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by Corolla Classic Vacations

Carolina by the Sea
Oceanfront: Pine Island
Bedrooms: 9 Sleeps: 22

A View to Sea
Oceanside: Ocean Sands
Bedrooms: 7 Sleeps: 18

Waverly
Semi-Oceanfront: Whalehead
Bedrooms: 9 Sleeps: 22

Dune Deck
Oceanside: Ocean Hill
Bedrooms: 7 Sleeps: 16

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Topic: General Information

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Posted By: Carova-4x4 area

Subject: Beach driving& sitting

Just where is one to sit in the 4x4 area? I'm confused! We, like most people, like to sit at waters edge, but 'they' say you are to drive at waters edge. I also see people driving back farther,closer to the dunes-in other truck tracks. So where is the 'right' place to sit? I worry sometimes we will blend in with the beach because of the sun glare and get run over! Dont get me wrong, i wont vacation anywhere else but the 4x4 area-so dont suggest i go to another area!LOL---just tell me where to sit :)

Message Replies:

7506: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/14/2006 10:50:36 PM

Posted By: Guest

When you go the beach park your vehicle/truck as close as where you are going to sit so traffic may or might go behind you, also a big beach umbrella would help drivers see you....that's just a couple suggestions, I'm sure other's have more.

7507: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 5:19:28 AM

Posted By: Guest

The 4x4 drive Northern Beach is actually a state road - NC 12. The law says you must leave a lane at the water's edge and one next to the dunes for vehicle traffic. You must park in the middle of the beach. The water's edge lane is going to change with the tide, of course, so if you sit at the edge of the water, just be sure there's room behind you for traffic, and you'll have to move with the tide. If you notice vehicles driving up to you, and going around you, you're in the road! :-)
Speed limit is 35 mph, but 15 mph when you're within 300 feet of people or animals.

7510: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 9:02:34 AM

Posted By: Guest

The travel lane is fifty feet from the wet sand mark inward.

7511: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 10:26:27 AM

Posted By: Guest

4WD area is not NC 12. NC 12 ends at Shad Street in Corolla.
Large groups of people sit in, on or around their parked vehicles to buffer them from passing traffic in 4WD territory. I always worry a child or dog will dart out of these groups in front of a car.
The farther north you go there is less traffic, until you get up to Carova.
Lots of the drivers up there have little experience in the sand, and their driving can be erratic as they fight the wheel in the ruts.
Be careful and drive slowly.

7514: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 11:51:02 AM

Posted By: Guest

I think it's lot more the Wild, Wild West up there, you just have to be careful and watch after yourself and your kids...and use common sense..when I go to the beach up there I park my truck midway between the dunes and the ocean, then I put my chairs and usually a few umbrellas where I sit close to the water, I don't remember encountering too may problems personally but I have witnessed kids and adults running from behind parked cars and almost getting hit.

7522: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 4:09:35 PM

Posted By: Guest

One thing we noticed is with the wind and the sound of the ocean you don't even hear the vehicles approaching so make sure you look before you step out. Especially the kids I don't remember how many times we told them to look before the cross or yell "Here comes a truck!"

7527: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 6:03:10 PM

Posted By: Guest

I know many drive up there so their vehichles are used for cover but we rent there so we just walk out to the beach, dont need a car. Some drivers are polite and go around you but some SOB's drive so close you can almost touch them. Some day they'll have an accident and hit someone and wonder why they played their foolish pride games!The constuction pickups are the worst! You would think residents would be a little wiser. Oh well, Only in a perfect world,huh? It is true about how deafening the surf can be.

7532: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/15/2006 8:08:02 PM

Posted By: Guest

All good points. Also remember that driving in soft sand is a lot like driving in snow - you don't always have total control, and sometimes it's almost impossible to "change lanes", which results at times in passing close to people or other vehicles.

18643: RE: Beach driving& sitting

10/28/2007 11:42:16 AM

Posted By: Blazerman

Read #18633 in 4x4 area.

25048: RE: Beach driving& sitting

7/18/2008 9:23:05 AM

Posted By: Guest

nc12 hasn't ended at shad st. for at least 10 years - the area north of the ramp is still highway 12 - it just isn't maintained - its is called a PVA (public vehicular area) and yes state and local police are there - it isn't often you see state police but they come occaisionally

73751: RE: Beach driving& sitting

8/22/2010 5:53:15 PM

Posted By: Guest

We just returned. You must be vigilant if you are there with small children, but that's the case anytime you are near the ocean anyway, with or without vehicles on the beach. We found most drivers very cautious and conscientious. Even though we could walk to the beach, we drove down so that we had the area by our vehicle to sit next to, depending on if the tide line was. Low tide, there's lots of room for bodies and vehicles. High tide is trickier so we sat by our own vehicles.

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