History of the Sunset Beach NC Pier
The Sunset Beach NC Pier was originally built in June of 1960. It was later rebuilt at its current location in 1976 overtop of a sunken Blockade Runner, the Vesta. In 1864, the Vesta, a steel ship weighing over 500 tons used by the confederate army, was set on fire in about 10 feet of water when it was trapped by a fleet of Union ships.
Many of the supplies were unloaded and the boat was abandoned on what was later to become Sunset Beach Island. The vesta was 34′ wide and 180′ long and sat parallel to the beach. When the first pier was built they left a wide opening and you could look thru the planks and see the boiler. Today, because so much sand has accreted, the Vesta is totally submerged.
New to the Sunset Beach NC Pier is an informative walking tour. Admission for this tour is only $1.00.
The tour will provide you with information about the island’s inception, a number of the island’s permanent residents, a history of the “storms” which affected the area, information about the previous site of the pier building, dates and pictures of the past bridges and more. As you exit the walking tour, you will see a placard marking the Vesta’s resting place.
Pier Activities
Love to go fishing, well the Sunset Beach NC Pier is the place for you! The 900 ft. pier is the perfect spot for great fishing. The pier store offers a tackle shop and you can check out the daily fishing report right here and even view conditions on the Live Web Cam!
And beach-goers, visitors and fishermen alike will enjoy the beach, store, arcade, bar and grill. Also day or night, a casual stroll out to the end of the pier is a relaxing and scenic experience. Click here to check out the Grill’s Menu! And don’t forget to stop by the gift shop and pick up a souvenir!
