Bald Head Island Webcam – Watch the Sun Set on West Beach

The Bald Head Island Webcam looks out from the Intracoastal Realty sales office on Marina Wynd across West Beach, where the Cape Fear River meets the Atlantic Ocean on the southern coast of North Carolina. A lane curves through the foreground past parked golf carts and a clump of palmetto, then the view runs over a low dune of shrubs and sand, crossed by a wooden boardwalk to the beach, and out across open water to a thin line of shore on the far horizon. The camera was put up to catch the sunsets, and it earns its name in the last hour of light, when the sun drops toward the shore across the river mouth. Through the day the scene shifts with the tide, the wind and the traffic on the water, which can include the passenger ferries to Southport and container ships heading upriver for the Port of Wilmington.

About Bald Head Island

Bald Head Island sits at Cape Fear in Brunswick County, about four miles (6.4 kilometers) off Southport at the mouth of the Cape Fear River. For much of its history it was known as Smith Island. The village counted 268 residents at the 2020 census on 3.92 square miles (10.14 square kilometers) of land. There are few cars here. Residents and visitors get around in electric golf carts or on bikes, which is why golf carts rather than cars fill the parking spaces near the camera.

The camera sits beside the Bald Head Island Marina, where the ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport docks, near buoy 13A at the river mouth. Old Baldy, the island’s octagonal brick lighthouse, was built in 1817 and stands 110 feet (34 meters) tall. It is the oldest lighthouse still standing in North Carolina, and its light was switched off in 1935. In 1863 the Confederacy built Fort Holmes on the island to guard the river entrance, and off the southeastern point the sandbars of Frying Pan Shoals reach out to sea for 30 miles (48 kilometers).

Most of the island is left wild. About 10,000 of its 12,400 acres (4,047 of 5,018 hectares) are protected, covering beach and dunes, maritime forest, freshwater lagoons and salt marsh, so the developed strip around the marina is a small part of a much larger natural landscape.

Weather and Climate on Bald Head Island

Summers are hot and humid. In Southport, the ferry town across the river, July averages a high of 33 C (92 F) and a low of 23 C (73 F), and afternoon thunderstorms can build over the river mouth. The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November, and a passing storm can drive the surf well up West Beach. Rain is spread through the year and totals about 1,388 millimeters (54.6 inches) annually.

Spring and autumn are the mild seasons. April highs reach about 24 C (76 F), and October still averages 26 C (79 F) by day and 12 C (54 F) at night. Winters are short and cool, with January highs near 16 C (60 F) and lows around 2 C (36 F). The sunset point moves with the seasons too: in summer the sun goes down well to the north of west, and in winter it sets farther south, so the light on the camera changes from one month to the next.

Things to Do Near Bald Head Island

Old Baldy is open to the public, and its 108 spiral steps climb to views over the estuary. The Old Baldy Foundation runs the tower together with the Smith Island Museum of History beside it. The Bald Head Island Conservancy has run the island’s sea turtle program since 1983, and its work reaches into the maritime forest, lagoons and salt marsh behind the beaches. The site of Fort Holmes is another stop for anyone interested in the island’s Civil War past.

Each beach has its own character. East Beach faces the open Atlantic and draws surfers, South Beach has gentler waves suited to families, and West Beach, the stretch on this camera, is the island’s spot for sunset walks, ship watching and looking for dolphins. Bikes and golf carts can be rented on the island. The passenger ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport takes about 20 minutes, and a four-wheel-drive vehicle can also reach the island along the beach strand from Fort Fisher to the north.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

More cameras along the Carolina coast:

• Beaufort Webcam
• Myrtle Beach Webcam
• Hilton Head Island Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is Bald Head Island located?

Bald Head Island is in Brunswick County, North Carolina, at Cape Fear and the mouth of the Cape Fear River. It lies about four miles (6.4 kilometers) off the town of Southport, which is where the passenger ferry leaves from.

What can you see on the Bald Head Island Webcam?

A lane with parked golf carts and palmettos fills the foreground. Beyond it, a dune covered in shrubs and crossed by a wooden boardwalk leads down to West Beach, and the rest of the frame is open water at the mouth of the Cape Fear River, with a low line of shore on the far side. On a clear evening the sun sets over that water.

When is the best time to watch the Bald Head Island Webcam?

The last hour before sunset, local time. The camera was set up as a sunset cam, and West Beach looks west across the river mouth, so on a clear evening the sky over the water turns orange and pink as the sun goes down. Daytime brings the ferries and ships on the river.

What is the weather like on Bald Head Island?

The climate is humid and subtropical. July averages highs of 33 C (92 F) and January highs of 16 C (60 F), with about 1,388 millimeters (54.6 inches) of rain a year. Hurricane season runs from June through November.

How do you get to Bald Head Island?

Most visitors take the passenger ferry from Deep Point Marina in Southport, a crossing of about 20 minutes that docks at the Bald Head Island Marina beside the camera. The island can also be reached by four-wheel-drive vehicle along the beach from Fort Fisher.

Are cars allowed on Bald Head Island?

There are few cars on the island. People get around in electric golf carts and on bikes, both of which can be rented once you arrive.

Can you climb Old Baldy Lighthouse?

Yes. Old Baldy is open to the public, and 108 spiral steps lead up the 110 foot (34 meter) tower, built in 1817, to views over the Cape Fear estuary.

Can you see ships on the Bald Head Island Webcam?

Often, yes. West Beach sits on the river entrance, so the ferries to Southport pass the camera, and large container ships use the channel on their way upriver to the Port of Wilmington.

Source: Intracoastal Realty Bald Head Island