Pleasure Island

What and where is Pleasure Island? That might seem like a strange question to pose about a fairly significant land mass right here in the Cape Fear area, but the question often comes up from non-residents.

In reality, the island is the southernmost portion of the Cape Fear peninsula cut off from the rest of the peninsula by a narrow band of water called Snow’s Cut. Pleasure Island is also the location of two towns, Carolina Beach to the north and Kure Beach to the south, along with many attractions and recreational opportunities.

Established in 1857 by Joseph Winner, who bought beachfront property and laid out plans for a town that subsequently became Carolina Beach, the first visitors to Pleasure Island were vacationers brought to the island by boat and then conveyed to the beach by a small steam railroad. Shortly thereafter, a Dane named Hans Anderson Kure founded Kure Beach.

Added To Intracoastal    back to top

In 1929, Snow’s Cut was dredged to make it part of the Intracoastal Waterway, after which the high rise Snow’s Cut bridge was built to connect the peninsula to the island. Carolina Beach developed over the years as the commercial center of the island, a tourism destination and a residential community. Kure Beach evolved as a residential community with relatively little commercial development and limited tourism.

In recent years, both communities have been experiencing enormous development as two of the few places along the coast where reasonably priced land near the ocean is still available. Kure Beach has seen extensive construction of upscale homes and condos while Carolina Beach, spurred by the building of a new oceanfront Courtyard by Marriott resort hotel, is enjoying considerable development of upscale condos and homes plus a number of other projects planned and underway.

What’s In A Name    back to top

The origin of the name, Pleasure Island, is uncertain, but it aptly attests to the wealth of activities and recreational opportunities available on the island for residents and visitors alike. For a while, some of the more conservative residents of the island objected to the name, feeling it negatively implied a hedonistic lifestyle was prevalent here. However, the State of North Carolina shows Pleasure Island on its maps, and the former Carolina Beach/Kure Beach Chamber of Commerce has become the Pleasure Island Chamber of Commerce, so it appears the name is sticking.

The Impressive Aquarium    back to top

So what’s on the island to enjoy? The list is extensive, but let’s start south of Kure Beach with our most impressive and prestigious facility, the newly expanded and remodeled North Carolina Aquarium at Fort Fisher. Featuring a 235,000-gallon salt water tank, the theme of the aquarium is “The Waters of the Cape Fear,” which showcases both fresh water and salt water aquatic life in a journey down the Cape Fear River to the Atlantic Ocean.

Situated on a wooded oceanfront location complete with lovely gardens and wildlife areas, the aquarium features many beautiful and exotic displays beginning with a large tree-filled atrium containing stream, pond and swamp aquatic life, plants and ground cover. Very popular with the kids is the Coquina Outcrop Touch Pool in the Coastal Waters Gallery where the little ones (and the big ones, too) can reach out and touch whelks, sea urchins, horseshoe crabs and other sea critters.

The focal point of the aquarium is the Cape Fear Shoals exhibit. The huge, two-story tank displays a vast array of sea life including moray eels, sting rays, sharks, grouper plus a multitude of other varieties of sea life. At feeding time, divers answer questions from the audience as they feed the fish.

The Open Oceans Gallery features creatures found off our coast line, and there are two tanks displaying jellyfish. Another tank contains the beautiful and fascinating sea horses. Five other tanks display sea snakes, lion fish, cuttlefish, Pacific Reef fish and an octopus. In the Shadows on the Sand exhibit, skates and rays endlessly cruise above the sandy bottom. All told, more than 2,500 sea creatures are on display at the aquarium.

Unspoiled Beaches    back to top

Adjacent to the aquarium, Fort Fisher State Recreation Area offers visitors seven miles of unspoiled ocean beaches accessible only by walking from the park offices, bathhouse, nature exhibits and concession area, or by four-wheel drive vehicles on a beach access trail.

Here you’ll find the perfect opportunity for swimming, surf fishing, shelling, bird and loggerhead sea turtle watching, hiking and exploring miles of nearly deserted beach and marshes. Lifeguards are on duty during tourist season in the swimming area near the park offices, there is ample parking and dogs on leashes are permitted on the beach.

See Fort Fisher    back to top

Across U.S. Highway 421 from the recreation area is Fort Fisher State Historic Site where less than 10 percent of the original earthen fortifications remain - about 180 yards along the Cape Fear River, and about 70 yards along the ocean. In the Visitor Center, an audiovisual program tells the story of Fort Fisher and guided tours of the outdoor exhibits are conducted along a quarter-mile trail.

