Traipsing Along Topsail Island

“There wasn’t much for the kids to do but go to the fishing piers to play Pacman and Space Invaders or go to the skating rink,” according to residents who lived on Topsail Island back in 1983.

Way back then, there were seven fishing piers strung out along the island, all but one of which, the Jolly Roger Fishing Pier, are gone, victims of hurricanes or development. Surprisingly, the Topsail Skating Rink, built in 1965, is still there and still operating.

But in 1983, Topsail Island was mostly about fishing. Cottages sprinkled the island, mainly old fashioned, square box style structures, and there was little commercial development. North Topsail Beach did not even exist as a town yet, and aside from the St. Moritz, little condominium construction had taken place, a far cry from the significant development evident in 2008.

Deserted Beaches

For the most part, the world had not yet discovered Topsail Island. Only a few hundred people lived there permanently, and its 26 miles of beaches, relatively uncrowded in 2008, were virtually deserted in 1983 except for nearby cottages and fishermen.

Large condominium developments like St. Regis and Villa Capriani began in the mid eighties, the commercial area of Surf City expanded considerably and much larger and expensive private homes started cropping up all over the island.