Reporting Shipwrecks

An unidentified shipwreck piece on the beach.

NPS

An unidentified shipwreck piece.

Today as you explore the beaches of Cape Hatteras, keep in mind that, if you come across a shipwreck or wooden piece, it is a protected resource. The National Park Service protects the beach shipwrecks on park grounds through the Archeological Resource Protection Act (16 U.S.C. 470ee). The North Carolina State Archeology Office protects endangered archaeological sites within the waters of North Carolina through enforcement of the North Carolina Archaeological Resources Protection Act (G.S. 70, article 2) and the "Abandoned Shipwreck Law" (G.S. 121, article 3).

 

Please report any shipwrecks to a ranger or call the park's Cultural Resource Manager at 252-473-2111 ext 153. You can also use a beach shipwreck report form (click here for instructions).

Did You Know?

The Principal Lightkeeper's Quarters and the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse move toward their new homes, a safer distance from the ocean.

The Cape Hatteras Lighthouse is the tallest brick structure ever moved.  When it was built in 1870, it stood 1,500 feet from the shore.  By 1999, the lighthouse was within 100 feet of the ocean.  To protect it from the encroaching sea, it was moved inland a total of 2,900 feet over a 23-day period.