Emerald Isle, North Carolina.

The North Carolina Aquarium series comprises four distinct regional aquariums. While visiting Emerald Isle in January, we had the pleasure of exploring the North Carolina Aquarium at Pine Knoll Shores. The visit offered a blend of fresh and saltwater aquariums, along with an outdoor area dedicated to the unique marsh ecosystem of this island setting. Our experience was so rich and varied that I’ve decided to split this post into two separate Travel Tuesday entries. This week, we’ll delve into the indoor exhibits, and next week, we’ll venture into the outdoor attractions.

You might remember that I previously showcased a couple of Cellpic Sunday images from the aquarium, including one of a freshwater tank inhabited by the ancient gar, repeated above. The informative placards positioned near each tank provided just the right amount of detail about their inhabitants. The tanks, illuminated perfectly, made for excellent photographs, captured with both my cell phone and my Sony APC camera.

The facility’s most prominent feature is the Living Shipwreck tank, a saltwater habitat with a capacity of 306,000 gallons. It contains a replica of the U-352, a German submarine that met its end off the North Carolina coast in 1942. This recreated environment is teeming with a diverse array of marine life, including sharks, tarpon, a green sea turtle, and various other species that call the ocean home. The large tank provides plenty of viewing space for visitors to enjoy the underwater views.

Another replica tank is the unique 50,000-gallon habitat that was designed to mirror the wreckage site believed to be the final resting place of Blackbeard the Pirate’s flagship – the Queen Anne’s Revenge. This habitat features species like the sheepshead, which are also found at the actual dive site. Replicas of the anchors that were used on the ship and can be seen at the real wreckage site are included in this tank. In a future Travel Tuesday, we will visit a maritime museum that focuses on Blackbeard and his famous ship.

The aquarium that seemingly houses the most vibrant fish, possibly koi or goldfish, was one of my favorites. Regrettably, I failed to capture the information placard in my collection of images for this exhibit, leaving me unable to recollect the specifics. There is no reference on the website to this specific tank that I could find, but I did enjoy watching the colorful fish.

The two jellyfish images featured in the above photo and my opening image were the most abstract in my gallery. The tank’s blue backdrop offered a vibrant contrast to the transparent marine life.

As I write this in February 2024, the entry fee to the facility is under $13 per individual, with special discounts available for seniors, military personnel, and children. This fee grants access to both the indoor and outdoor exhibits. However, I noticed that the boardwalk and outdoor activities are currently closed for refurbishment during the winter season. If the outdoor experience is a crucial part of your visit, I strongly recommend checking the website prior to your arrival. The wait will indeed be worthwhile if you can incorporate both experiences into your visit.

My entire collection of images taken at the aquarium has been uploaded to my Flickr site here, where they can be viewed in 2K HD.  The gallery there also includes the scenes I captured from our outdoor adventure at the aquarium that will be the subject of next week’s Travel Tuesday post.

John Steiner