Topsail Island/Hampstead

A bit north of Wilmington lies Topsail Island, a 26-mile long sanctuary for turtles and humans, rich with history and ready to welcome visitors of all ages and interests. Known as “Top-sul” to the locals, the island sits just beyond the quaint mainland community of Hampstead.

Story by Pat Fontana

PHOTO BY ADAM HAWLEY

TOPSAIL’S ENCHANTED HISTORY

Topsail Island is home to Topsail Beach, Surf City and North Topsail Beach, three distinctly different towns, each with plenty to do, see and enjoy throughout the year. The island boasts an intriguing history, dating back to the adventures of the seas in the 1500s.

As the story goes, pirate ships lurked off the coast waiting for merchant vessels to pass through the area. Often, only their top sails were visible from the island, so the name stuck. While the legend may or may not be true, the island does still have an extensive and fascinating history.

Pirates associated with the island include the infamous Blackbeard and Stede Bonnet, along with a pirate named Sears who established a trading post on the mainland. Sears also operated a pole barge for ferrying people to the island. His trading post and ferry landing are now known as Sears Landing.

More recently, the U.S. Navy took over the island to launch Operation Bumblebee, a secret guided missile testing program that lasted from 1946 to 1948. The main concept for today’s supersonic flights was tested and proven on Topsail Island. Many of the missile observation towers used by the Navy can still be seen on the beaches. Roads, a fresh water supply, a bridge and other improvements were made as the military directed research operations from nearby Camp Davis in Holly Ridge on the mainland.

Shortly after Operation Bumblebee concluded, another significant event made history on the island. In 1949, in the midst of segregation policies throughout most of the rest of the country, an integrated group of people from the Wilmington area formed a development corporation and established Ocean City Beach, a place that offered beachfront home ownership to Black families during a time when Black people were not supposed to own property, let alone vacation homes on such an attractive and enticing location.

A TREASURED TURTLE SANCTUARY

Topsail Island, as one of the more heavily nested areas along the North Carolina coast, has been designated as a turtle sanctuary. The turtle nesting season runs from April through August, so it’s important for visitors to keep lights off the beach during this time. Artificial lights can confuse the mother turtle looking for the ideal nesting spot as well as her babies as they try to find their way back to the sea.

Loggerheads love the warm, sandy beaches and may nest three to five times each year. Each time the mother turtle will deposit an average of 120 eggs per nest. Those eggs will incubate for about 60 days before the hatchlings break out and work their way across the sand to their new home in the Atlantic Ocean. A few leatherbacks and green turtles will also find their way to the island to nest each year.

Look for the mother’s turtle tracks in the early morning when walking along the beach. Volunteers from the local turtle hospital who are trained to watch for new nests each season will also be out searching for turtle signs early each day. Later in the summer, the baby turtles’ tiny tracks can be seen heading in the opposite direction as they start new lives in the warm, salty water.

TOPSAIL BEACH

On the south end of the island, Topsail Beach is a quiet town of comfortable homes, a few shops and a seasonal skating rink that features historic

Topsail Island’s Jolly Roger Pier extends 850 feet into the Atlantic Ocean and offers visitors a chance to catch fish and spectacular beach views.

wooden floors. Home to about 500 permanent residents, Topsail Beach is the smallest community on the island. Many of the homes in this area are available for rent during the summer months and there is always plenty of room on the southern island beaches.

Topsail Beach is also home to the Missiles and More Museum, which offers a fascinating look at artifacts from Camp Davis, active during World War II, as well as Operation Bumblebee. The museum is located in the original

PHOTOS BY ADAM HAWLEY

arsenal building, now known as the Historical Assembly Building. Visitors can see rocket models and view videos on how the rockets were launched.

One exhibit features the groundbreaking Women Air Force Service Pilots (WASP) who served at Camp Davis during World War II. Visitors can also see displays of local pirate lore, a large seashell collection and native flora and fauna. Each October, the Autumn at Topsail Festival is held on the grounds of the Assembly Building and features

an arts and crafts court as well as food, entertainment, and fun for kids of all ages.

SURF CITY

Who doesn’t have some fun in Surf City? Perched in the middle of Topsail Island, Surf City offers more than 30 beach accesses, boat ramps, an ocean pier and a lovely waterfront town park. This town of about 2,000 permanent residents is most proud of its new 65foot high bridge that was honored with an N.C. Department of Transportation Mobi award for its innovative design. The new, sweeping bridge replaced the aging swing bridge that had linked the island to the mainland for over 60 years.

