Outer Banks Ferry Service

Went to Shackleford Banks on the ferry after reading about it in Atlanta paper. Bustaroo. Basically, Myrtle Beach by water. You will find «evidence» of horses, but good luck finding the real thing. Mostly rednecks tanning on the beach. Ferry service is prompt.

Nice people; great service. We used them to take us out to see the ponies on Shackleford Island.
The ride is a quick 15 minutes and, while my father-​in-​law warned us that it would be very choppy, it was a smooth pleasant ride. (Okay in fairness, it was a little choppy on the way back.)
A word of advice though, there is no dock at Shackleford. The captain will beach the boat and you’ll be expected to climb off on to the beach. It’s not hard even for a 5-​footer like myself, but be prepared!

This ferry service runs boats from the Beaufort docks to various Crystal Coast islands. I took the boat to Shackleford Banks on two different vacations. This trip is about a 15-​minute ride each way. You can choose which drop off and pick up times you want (just be sure to make it back to the drop-​off point in time for your return ferry!). You have to call for reservations, and I think sometimes the earliest ferry fills up so do it ahead.
Shackleford Banks is an undeveloped 9-​mile-​long island that is the western edge of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. Accessible only by private boat or ferry, Shackleford is home to a very unique herd of wild horses called Banker horses. You can easily photograph the horses, though you are warned not to get too close. The horses are studied by the National Park Service as one of the last remaining herds of isolated feral horses in the U.S. Though the horses’ origins remain a mystery, they are possibly descendants of mustangs that swam ashore from shipwrecked Spanish galleons over 500 years ago.
Shackleford is supposed to be a fantastic shelling destination, and the first year I went, that was true. However, the second time I went, I was disappointed by the lack of shells and I heard other people saying the same thing… maybe it was the weather or the time of day… not sure. But there are plenty of reasons besides shelling to visit the island… I loved seeing the wild horses and having the beach all to myself (or at least feeling like it!). You can also see the Cape Lookout Lighthouse.
I recommend you take the first available ferry in the morning, and spend most of a day. Remember if you have small kids with you, you might want to make the trip shorter because shade is hard to come by. Take a backpack with essentials that you will need for a day at the beach, but pack light because you might do a lot of walking (though it’s really up to you!). Wear your sunscreen and take some water… AND A WATCH so you know when to get back on your return ferry.
Camping is permitted at Shackleford Banks… I have not yet had an opportunity to camp here, but it is on my list of things to do before I die!