During the Civil War, Fort Fisher stood guard over the mouth of the Cape Fear River, keeping the blockading Union ships at a distance, spread out beyond the dangerous shoals, and allowing the famous blockade runners to make their nighttime dashes through the blockades and up river to Wilmington with supplies for the Confederate Army.

The fort withstood several attacks and bombardments from the Union that had amassed more than 40 ships to blockade the river and attack the fort. Finally, in 1865, Union land and sea forces combined to overwhelm the fort and subsequently take the city of Wilmington, cutting off the only supply line to General Lee’s Confederate Army. Shortly thereafter, the Confederacy fell.

Just south of the fort at the southern tip of the island, you’ll find the dock for the Southport/Fort Fisher Ferry operated by the North Carolina Department of Transportation. The trip across the mouth of the Cape Fear River to historic Southport takes nearly half an hour and costs only $5 per car.

Some Much Is Here    back to top

But wait - there’s more! Pleasure Island is also the locale of Carolina Beach State Park. Located at the northwest corner of the island, more or less at the juncture of Snow’s Cut and the Cape Fear River, the park has a marina with more than 40 slips, launch ramps, concessions, hiking trails including the Flytrap trail, an 83-site campground, group camping and an outstanding visitor’s center with educational programs and exhibits.

Freeman Park, owned by New Hanover County but controlled by Carolina Beach, is about a mile or so of uninhabited beach at the very northeast tip of the island. The park is accessible only on foot or by four-wheel-drive vehicles with the proper wide tires. Overnight tent camping on the strand is permitted, as are campfires. There is an admission charge and Carolina Beach police patrols the area.

For the fishermen, in addition to surf fishing, there’s a sizable charter boat fleet in the boat basin plus fishing from the large cruise boats. Pleasure Island has two fishing piers, one at the north end of the island in Carolina Beach and one in Kure Beach.

Plenty Of Access    back to top

And talk about beaches for swimming, the Carolina Beach/Kure Beach strand has about seven miles of ’em, protected by lifeguards in season and renourished by man if Mother Nature washes the beaches away. Both Carolina Beach and Kure Beach have numerous public beach accesses, many with parking, some with restrooms, and the entire strand is open to the public. Dogs are not permitted on the beaches during the tourist season.

Tired of swimming or lying on the beach? Try pedaling about Carolina Beach in rentable covered surreys - no motors, just one or two human-power “engines.” Along with bicycles, surfboards, sand toys, chairs and who knows what else, the surreys are available on the Boardwalk and nearby. Rather pedal on water? Rent a paddle boat at the Carolina Beach Lake.

Speaking of the lake in Carolina Beach, free movies are shown there at the amphitheatre during tourist season, and there’s a lovely one-mile walk around the lake. The alligator, which formerly resided there, has been relocated, lest he acquire an appetite for dogs, cats and children.

Special Events    back to top

Throughout the year, a variety of events take place on Pleasure Island, including the Island of Lights parade and flotilla during the Christmas season, the Seafood, Blues and Jazz Festival, weekly fireworks on Thursday nights during the tourist season, Beach Music Festival, Chowder Cook Off, free summer concerts, and last, but not least, the New Year’s Celebration with fireworks and the famous ball drop from the end of a fire department ladder truck. It ain’t Times Square, but what the heck, it’s home.

Surely all this activity will generate an appetite, and for that Pleasure Island has the cure. In Kure Beach there’s the venerable Big Daddy’s, a fried, broiled and grilled seafood emporium, Freddie’s Oceanside Grill, an Italian restaurant with emphasis on seafood, Jack Mackerel’s Island Grill featuring seafood with a Caribbean emphasis, and the Old Pier House Restaurant serving reasonably priced seafood just a stone’s throw from the ocean. All four restaurants are within a block of each other.

In Carolina Beach, check out Michael’s Seafood Restaurant, popular with the locals; Seaside Grille at the Courtyard by Marriott overlooking their beautiful pool and the ocean; the Deck House, a seafood restaurant in an old church with a multitude of daily specials; Tuscan Grill, seafood with a Mediterranean flavor; and the Ocean Grill & Tiki Bar, overlooking the ocean with a bar out on what’s left of a pier following a hurricane. If you’re hungry, Carolina Beach has the food.