You must want to go to Harkers Island to get there. There are no major highways running to the island. Instead, you exit US 70 near its eastern terminus, drive south through marsh and over a bridge to reach the island. To go further, you must take a boat or be an excellent swimmer. Once you’re on Harkers Island, you’re closer by boat than car to Beaufort or Morehead City.
People come to Harkers Island in order to get to Cape Lookout lighthouse or the old lifesaving station near the Cape Lookout shoals. Others come to walk the beach along Shackleford Banks where wild horses roam. In the fall of the year, most people come to fish for blues or trout in sight of the lighthouse or to hunt ducks and geese in the marsh along the Atlantic flyway. And if you come in December and hang around till dark, you’re treated to an incredible light show as the island decorates itself for Christmas.
The people on Harkers Island are creative. Known for carving duck decoys, they also know how to put on a good Christmas light festival. Homes and utility poles on the island often sport anchors created by Andy Scott and Richard Gillikin. During the holidays, blue lights accent these anchors. Lights decorate old boats abandoned on empty lots. Lights decorate docks and homes. And outside the Core Sound Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center, flapping geese pull Santa’s sleigh. Behind the sleigh, porpoises jump. And you can’t miss the huge Christmas tree built out of stacked crab pots.
During December, dozens of crab pot trees are showcased inside the Waterfowl Museum and Heritage Center. Local families, businesses, churches, schools, and community organizations sponsor and decorate the trees. Trees recall those who died from cancer and old ghost towns like Portsmouth, now a part of the National Seashore. One tree celebrates the dark skies around Cape Lookout. On a night with clear skies, the stars seem more brilliant without much light pollution. One tree celebrated the life of Alma, who baked hundreds of wedding cakes for the community over the year. Other trees celebrate those who worked on the waters around Harkers Island for a living, families who built boats, and the Jim Dandy’s family who stores is one of the oldest businesses in Carteret County.
The museum, located on the east end of the island, has more than Christmas trees to offer. The main floor contains an outstanding collection of duck decoys along with history of hunting along the Core Sound. The second-floor exhibits highlight the folks who made up the small “down east” communities such as Bettie, Cedar Island, Davis, Lola, Sealevel, Smyrna, Stacy, and Williston. And for those who are healthy, there is an observation deck two stories higher, providing views of the marsh around Harkers Island.
My father started to come up to Lookout to camp and fish back in the late1980s. At the time I was tramping around the country and either living in Nevada or Pittsburgh. But every few years I tried to get home during this time to enjoy a few days of fishing. As everyone aged, they stopped camping and instead rented a house on Harkers Island, which became a base for fishing.
This year, my time on the island began with a gale (my sister and I did some shopping in Morehead City and visited Fort Macon on Emerald Isle. It’s been at least 40 years since I was at Fort Macon. On Tuesday, the rains came and we along with my brother checked out Beaufort. Sadly, we found the Maritime museum closed but we could watch them work on such boats across the street and toured galleries and stories along the waterfront.
On Wednesday, we were up earl, running through Barden’s Inlet for a day of fishing around the jetty on the southside of Cape Lookout. We caught a few trout that were not of legal size and had to be thrown back, along with some blues. We talked a lot about my dad during the four days I was on the island. It was good to be back in familiar waters.
Other Lookout Posts:
2020: Last time fishing with my dad on Lookout
2022: Solo kayak trip to Lookout
2024: Fishing with my siblings
I think the Harkers Island Chamber of Commerce should hire you. You’ve made me want to see that place with its crab pot trees and duck decoys. Beautiful.
If you go, let me know. You really need to get over to Cape Lookout to see the lighthouse and house and around Shackleford Banks (horses). Cabbage Island is also nearby, close to Beaufort, which is a Rachel Carson preserve.
Thank you, Jeff, for sharing this lovely descriptive story you pulled me right in beginning with how you even reach Harkers Island and describing all of its comings and goings, and festive Christmastime decorations aglow, and with all things nautical and a tree built of stacked crab pots how wonderful. It truly is a remarkable place for you to have family memories as well. Take care, and enjoy your family time together and stories your share from long ago.
What a festive place! I love the big duck decoy made from lights. A redhead! The only duck hunting I’ve done has been on the Mississippi flyway.
It’s amazing how the old decoys of ducks have become valuable collector items.
I enjoy your pics and stories! The only time I was on Harker’s Island was to deliver wedding flowers with my friend from Beaufort, Grady Wheeler. It was summer, and I don’t remember much about it. I’d love to see it all lit up for Christmas!
Ah, Judy, at least you’ve been on Harkers Island! It is a beautiful place at Christmas.
What an interesting location. I spent a long time looking for realistic duck decoys at one point in my decorating life. This is where I should have gone first.
When I was at the Waterfowl Center, they were putting out trees and decoys which would have been auctioned off the day after I left. They had probably a 100 such decoys, but I bet they were going for lots of dollars.
Such a wonderful family tradition …
Lovely post and photographs.
Sending my good wishes at this most special time of year.
All the best Jan
May you have a blessed Christmas, Jan.
I love this. All the decorations are great.
It’s amazing how many lights this island has this time of the year!
It sounds like an excellent family tradition to continue. I have only been fishing in the ocean once and enjoyed it tremendously. I would like to do it again a time or two someday in my future.
It’s fun, although I would just as soon paddle a river! But then I have fished in the ocean since I was nine.