Pamlico Sound (/ˈpæmlɪkoʊ/PAM-lik-oh) is a largeestuarinelagoon inNorth Carolina. The largest lagoon along theNorth AmericanEast Coast, it extends 80 mi (130 km) long and 15 to 20 miles (24 to 32 km) wide. It is part of a large, interconnected network of similar lagoons that includesAlbemarle Sound,Currituck Sound,Croatan Sound,Roanoke Sound, Pamlico Sound,Bogue Sound,Back Sound, andCore Sound[1][2] known collectively as the Albemarle-Pamlico sound system. With over 3,000 sq. mi. (7,800 km2) of open water[3] the combined estuary is second only in size to 4,479 sq mi (11,600 km2)Chesapeake Bay in the United States.
The Pamlico Sound is separated from theAtlantic Ocean by theOuter Banks, a row of low, sandybarrier islands that includeCape Hatteras National Seashore,Cape Lookout National Seashore, andPea Island National Wildlife Refuge. The Albemarle-Pamlico Sound is one of nineteen great waters recognized by the America's Great Waters Coalition.[4]
Pamlico Sound is connected to thenorth withAlbemarle Sound throughpassages provided by theRoanoke Sound andCroatan Sound.Core Sound is located at the Pamlico's narrow southern end.[1][2] It is fed by theNeuse andPamlico rivers (the latter of which is theestuary of theTar River) from the west, and from the east byOregon Inlet,Hatteras Inlet, andOcracoke Inlet, which also provide passage to theAtlantic Ocean.[5] Thesalinity of the sound averages 20ppt, compared to an average coastal salinity of 35 ppt in the Atlantic and 3 ppt in the Currituck Sound, which is located north of the Albemarle Sound.[6]
The sound and its ocean inlets are noted for wide expanses of shallow water and occasionalshoaling, making the area hazardous for larger vessels. While the deepest hole of the estuary (26 ft; 7.9 m) can be found in the Pamlico Sound,[7] depths generally range from 5 to 6 feet (1.5 to 1.8 m).[8] In addition, the shallow waters are susceptible to wind and barometric pressure-driven tidal fluctuations. This effect is amplified on thetributary 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.[1][2]
In March 1524, Italian ExplorerGiovanni da Verrazzano mistook the sound for thePacific Ocean because of its wide expanse and separation from the Atlantic Ocean by the Outer Banks barrier islands.[5] The sound was named for thePamlico that lived along the sound's mainland banks and who were referred to as the Pamouik by theRaleigh expeditions (circa 1584).[9]
Three locations of Pamlico Sound in theOuter Banks betweenCape Hatteras andCape Fear were once under serious consideration by theUnited States Atomic Energy Commission as anatomic bomb test site during the late 1940s and early 1950s.[10][11] Portions of Pamlico Sound are used as a bombing and training range forCamp Lejeune.[12]
In 1987, Congress declared the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound an "estuary of national significance."[3] For vacationers to the Outer Banks, the Pamlico Sound is a "watersports playground" providing opportunities for fishing and crabbing, boating, kayaking, sailing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, parasailing, paddleboarding, and more.[5] In 2012, the economic impact of tourism to the Albemarle-Pamlico Sound area exceeded $1.3 billion.[3]
The sound also supports local commercial fishing, crabbing, shrimping, clamming, and oystering. 90% of North Carolina's commercial fishing catches are attributed to the Pamlico Sound, generating almost $100 million per year.[13]
Along the coastal areas are numerouswaterfowl nesting sites, includingPea Island National Wildlife Refuge on the Outer Banks, andSwanquarter National Wildlife Refuge on the mainland.[1][2]Dolphins andsea turtles[14] are abundant,[15] with occasional visits byseals such asharp seal in early January and February. Many othercetaceans including rare species such asfin whales,Cuvier's beaked whales, andorcas are present off Outer Banks and Cape Hatteras.Whales such asAtlantic gray (now extirpated),[16]North Atlantic right (critically endangered), andNorth Atlantic humpback were historically common. Endangered species such asleatherback turtles,[17]whale sharks, andbasking sharks are also known to visit the sound as well.[6]
The sound also sports a variety of fish populations includingred drum, speckled trout,flounder,striped bass (known as rockfish by local populations),croaker, spot,pompano,kingfish, andbluefish. In addition, shellfish populations includingblue crab,shrimp,oysters, andclams are healthy.[7]
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35°18′46″N75°56′14″W / 35.31278°N 75.93722°W /35.31278; -75.93722
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