Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks

More than 6,000 ships have met their doom in the waters of North Carolina’s coast, and their stories weave a rich history of tragedy, drama and heroics along these picturesque beaches.

Sailors have lost their lives and fortunes, and heroes have been made where the combination of mixing currents, treacherous coastline and shifting underwater sandbars have spelled disaster for even the most seasoned sailor. “Shipwrecks of the Outer Banks: Dramatic Rescues and Fantastic Wrecks in the Graveyard of the Atlantic” recounts the intriguing stories of daring deeds, tragic failures, enduring mysteries and buried treasure. Writer James D. Charlet brings readers right on board with his colorful anecdotes. He also explains nautical terms and relates how some shipwrecks impacted American history and its politics. Charlet is an authority on the U.S. Life-Saving Service on North Carolina’s Outer Banks and is a former site manager of Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station Historic Site & Museum in Rodanthe. Hardcover, 264 pages, $35; e-book $14.49

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