vretace<br > Part of the Outer Banks s charm is the remoteness of the area. Sit<br > we re only accessible by ferry or by driving over one of the bridges tt<br > connects us to the mainland， once you re here， you have the feeling<br > being far removed from the rest of the world. We re really not that f<br > And in recent years， with an ever-growing tourism industry， goods a~<br > services have come to us. It s fascinating to hear locals tell of long dri~<br > to stores on the mainland to buy groceries or to receive medical care ba<br > in the old days. The "old days，" however， were less than two decad<br > agoJ Those of us who live here year-round still make excursions to near[<br > cities for specific services， shopping， and cultural events， but we wouldr<br > trade island life for anything. Living here is a trade-off that is heavi.<br > weighted toward the good life; we re blessed， and we know it.<br > On NASA aerial maps， our strand of sand may look like the continent<br > afterthought， but our land was the welcome mat to the first Englist<br > speaking settlers in the country. The Outer Banks is stranded farthc<br > away from its main coast than any other barrier islands in the work<br > Although the shore has very slowly over the centuries crept west， it sti<br > stubbornly and mysteriously maintains its crooked post miles out int，<br > the Atlantic. Buffeted century after century by storms--many escortec<br > in by the nearby mighty Gulf Stream--the geology of these narrow， low<br > slung islands is unique in its steadfast adaptability. Its inhabitants haw<br > been no less resilient. When you step foot on these sandy shores， you joir<br > a legion of steely adventurers， renegade thinkers， and rugged survivor~<br > who have been captivated by the unbidden forces of nature.<br > Welcome to the land of beginnings! Feast your senses on wide beaches<br > whispering sea oats， and undulating dunes--a land where the pace of life is<br > geared to the unceasing sand-sharpened breezes and wild winds. From the<br > gifts and punishment of the glorious and untamed waters of these indomi-<br > table islands have sprung heroes， pioneers， pirates， and inventors. Tales of<br > courage and creativity， bloody battles and savage shipwrecks， resourceful-<br > ness and compassion: all are part of the mystique of the Outer Banks.<br > Here， the first English colonists set up camp. Blackbeard and his band<br > of buccaneers anchored sloops along the shallow sounds. Wilbur and<br > Orville Wright also flew the world s first airplane， buoyed by stiff winter<br > winds and brazen determination.<br > From remote national wildlife refuges， sheltered seashores， and pro-<br > tected maritime forests to upscale resort communities， these strips of<br > shifting sand offer both peaceful retreat and awesome adventure. Windsurf<br > or Jet Ski. Surf fish or stroll the endless beaches. Charter a deep-sea fishing<br > boat and fight an ocean giant. Grab the binoculars， and watch birds. Soar<br > from the East Coast s highest sand dune in a hang glider. Catch some<br > waves， and surf some of the best swells on the Atlantic Seaboard as the<br > breakers barrel toward the beach. It s all here for the choosing and bore-<br > dom is not an option.<br > Only in the Iast 15 years or so have these ribbons of sand confronted<br > the rapid-fire development that other coastal areas saw years earlier. One<br > of only four states in the nation that forbids hard structures like seawalls，<br >itwhich can cause severe narrowing of beaches， North Carolina learned the<br > tough lessons of coastal management by watchin~ the mi~tM~o~ ，~: ~，D~<br >