Soundside Park in Surf City welcomes visitors and residents alike with boat access to the Intracoastal Waterway, picnic areas and a playground for the little ones. Walking paths lead to the pedestrian lane of the new bridge, for an especially breathtaking view of the water and the island. The park is also the site for the Surf City Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony, delighting families each December with a celebration that includes live music, local food vendors, kids’ activities and photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus.

Surf City spans across the water to the mainland. Featuring a growing shopping area, locally owned restaurants, a new town hall complex and the Greater Topsail Area Chamber of Commerce, the mainland side of Surf City is a destination in itself. Mainland Surf City also connects with the community of Hampstead on Highway 17.

HAMPSTEAD

The unincorporated town of Hampstead is only 15 miles north of Wilmington on U.S. Highway 17. A growing community, Hampstead sits in the heart of Pender County and is conveniently located between many points of attraction in the area, including the beaches of Topsail Island and Wrightsville Beach.

Hampstead offers affordable homes in a wide range of sizes and locations, including many that front the Intracoastal Waterway. Connecting to Wilmington via Highway 17 and the N.C.-140 connector, Hampstead offers the comfort of a small town and the convenience of nearby shopping and attractions.

From farmers to fishermen, Hampstead features a delicious range of food options. Farms in the area produce quality goat cheese in addition to a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Many of these home-grown products can be found at the Poplar Grove Farmer’s Market, perfectly situated on the southern edge of Hampstead just at the Wilmington border.

Seafood is also a popular item in many Hampstead restaurants and in seafood markets. Hampstead actually bills itself as the Seafood Capital of the Carolinas. As fishing and boating are very popular along the waterway and across the bridge on the island, there is usually always fresh seafood available, often straight off the boat that brought it in from the sea.

NORTH TOPSAIL BEACH

While Hampstead, Topsail Beach and most of Surf City are located in Pender County, on the north end of the island lies North Topsail Beach, an Onslow County community. Almost 900 people live in North Topsail Beach year-round and many more come in each summer, during the height of the rental season.

The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center founder and former director Jean Beasley.

PHOTO BY ADAM HAWLEY

SEA TURTLE SANCTUARY

Spotting sea turtles is easy at The Karen Beasley Sea Turtle Rescue and Rehabilitation Center just off Topsail Island on Tortuga Drive. The facility is a result of fund-raising efforts that were helped along by many residents of Topsail Island and the surrounding area as well as by visitors who vacation there.

The volunteer staff cares for and rehabilitates injured loggerhead and other turtles before releasing them back into the sea. Watching the rehabilitated turtles as they are released is a thrill.

Founder and former director Jean Beasley, who retired in 2021, was the 2007 recipient of Animal Planet’s Hero of the Year award.

Volunteers protect and monitor the many nests sea turtles dig in the sand each year. Some rehabilitated turtles are fitted with tracking devices before being released back into the ocean. That way, researchers can track their movement and learn about their habits.

This description tells just a wee bit about the huge impact this facility has made on sea turtle protection. Learn more, including how you can help, at www.seaturtlehospital.org.

One of eight towers standing on Topsail Beach — vestiges of 1947 military research project. onto the side of the building!

North Topsail Beach is the northernmost tip of an exciting, relaxing and totally enjoyable island where visitors and residents can soak up the sun, search for shark’s teeth, pick up unique shells and discover a sanctuary that is like no other in the state.

Burrito Shak

A few locally owned restaurants dot this smaller community, which stretches about 10 miles along Island Drive and New River Inlet Drive. Part of North Topsail was once known as West Onslow Beach, but the name was changed when the town incorporated in 1990.

Featuring its own high-rise bridge that connects the community to Sneads Ferry on the mainland, North Topsail Beach offers several public beach access points and a newly renovated town park. At more than 1,000 feet long, the fishing pier is one of the longest on the North Carolina coast. Now called Seaview Pier, and once known as Salty’s Pier, the spot includes a restaurant housed in what was once a recording studio, which explains the 20-foot guitar shingled

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Burrito Shak

Burrito Shak is a family-friendly, quickdining restaurant where they utilize fresh ingredients in all of their menu items. It’s a combination of everything owner David Longo and his family love: flavorful food, beach vibes and family. The founding Burrito Shak is located just 10 miles from the beach, so they knew that giving their menu and decor a coastal vibe was a must. Visit the newly opened Surf City location or the original Hampstead location. Other locations include Wilmington, Swansboro and Jacksonville. Burrito Shak was voted #1 Tacos in North Carolina, beating 63 fellow competitors in an elimination-style taco tournament.

Burrito Shak has a created a solid reputation for excellence and an evergrowing loyal customer base. Their mission is to share the taste of high-quality, fresh-Mex cuisine in a family-friendly atmosphere, and now they are excited to offer a path for other entrepreneurs and food lovers to achieve success through their franchising platform. 