Lower banks

Hatteras and Ocracoke may be no wider than an airplane runway, but the area teems with big blues and wahoo, shipwrecks and Blackbeard's headless body. And that's just offshore. On land, there are lighthouses, wild ponies and museums. This region is decidedly uncommercial -- those old salts are not re-enactors. Best of all: Most tracks on the protected beaches are made by sandpipers. And they're happy to share the shoreline.
ATTRACTIONS & amp; DISTRACTIONS
AROUND HATTERAS ISLAND
Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge (Route 12, just over the bridge, [252] 987-1118) is anything but pea-size. The 5,864-acre park features more than 265 bird species, two wildlife trails and nearly 13 miles of beach. Just north of the Oregon Inlet sits the skunk-striped Bodie Island Lighthouse. With 800 shipwrecks, they don't call this area the Graveyard of the Atlantic for naught: Search for such shipwrecks as the wooden shards of the 1862 Oriental. Get a list of wrecks/directions at Cape Hatteras Lighthouse. Catch air, wind and waves at the Canadian Hole, a windsurfing spot on the sound side of Route 12, between Avon and Buxton.
RODANTHE
The Chicamacomico Lifesaving Station (Milepost 39.5 on Route 12, [252] 987-1552; free) highlights the derring-do of our coastal watchdogs. In the summer, the station hosts such events as knot-tying lessons and a simulated beach patrol.
WAVES
All the cool kids kite-board -- and hang at the Hatteras Island Surf and Sail Shop (soundside of Route 12, [252] 987-2292). The shop rents and sells water-sports equipment and offers kite-boarding instruction at its on-site inlet, starting at $75.
AVON
At Avon Pier (Route 12, [252] 995-5480; $7 all day), hit a mini round of 18 on real grass (be careful not to bonk the nearby diners at Dick's), then head to the pier for some fishin'.
BUXTON
Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the icon that's survived a lightning strike, 40 hurricanes and a relocation, is the world's tallest brick lighthouse. At Cool Wave (Route 12, [252] 995-6366; $4), mini golfers can show off their moves by knocking the ball under the surfboard with one hand while holding a scoop of ice cream in the other.
FRISCO
The Frisco Native American Museum and Natural History Center (Route 12, [252] 995-4440; $2) packs an overwhelming amount of artifacts into a tight space, covering all the basics (combat, religion, mohawk toupees, etc.). There's also a creepy room filled with dead critters, plus a great gift shop.
HATTERAS VILLAGE
Take a self-guided tour of the southern tip and visit Civil War sights, shipwreck monuments, 19th- to early-20th-century homes and a 180-pound marlin. Map info: [252] 986-2394, www.hatterasonmymind.com. The Graveyard of the Atlantic Museum (59158 Coast Guard Rd., [252] 986-2995; free) covers wrecks from 1524 to 1945 that were sunk by hurricanes, pirates and U-boats. Note: Museum is a work-in-progress.
OCRACOKE
Learn about Blackbeard at Teach's Hole (161 Back Rd., [252] 928-1718; $2.50), a small museum dedicated to the scalawag who lost his head in nearby waters. Crawl beneath the thicket at Springer's Point (off Loop Road on the west side), where Blackbeard partied. The bearded one was beheaded in the deep waters between the point and Ocracoke Inlet, and legend says his treasure was never found.
At the British Cemetery (British Cemetery Road), pay respects to the four Royal Navy soldiers who died off Ocracoke when a German submarine torpedoed their ship during World War II. At the Ocracoke Preservation Museum (off the Park Service parking lot, [252] 928-7375; free), roam the 1900-era house for a lesson on island culture and history; lectures are held on the back porch. The National Park Service (Park Service Visitors Center, off the parking lot, [252] 928-4531) offers free programs, such as pirate talks and evening campfires. Visit the Pony Pen (Route 12, a few miles from the Hatteras ferry) to see the wild ponies.
SHOPPING
AVON
The fish prints sold at Zofia's Art Gallery (Route 12, [252] 995-7871) are lifelike because, well, they used to be alive. The owner/artist makes them by painting a fish, then rolling it on paper. For a gourmet picnic, Island Spice and Wine (Route 12, 252-995-7750) stocks vintages from North Carolina to New Zealand and sells such delicacies as potato and herb filo pastries.
FRISCO
Browning Artworks (ocean side of Route 12, [252] 995-5538) offers hundreds of pieces by American artists. All styles and materials are represented, from bedecked watches to hand-stitched stuffed fish.
OCRACOKE
The Village Craftsmen (170 Howard St., [252] 928-5541) can fill any tall gift order, from Bridezilla to picky Aunt Gladys. Choose from puzzle boxes, raku-glazed pottery, tin-pressed mirrors and more. At Natural Selections Hemp Shop (35 School Rd., [252] 928-HEMP), no smoking allowed -- but you can wear, carry or sleep on the natural fiber. Books to Be Red and Deepwater Pottery (34 School Rd., [252] 928-3936) has all the fixings for a home library: chess boards, beaded lamps, martini glasses and, of course, "Moby-Dick."
