Uninhabited Portsmouth Island
Portsmouth Island is located south of Ocracoke Island and is part of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. Portsmouth Village is now uninhabited but in the middle and late 1700’s it was a busy port on the North Carolina coast. The Ocracoke Inlet just north of Portsmouth Island was a major inlet for ships headed to inland ports. Due to the heavy cargo loads ships were unable to navigate the shallow waters so cargo had to be off loaded to lighter smaller flatboats.
The village was known as a “lightering” village. Villagers would unload the cargo onto the smaller flatboats which could navigate the shallow waters of the sound. As the business grew the village grew in size and population. But in 1846 a hurricane cut a new inlet-the Hatteras Inlet. The Hatteras Inlet was deeper and safer for ships to use so Portsmouth Village lost its main way of living. Afterward the Life Saving Station became another way of making a living. But then the Civil War caused more problems for the island. With Union Troops advancing many residents left the island. As years passed the population slowly decreased in number. In 1970 Portsmouth Island was taken over by the Cape Lookout National Seashore.
Public facilities are limited. There is no public drinking water or food. And make sure to take insect repellant, sunscreen and wear comfortable walking shoes. The warnings of a hungry mosquito population are not to be ignored. The Visitors Center and the Church are open to the public. The Post Office and Life Saving Station are open only seasonally. Only accessible by boat the 20 minute boat ride to the island makes for an enjoyable (if prepared!) day trip.
Getting to Portsmouth Island
Based out of Ocracoke Austin Boat Tours ferries over passengers that are dropped off for a 4 hour village and beach self guided tour. There is also a 60-
Map of Portsmouth Island, NC
Take an aerial tour of the remote Portsmouth Island and Portsmouth Village…
