Most surf shops also are the best place to find everything you'll need for skateboarding and in-line skating, including parts and accessories, as well as surfwear and skatewear, designer eyewear, shoes and sandals, jewelry and boogie boards. Most area shops are open seven days a week in season. Call ahead in the off-season. The southern coast is blessed with clean, relatively clear, refreshing waters and a long outdoor season. Only at the end of the season do temperatures approach those of the waters farther south.
Most beaches consist of fine, clean sand.
Together with the shores of the Outer Banks and beaches farther north, the southern coast gives evidence that North Carolina does indeed have the finest beaches in the east. Except during storm surges when riptides are a danger, the surf is generally moderate. Most beach communities employ lifeguards during the summer, but the beaches are unstaffed otherwise. Swimming in a few areas is hazardous, such as at the extreme east end of Ocean Isle Beach and along the Fort Fisher Historic Site, because of either strong currents or underwater debris. All hazardous areas are well-marked.