LODGING
RODANTHE
At the Hatteras Island Resort (24251 Atlantic Dr., [800] 331-6541; rooms from $99 a night, cottages from $829 a week), you can fish in your sleep. The pier is within casting distance of the rooms, and there's a game room and restaurant.
WAVES
At Ocean Waves Campground (Route 12, [252] 987-2556; from $18.50), let the sound of the ocean lull you to sleep in an oceanfront tent site.
BUXTON
The Buxton Beach Motel (46211 Old Lighthouse Rd., [252] 995-5972; from $56) is a modest property that retains a whiff of old Hatteras. One block from the ocean, the motel has a range of choices, from doubles to Mr. Breeze, a two-story house with a fish-cleaning station. At the Cape Hatteras B & amp;B (46223 Old Lighthouse Rd., [800] 252-3316; from $119), the nine rooms are named after hurricanes. Ask for Andrew, which sits on the sun deck and lets in the lighthouse rays.
HATTERAS VILLAGE
The General Mitchell Motel (Route 12, [800] 832-0139; from $98) stands out with its mint green exterior and Cape Hatteras Lighthouse lawn ornament. The beach is in the back yard, and there's a pool and volleyball court for sunset games.
OCRACOKE
The 11-room Castle on Silver Lake (155 Silver Lake Rd., [800] 471-8848; from $169) was the former pad of rich Norfolk quirk Samuel Jones, whose spirit probably still rattles around the antique furnishings. Guests can chill at the pool table or the onsite Deep Blue Day Spa; treatments from $20 to $120. Blackbeard's Lodge (111 Back Rd., [800] 892-5314; from $75) has 37 comfortable, bright rooms and apartments, plus a giant Blackbeard statue and a fat cat that greets guests.
PLACES TO EAT
RODANTHE
Can't stomach another platter of fried sealife? Then try Board Wok South (Pamlico Station, 24267 Route 12, [252] 987-1080), which serves such Asian staples as General Tso's chicken, vegetarian spring rolls and rice noodles with varied toppings. Lunch entrees $8, dinner $10-$13. If you have a hankering for a roo burger with cheese, check out Down Under (Route 12, [252] 987-2277). Or pop in for its 15-cent shrimp happy hour special. Lunch $3-$9.95; dinner $14.95-$20.95.
WAVES
Most restaurants have a wall of fame showing trophy catches; the Top Dog Cafe (Route 12, [252] 987-1272) displays the heroic eaters of its 1 1/2-pound triple burger. Smaller mouths, meanwhile, can nibble Cajun mahi bites. Sandwiches/entrees $5.95-$12.95.
AVON
The Pickled Steamer (Hatteras Island Plaza, Route 12, [252] 995-3602) cooks up a melting pot of Mediterranean, Mexican and Mother Earth cuisine. Entrees from $6.99. The Blue Parrot Cafe (Route 12, [252] 995-6993) serves great breakfasts. For dinner, you can't get the chocolate-chip pancakes, but you can taste interesting seafood and salads in a cheerful, Key Westian setting. Breakfast under $6; dinner from $12.95.
BUXTON
If ever there was a place to propose -- or contemplate the power of perfectly cooked salmon -- it's the Pilot House (Route 12, [252] 995-5664). Entrees from $15.95.
FRISCO
The Quarterdeck Restaurant (Route 12, [252] 986-2425) is a local fave that serves no-frills fish in a no-frills setting. Entrees from $9.95. Order a Hatteras-style snoball (an ice cream scoop atop a sweet ball of ice) from Hatteras Island Snoballs, a roadside stand on Route 12. $1.50-$3.10. Just try squeezing into a bathing suit after a meal at Bubba's (Route 12, also in Avon, [252] 995-5421), which barbecues everything on Old MacDonald's Farm. From $4.50.
HATTERAS VILLAGE
Dine on sweet corn soup with shrimp, sausage and crab, followed by splashy seafood dishes or a steak at Austin Creek Grill (Hatteras Landing, [252] 986-1511). Then stock up on bear claws and eclairs at its bakery. Entrees from $17.95.
OCRACOKE
At the Slushy Stand (corner of Silver Lake Drive and Route 12), a buck will get you something cold and sweet (syrup slushee); two buys something doubly delicious (fruit slushee). Enjoy Virginia Woolf over gingerbread biscotti and espresso at the Ocracoke Coffee Co. (Back Road, [252] 928-7473), which has an adjoining bookstore. Plan an Asian beach picnic at Thai Moon (Spencer's Market, Route 12, [252] 928-5100), a takeout joint offering pad Thai, crabmeat fried rice and ginger pork, sold in pints or quarts. Prices under $12.95. The Back Porch (110 Back Rd., [252] 928-6401) is as casual as they come, but the food is worthy of white linen and a sommelier. Try the seafood, steak or stir-fry. Entrees from $10.95. Swing by Howard's Pub (Route 12, [252] 928-4441) for a beer (pick from 200-plus labels, or try an Ocracoke Oyster Shooter), pub food and a game of darts. Open till 2 a.m., a rarity in these parts. Sandwiches and burgers under $7; entrees from $14.95.