- Pamlico Sound
Pamlico Sound (PAM-lik-o) in
North Carolina , is the largestlagoon along theU.S. East Coast being 129 km (80 miles) long and 24 to 48 km (15 to 30 miles) wide. It is a body of water separated from theAtlantic Ocean by theOuter Banks , a row of low, sandy barrier islands, includingCape Hatteras . The Neuse and Pamlico rivers (the latter is theestuary of theTar River ) flow in from the west. Pamlico Sound is linked on the north withAlbemarle Sound throughRoanoke Sound andCroatan Sound (passages).Core Sound is the narrow southern end. ExplorerGiovanni da Verrazzano mistook the sound for thePacific Ocean . The sound and its ocean inlets are noted for wide expanses of shallow water and occasional shoaling, making the area hazardous for larger vessels. In addition, the shallow nature of the sound makes it susceptible to wind and barometric pressure driven tidal fluctuations. This effect is amplified on the tributary rivers where water levels can change by as much as two feet in three hours when winds are aligned with the rivers' axes and are blowing strongly.Pamlico Sound is part of a large interconnected network of lagoon estuaries, which as a whole is the second largest estuary in the United States (
Chesapeake Bay being the largest). There are seven sounds making up the whole: Albemarle Sound,Currituck Sound , Croatan Sound, Pamlico Sound, Bogue Sound, Core Sound, and Roanoke Sound.Cape Hatteras National Seashore andCape Lookout National Seashore are located on the barrier islands. Along the coastal areas are numerouswaterfowl nesting sites, includingPea Island National Wildlife Refuge andSwanquarter National Wildlife Refuge on the mainland.External links
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* [http://www.visitwashingtonnc.com/pages/boating.php Pamlico Sound Boating]
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