Aerial View of Silver Lake Harbor and Ocracoke Village Between Ocean and Sound - Bildbanksfoto

An aerial view captures Silver Lake Harbor and the village of Ocracoke, North Carolina, nestled between the Atlantic Ocean and Pamlico Sound. This barrier island community—accessible only by boat, ferry, or small aircraft—sits at the southern tip of the Outer Banks, offering a rare glimpse into the region’s coastal geography. The harbor, dotted with boats, serves as the heart of local commerce and tourism while also providing safe anchorage in a historically treacherous stretch of the Graveyard of the Atlantic. From above, the narrow ribbon of Ocracoke Island is framed by the deep blues of ocean and sound, illustrating the fragile, dynamic nature of barrier island ecosystems in the face of sea level rise and intensifying storms. The image offers both a geographic and cultural portrait of one of North Carolina’s most remote coastal communities.