Topsail Island has a rich and colorful history. Local legend claims that notorious pirate Blackbeard and his nefarious band of marauders pillaged merchant ships along the coast and hid their treasure on the island. Because the pirates awaited their prey in a channel behind the island, the merchant ships learned to look over the dunes for the top of the sails of pirate ships -- hence the name Topsail.
A couple of centuries later after World War II, the island served as a development and test site for experimental missiles. During the 18-months of the top-secret project, more than 200 missiles were launched from the coast.
Today, Topsail Island, pronounced Tops'l by the locals, and the unspoiled beaches along the Atlantic remain somewhat of a secret, thanks in part to strict building codes that prevent gross overdevelopment, which threatens the existence of the island's sea turtle population and its tranquil shores.
Part-time residents like Anna's Uncle John and Aunt Robin were attracted to this serenity, preferring the beauty of the seascape over the condo canyons that often beckon beachgoers in other oceanside locales. Although Blackbeard's purported treasures may have long since been discovered, beachcombers on Topsail Island can be rewarded by finding a plethora of seashells and shark teeth along the beach.
Dr Pepperazzi Photo By: D. Trundle