Cape Hatteras Light is a lighthouse located on Hatteras Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina near the community of Buxton, and is part of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
The Outer Banks are a group of islands on the North Carolina coast that separate the Atlantic Ocean from the coastal sounds and inlets. Atlantic currents in this area made for excellent travel for ships, except in the area of Diamond Shoals, just offshore at Cape Hatteras. Nearby, the warm Gulf Stream ocean current collides with the colder Labrador Current, creating ideal conditions for powerful ocean storms and sea swells. The large number of ships that ran aground because of these shifting sandbars, including the Civil War ironclad warship USS Monitor, gave this area the nickname “Graveyard of the Atlantic.” It also led Congress to authorize the construction of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse which is recognized by the National Park Service as the tallest lighthouse in America.
The lighthouse is one of several on the North Carolina coast that are still operational including the Currituck, Bodie Island, Ocracoke, Cape Lookout, and Oak Island lighthouses.
At a height of 200 feet (61 m) it is the 23rd tallest traditional lighthouse in the world.
Read more about Cape Hatteras Light: Overview, Hatteras Island Visitor Center and Museum of The Sea, Specifications
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