Carova Beach, North Carolina facts for kids

Carova Beach on the map of North Carolina.

Wild horse in Carova Beach.

Carova Beach (or just Carova) is a special place in the very northeastern part of North Carolina. It's not a city or town with its own government, but a community in Currituck County. This area started to be developed in the 1960s.

Carova is located on the Currituck Banks, just north of Bodie Island. Getting there is an adventure! You can only reach it by boat or by a four-wheel drive vehicle. There are no paved roads connecting Carova to the nearby town of Corolla. Also, you can't drive to Carova from Sandbridge in Virginia. There's a fence between North Carolina and Virginia to stop vehicles and, more importantly, to keep the wild horses from crossing the border. So, if you want to visit Carova, you have to drive north along the beach from Corolla in a 4x4.

The name "Carova" is a mix of "Carolina" and "Virginia." It's the northernmost community on the Outer Banks in North Carolina. Long ago, there was an inlet (a narrow strip of water) called Currituck Inlet right where Carova is now. This inlet used to be the border between Virginia and North Carolina, but it closed up in the 1730s.

Wild horses, called Banker horses, and other animals roam freely on the beaches of Carova. It's very important to remember that there's a rule: you must stay at least 50 feet (15 m) away from the horses. Carova is a quiet place with only about 50 people living there all year. You won't find many shops, restaurants, or big attractions like in other beach towns. There are about 740 beach houses, and many of them are rented out for vacations. The only other buildings are a fire/EMS station and a place to drop off trash. New houses are still being built in the area.

Challenges in Carova

Flooding is a common problem in Carova Beach, especially after bad storms. The roads are mostly uneven sand paths through the dunes. When it rains a lot, these paths, like Sandfiddler Road and Sandpiper Road, can become very difficult to drive on because large potholes fill with water. During hurricanes and tropical storms, the beach can get covered with water from storm surges, making it impossible to get in or out of the community.

Some people who live in Carova don't want a paved road built to their community. However, the Currituck County Commission thinks a paved road is necessary. They say it would help them provide services like garbage collection, house inspections, and emergency help. Building a road to connect Carova to the rest of Currituck County would mean cutting through the Currituck National Wildlife Refuge. This refuge is a large protected area, and building a road through it would likely be strongly opposed by groups who want to protect the environment.

Weather in Carova

Carova Beach has a warm and humid climate. Summers are hot and sticky, while winters are cool. It rains throughout the year. In summer, a cool ocean breeze often blows in the afternoons. However, sometimes it can get extremely hot and humid.

Carova Beach can be affected by hurricanes, especially during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June to November. The busiest time for hurricanes is usually in late August and September. In winter, it can get cold and windy, with temperatures feeling much colder due to the wind. The coldest average temperature in Carova Beach is about 14.1°F (-9.9°C). It doesn't snow much, usually less than 2 inches (5 cm) each winter. The strongest winter storms, called nor'easters, often happen in February.

Nature and Plants

The natural plant life in Carova Beach, North Carolina, would mostly be a type of tall grass called Northern Cordgrass. This kind of plant grows in coastal areas and forms what is known as a Coastal Prairie.