Masonboro Island, New Hanover NC

Masonboro Island is the largest undisturbed barrier island along the southern part of the North Carolina coast located between Wrightsville Beach and Carolina Beach. The Masonboro site is bounded by the Atlantic Ocean to the east, the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway to the west, Masonboro Inlet to the north, and Carolina Beach Inlet to the south. Eighty-seven percent of the 5635 acre and 8.4 mile long island is covered with marsh and tidal flats. The rest of the island is made up of the beach itself and islands left by dredge materials. Masonboro Island is a pristine barrier island and estuarine system. The types of habitats found here include tidal flats, salt marshes, subtidal soft bottoms, maritime forest, grasslands, shrub thicket, dredge spoil areas, ocean beach, and sand dunes. Loggerhead and green sea turtles nest on the beaches. The nutrient rich waters of Masonboro Sound are an important nursery area for spot, mullet, summer flounder, pompano, menhaden, and bluefish. Masonboro Island is popular for camping and fishing as well as nature goers and the few that use the beach just to relax. The island is only accessible by boat and ferry. You simply anchor on the tidal flats at around high tide.

Neighborhood Details

  • Elementary School
    Walter L Parsley