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The Shifting Sands and Wild Spirits of the Outer Banks
Off the coast of North Carolina lies a narrow chain of barrier islands known as the Outer Banks. These thin strips of land separate the wild Atlantic Ocean from the calm inland sounds. What makes the Outer Banks truly unique is that they are constantly changing shape. Driven by wind, waves, and ocean currents, the sandy shores are perpetually shifting. Over time, sand dunes slowly crawl across the land, beaches erode away in some areas, and new land builds up in others.
Despite this harsh, ever-changing environment, life thrives on the islands. Among the most famous residents of the Outer Banks are wild horses, often called banker horses. Descended from Spanish horses brought by explorers over four hundred years ago, these hardy animals have adapted to island life. They roam freely along the beaches and salt marshes, feeding on coarse marsh grass. To find drinking water, they use their hooves to dig into the sand, uncovering fresh water hidden just beneath the surface.
Navigating the ocean waters surrounding the Outer Banks has always been dangerous for sailors. Shifting underwater sandbars and violent storms caused hundreds of shipwrecks over the centuries, earning the region the nickname "Graveyard of the Atlantic." To warn passing ships, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse was completed in 1870. Standing 198 feet tall with striking black-and-white spiral stripes, it is the tallest brick lighthouse in the United States. Its bright light guided sailors safely past dangerous shallow waters.
However, the same ocean waves that the lighthouse warned sailors about eventually threatened the building itself. Over more than a century, coastal erosion washed away the sandy beach in front of the tower. By the late 1990s, the ocean waves were crashing alarmingly close to the lighthouse base, threatening to knock it over.
In 1999, engineers accomplished a remarkable historic feat known as the "Move of the Century." They lifted the massive 4,800-ton brick lighthouse off its foundation, placed it on special rollers, and moved it 2,900 feet inland. Today, the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse stands safely away from the surf, continuing to watch over the shifting sands and wild horses of the Outer Banks.
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Glossary
- barrier islands:
- Long, thin islands running parallel to the mainland that protect the coast from open ocean waves.
- erode:
- To wear away land or soil gradually through the action of wind, water, or ocean currents.
- marshes:
- Low-lying wet areas of land usually covered with grass and flooded by water.
- sandbars:
- Ridges of sand built up in shallow ocean water by wind and currents.
- erosion:
- The natural process of wearing away soil, sand, or rock by wind and water.
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About this explanatory article passage for Upper Elementary
“The Shifting Sands and Wild Spirits of the Outer Banks” is a explanatory article reading passage about Outer Banks Coastline and Cape Hatteras, written for Upper Elementary. It takes about 2 minutes to read (354 words) and comes with an interactive quiz and a printable worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.
Is this passage free?
Yes. You can read “The Shifting Sands and Wild Spirits of the Outer Banks” online for free and download a printable PDF worksheet with comprehension questions and an answer key.
What reading level is “The Shifting Sands and Wild Spirits of the Outer Banks”?
It’s written for Upper Elementary — a explanatory article text about Outer Banks Coastline and Cape Hatteras, about a 2-minute read (354 words).
What’s included with this passage?
An illustrated reading passage, a glossary of key terms, comprehension questions with an answer key, and an interactive quiz.
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