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Bald Head Island is a part of Smith Island. It got its nickname because the dunes that are a part of the island looked from a distance like a bald head. On the 12,000 acre Bald Head Island , you'll find 10,000 untouched acres of beach, marsh and maritime forest preserves. Bald Head Island is located two-miles across the Cape Fear River from the mainland town of Southport. The island is only accessible by a ferry or private boat. Island beaches are home to loggerhead sea turtles, and Old Baldy is the island historic Lighthouse.
There are only two ways to reach the island – by a privately-owned
passenger ferry or by private boat. The twenty-minute ferry ride
can be taken from the Indigo Plantation Marina in Southport, North
Carolina. Ferry information can be found by calling 910-457-5003.
The ferry also takes you within easy view of the Oak Island Lighthouse.
When you board the passenger ferry for the 20-minute ride to Bald
Head Island, you leave your car behind. Cars are banned from the
island. Transportation on the island is limited to golf carts, bikes,
skates and walking. an accurate reflection of the slower, more relaxed
island attitude. The pace of life here encourages rest and relaxation.
Golf Bald Head Island Club's championship links, recognized as one
of the state's most spectacular courses. Discover North Carolina's
oldest lighthouse, Old Baldy, first commissioned by Thomas Jefferson.
Explore the island's protected creeks and maritime forest through
programs offered by the Bald Head Island Conservancy. Bald Head
Island is a semi-tropical island, with miles of pristine beaches
and a wealth of exceptional animal and plant life just begging to
be explored. Bald Head Island is just 2,000 acres, although another
10,000 acres of protected salt marsh creeks and maritime forest
have been deeded to the State of North Carolina.
There are a number of activities available to guests mo the water. Bald Head Island is a sailor's paradise, with offshore and protected inshore cruising. The Bald Head Island Sailing Club provides island property owners and vacationers a convenient way to enjoy the waters surrounding Bald Head Island year round. The club welcomes all ages and skill levels, from seasoned blow boaters, to never-sailed novices. Annual memberships and weeklong temporary memberships are available. Fishing Bald Head Island or Southport with is a great opportunity for some of the finest king mackerel, red drum, mahi mahi, cobia, flounder, and trout fishing around.
The Bald Head Island 18-hole golf course designed by George Cobb, plays over dunes, around lagoons, along the ocean, and through a maritime forest. Many of the holes lie in the natural habitats of herons, egrets, foxes and alligators.
Bald Head Island Golf Course has a slope rating of 137 from the men's tees and 113 from the women's. The course layout wraps it around freshwater island lagoons and through ancient maritime forest. The course plays across dunes that overlook the Atlantic Ocean. A modern clubhouse and golf shop is available that carries a variety of men's and women's apparel and equipment. For your dinning pleasure Bald Head Island Golf Club has a restaurant for a delicious meal and a lounge to enjoy refreshments.