Duck Boardwalk Webcam – Currituck Sound on the Outer Banks

The Duck Boardwalk Webcam looks out from the wooden boardwalk that runs along Currituck Sound in Duck, a small town on the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina. The walkway zigzags away from the camera on its pilings, past a green bench, a trail map panel and a post marking the crabbing area, then curves back toward a fringe of reeds and trees on the shore. Open water fills the left of the frame, broken by a few small marsh islands, and the sound runs out to a flat, often hazy horizon. Low wooden docks line the water on the right. The picture changes with the wind and the light: glassy water on still mornings, a ruffled grey surface on breezy afternoons, and people on foot coming and going for most of the day.

About the Duck Boardwalk

Duck sits on the narrow strip of sand between the Atlantic Ocean and Currituck Sound in Dare County, and it takes its name from the many ducks and other waterfowl found in the area. Residents who wanted to keep its village feel petitioned the state legislature, and on May 1, 2002 Duck became the sixth incorporated town in Dare County. The 2020 census counted 742 residents, and the town lies only about 2 meters (6.6 feet) above sea level.

The boardwalk was one of the new town’s signature projects. It measures 3,386 linear feet, or 1,032 meters, and 4,149 feet (1,265 meters) once the northern boat pier and the other access points are counted. The deck is 10 feet (3 meters) wide and stands on about 916 pilings driven at least 8 feet (2.4 meters) into the ground. After dark, 285 lights run off five solar stations, and a solar panel sits on a small platform at the bend just in front of the camera. The northern extension to the Waterfront Shops opened in spring 2011, the southern extension followed in spring 2012, and the final phase was finished in fall 2014.

The boardwalk starts in Duck Town Park, about 11 acres (4.5 hectares) of soundfront land in the middle of the village. The town bought the first parcel in fall 2003 for $4.5 million from Food Lion, which had planned to build a grocery store on it, and added a second parcel in 2006. The park holds four distinct plant communities: maritime deciduous forest, maritime evergreen forest with large live oaks, a willow swamp and marsh. The town notes that these maritime forests are a rare plant community found only on the eastern North Carolina coast.

Weather and Climate in Duck, North Carolina

Water on both sides keeps the climate mild. In January, afternoons in Duck typically reach about 9 C (49 F) and nights fall to around 4 C (39 F). Winter is when the reeds on the camera’s right turn tan and brown and the sound most often looks grey and wind-chopped. Spring warms slowly because the ocean is still cold: April highs average about 18 C (64 F) and May about 22 C (71 F), and the marsh greens up through those weeks.

Summer is warm and humid, with July highs near 28 C (83 F) and nights that rarely drop below 24 C (75 F). Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30. Autumn stays warm for a long time: October still averages highs of about 21 C (69 F) with lows near 17 C (62 F), and NOAA figures put the ocean off Duck at about 24 C (75 F) in September, falling to about 7 C (45 F) by January. Because the sound lies to the west, the town promotes the boardwalk for its sunsets, and evening light on the water is often the best time to check the Duck Boardwalk Webcam.

Things to Do Near the Duck Boardwalk

Most of what the town offers sits within a short walk of the camera. Duck Town Park has crushed bluestone trails through the maritime forest, a public launch for kayaks, canoes and paddleboards, a picnic shelter, a gazebo and a playground. Its 350-seat amphitheater opened on September 18, 2009 and hosts summer programs such as Movies on the Sound, and the park is home to the annual Duck Jazz Festival over Columbus Day weekend. Anglers and crabbers use the designated fishing and crabbing platform, where a North Carolina fishing license is required for anyone over 15. Walk north along the boardwalk and it ends at the Waterfront Shops, with four-slip boat piers at both the northern and southern ends.

On the ocean side of town, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers Field Research Facility has run a coastal research station since 1977, with a pier that reaches 560 meters (1,840 feet) out over the surf. About 11 kilometers (7 miles) north in a straight line, the Pine Island Audubon Sanctuary has a marked nature trail. The Currituck Beach Lighthouse in Corolla stands about 24 kilometers (15 miles) north, and the Wright Brothers National Memorial in Kill Devil Hills, which marks the site of the brothers’ first powered flights, is about 18 kilometers (11 miles) to the south.

Similar Webcams You Might Like

For more of the Carolina coast, these cameras are a good next stop.

• Beaufort Webcam
• Sunset Beach Pier Webcam
• Myrtle Beach Boardwalk Webcam

Frequently Asked Questions

Where is the Duck Boardwalk located?

The boardwalk runs along the eastern shore of Currituck Sound in the center of Duck, a town in Dare County on the northern Outer Banks of North Carolina, United States. It can be reached from Duck Town Park and from several points in the town’s village commercial district.

What can you see on the Duck Boardwalk Webcam?

The camera looks along a winding section of the boardwalk beside the crabbing area, with open water and small marsh islands to the left, reeds, trees and wooden docks along the shore to the right, and Currituck Sound stretching to the horizon.

What is the weather like in Duck, North Carolina?

Duck has a mild coastal climate. January highs are about 9 C (49 F) and July highs about 28 C (83 F), with warm, humid summers and an Atlantic hurricane season from June to November.

How long is the Duck Boardwalk?

The boardwalk is 3,386 linear feet (1,032 meters) long, or 4,149 feet (1,265 meters) including the northern boat pier and access points. It is 10 feet (3 meters) wide.

What are the Duck Boardwalk hours?

The boardwalk is open from dawn until 1:00 a.m., while Duck Town Park is open from dawn until dusk. Bicycles must be walked or left at the park’s racks, and dogs are welcome on a leash.

Can you go crabbing on the Duck Boardwalk?

Yes, in the designated areas. Fishing and crabbing are allowed from the platform, and anyone over 15 needs a North Carolina fishing license, regulated by the state Division of Marine Fisheries.

When is the Duck Jazz Festival?

The Duck Jazz Festival is held every year over Columbus Day weekend in October, on the grounds of Duck Town Park beside the sound.

Source: Town of Duck