Cape Fear Pride: Carolina Beach’s North End

CAROLINA BEACH — He is almost as much a fixture on Carolina Beach’s north end as the sun, the sand and the surf. For at least eight hours a day, 200 days a year, Twig Wiggins dons his favorite hat and plants himself in his beach chair hoping the fish are biting.

Wiggins said, “It’s just a little piece of heaven, very special, very dear to me.”

Mr. Twig, as he’s known, loves the fact that you can drive on this privately-owned beach.

“You bring your chairs you throw them right on the sand and you’re there,” Wiggins said.

But this beach veteran says you have to have 4-wheel drive. All-wheel drive just isn’t enough.

“If they don’t have a 4 wheel drive they are the ones who get stuck and if someone’s nice enough someone might pull them out if not it will cost $300 for a wrecker to come and pull you off,” Wiggins said.

What also makes the north end special is that you can camp on the beach here. One of many benefits Mr. Twig doesn’t take for granted.

“This is a privately owned beach and if we don’t take care of this beach the owner of the property could come and shut this beach down,” Wiggins said.

Shut it down, and you’d lose not only the camping and driving on the sand, but an unforgettable character looking for moles crabs, fishing or just bumming in the sun.

Mr. Twig put his official unofficial title on the license plate. His friends call him the mayor of the north end of Carolina Beach.

Wiggins said, “Whether I’m by myself or surrounded by 50 of my closest friends it’s all good because as you look out there what more beautiful of a place can you see? As you look out there you’ve got to know that someone with a high power created and gave all this to us. It’s a privilege and what a blessing.”

Twig Wiggins loves to have his truck on the beach to carry all his gear. He also says if it rains it’s easy to just sit in the car and let the storm pass.