Dr. Beach chooses Buxton Beach as No. 8 on Top 10 list

Dr. Beach’s list of the Top 10 U.S. beaches was released today just before the Memorial Day weekend and Buxton Beach on Hatteras Island is again on the list.

This year the Cape Hatteras National Seashore beach ranks No. 8 on the list – up two from last year’s No. 10 spot. 

The lifeguarded beach in Buxton has been on the Top Ten list for several years.  Its highest rankings have been No. 4 in 2010 and No. 5 in 2011. It was also No 8 in 2008 and No. 7 in 2009.

Coastal expert Dr. Stephen Leatherman, director of the Florida International University’s Laboratory for Coastal Research, has chosen America’s Top 10 beaches since 1991.  His rankings are based on 50 criteria, including water and sand quality, as well as facilities and environmental management. More than 650 beaches in the country are included in his judging.

This is what he said this year about Buxton Beach:

“Bulging far offshore of the mainland coast as a barrier island, Cape Hatteras was the first National Seashore. Providing some of the best board surfing along the East Coast, as well as the most famous lighthouse in the United States, Cape Hatteras attracts beachgoers to its historic fishing villages. Nature lovers adore the excellent beachcombing and superb fishing.”

The top beach this year was Long Island’s Main Beach in East Hampton, N.Y.

The top beaches are retired from the list.  Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach was the top beach in 2007.

Here is the list of Dr. Beach’s Top 10 for 2013.  You can click on each beach to see what he had to say about it.

Dr. Beach’s Top 10 U.S. beaches

1. Main Beach East Hampton, New York
2. Kahanamoku Beach Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
3. St. George Island State Park Florida panhandle
4. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
5. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park Oahu, Hawaii
6. Barefoot Beach Bonita Springs, Florida
7. Cape Florida State Park Key Biscayne, Florida
8. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks of North Carolina
9. Coast Guard Beach Cape Cod, Massachusetts
10. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina  

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