Spring 2024

Ice to Ocean

As glaciers melt and seas rise, new findings about ground elevations at the coast confirm that the battle between land and sea has become increasingly one-sided — and that an ecological transformation of coastal NC has begun.

image: blue land crab emerging from hole.

What’s the Deal with that Big Blue Crab on the Beach?

A new species has arrived in North Carolina — and you might even find one in your garage.

Can Fish Bones Protect Us from the Sun?

Researchers investigate a sustainable alternative to harmful UV filters in sunscreens.

image: graphic of a magnifying glass over water with bubbles that say "PFAS".

Emerging Contaminants: Mystery in the Cape Fear

New testing reveals eight previously unrecorded forms of PFAS

Are Fishing and Boating Regulations Protecting Endangered Whales?

The North Atlantic right whale is a critically endangered species, with fewer than 400 estimated alive today. Two leading causes of right whale mortality are fishing gear and vessels.

image: flooded residential street at sunset.

Sunny with a Chance of Floods

When people see photos of Carolina Beach’s flooded Canal Drive, they might assume those waters lapping against the doorways of a residential neighborhood mean the area had just experienced a severe storm or hurricane. Locals know, however, it is just as likely the deluge was not related to a storm at all but rather an example of “nuisance” flooding.

image: bow of a sailboat heads towards a cloudy horizon.

The Straits by Skipjack

From the short dock along Lida Pigott’s cut in Gloucester off the north side of The Straits, on as blustery a Sunday summer afternoon as one might want, the 28-foot skipjack Natty Lou headed out, her mainsail reefed.

Creature Feature: Conan O’Brien Worms, Sea Dragons, and Ocean Aliens

Recent research from the Caribbean to the U.K. to Antarctica proves the ocean contains no shortage of curiosities.

image: factory smokestacks release smoke into the air during sunset.

Vital Signs: Greenhouse Gas Emissions Hit Highest Levels

50 Leading Scientists on “Unprecedented” Human-Caused Global Warming

image: aerial view of a living shoreline.

The Guide to Coastal Living

The Guide to Coastal Living provides North Carolinians with quick information about how to address coastal hazards and how to live in a coastal environment. The series launches with this look at living shorelines — a strategy that provides invaluable benefits to our communities and coast.

The Rip Currents Safety Poster

Share this poster. Print it out and put it up — and save a life.

image: offshore wind turbines in front of a sunset.

Hook, Line & Science

Fishing at Wind Farms, Live Imaging Sonar, and More…

Warming Waters

50-year Trend in Atlantic Hurricane Escalation

New research shows changes to Atlantic hurricanes over the past 50 years, with storms developing and strengthening faster…

Coastwatch Classroom

The Impact of Sea Level Rise on Tidal Marshes

This lesson plan for high school students includes an interactive slideshow, map, worksheets, and more…

image: crab and shrimp salad on lettuce bed.

Mariner’s Menu

Crab and Shrimp Salad, Fresh Deviled Clams, Broiled Soft Crabs with Basil-Butter Sauce, and Baked Grouper Fillets with Mushrooms…

Ancient Oyster Fisheries

A Sneak Peek at the Summer 2024 issue

Indigenous peoples sustained massive oyster fisheries for 5,000 to 10,000 years — or longer…