

Thanks for the tips Capt. Mick. It sure would be nice for the kids to land a cobia in a few weeks. Outerbanks are also a good option. How are the bugs on the outer banks?

Fish Monger, we are staying Friday night at Calico Jack's. I took pictures of the kids eyeing the ponies last October from this area on the way back from the jetty. It is a special place.

Thanks to all. I will bring the camera and hopefully the weather will cooperate.

Thanks again.

Bill

Cape Lookout is part of the OBX and there are bird closures on all the islands RIGHT NOW. Harkers, Davis, Portsmouth, etc etc all the way to north side of O.Inlet.

[Shakespeare]

From the National Park Service web site;


The following areas are closed to vehicles:

Cape Lookout's point

No closures at this time.
Information is correct as of October 27, 2008.

http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/cape_point_wildlife_closures.htm

Wildlife Closure Fact Sheet (http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/wildlife_faq.htm)

It sounds to me that they make these closure decisions based on where the birds are nesting and usually doesn't affect the entire park, at least at CALO. Sounds prudent to make that phone call to just confirm. It is a National Park and ferrys run there daily to the lighthouse area delivering a multitude of visitors. The last time I was there nesting sites were clearly marked and easy to get around... and they were allowing 4wd vehicles at the time. I don't believe the entire seashore is closed or else you'd definitely know about it.

Here's a link to the closure status of North, Middle, and South Core Banks;
http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm

And a snippet of a very recent article of closures 04/06/2009;


The nine sites on Core Banks include: Portsmouth Flats, High Hills, Kathryn-Jane Flats, Old Drum Inlet area, New Drum Inlet area, old Ophelia Island, north tip of South Core Banks, Cape Point, and Power Squadron Spit. In general at these posted sites, the upper beach and interior are off limits to pedestrians, dogs, and vehicles while the lower beach and shoreline are open.

Credit: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/outdoors/cape-lookout-beach-closures

[lakebiker]

From the National Park Service web site;



http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/cape_point_wildlife_closures.htm

Wildlife Closure Fact Sheet (http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/wildlife_faq.htm)

It sounds to me that they make these closure decisions based on where the birds are nesting and usually doesn't affect the entire park, at least at CALO. Sounds prudent to make that phone call to just confirm. It is a National Park and ferrys run there daily to the lighthouse area delivering a multitude of visitors. The last time I was there nesting sites were clearly marked and easy to get around... and they were allowing 4wd vehicles at the time. I don't believe the entire seashore is closed or else you'd definitely know about it.

Here's a link to the closure status of North, Middle, and South Core Banks;
http://www.nps.gov/calo/parkmgmt/lawsandpolicies.htm

And a snippet of a very recent article of closures 04/06/2009;



Credit: http://blogs.newsobserver.com/outdoors/cape-lookout-beach-closures

Correct, partly. The closures hardly ever close the entire beach however, in some cases the closure "line" is below the tide line thus, closing the whole beach in that area. Best to check as it changes almost on a daily basis and God forbid some A hole messing around with the signs as that gives them the right to extend the closure area, overnight.