Reply #21: Here are some answers - from my point of view!

[NRaleighLiberal]

Go to Ocracoke Island Realty's web site - there are loads of great rentals. We've been there 23 times and probably test driven 18 different houses. Our personal favorites are Olivella and Fresh Breeze! We both enjoy cooking, and the houses have good kitchens as a rule, so we tend to bring lots of good stuff and cook most of our meals. Howard's Pub is a great place for any beer you could think of and good pub food - and it is open 365 days a year! Back Porch is the island's fancy restaurant. Flying Melon is also good. Fig Tree makes great sandwiches. The island has a really fine coffee shop.

The ocean is wonderful - 13 miles of sand and dunes and waves, water typically very clean, can have a decent undertow at times, but is a great kids beach in my view. The wave action depends upon the presence of fronts or low pressure systems off of the coast. The beach can have great shelling - we've found olive shells and scotch bonnets quite frequently. I think one of the best things to do is to have Mr. Austin take you to Portsmouth Island for the day - a ghost town village, mile walk across an unearthly mudflat to the beach, great shelling.

That should do you for a start.....we came back yesterday and I am ready to return again already!