More Coastal Geology

Recently I wrote about the age of the Outer Banks. Here is another paragraph from geologist Stan Riggs. This information may not seem particularly exciting, but I think it's fascinating to contemplate how & when these islands formed.

"About 5,500 to 5,000 years ago, small barrier islands began to develop along the interstream-divide headlands in the vicinity, but seaward of the modern barrier islands.... By about 3,000 years ago, the barrier islands began to resemble those of today. The barriers grew laterally along headland areas and into the adjacent valleys. This elongation changed the broad openings of the valley estuaries to small inlet channels, dramatically restricting estuarine dynamics. Extensive flood-tide deltas developed, and associated salt marshes and tidal creeks formed on the [flood tide deltas] inside the inlets." (The Battle for North Carolina's Coast, page 64.)

This month's Ocracoke Newsletter is a photo gallery of past July 4th parade photos. You can read it here: http://www.villagecraftsmen.com/news062113.htm.