奥克拉科克岛上的奥克拉科克灯塔，北卡罗来纳州，美国 Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina (© Chansak Joe/Getty Images)

奥克拉科克岛上的奥克拉科克灯塔，北卡罗来纳州，美国 Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina (© Chansak Joe/Getty Images)

海盗的最终归宿 A buccaneer's final haven

奥克拉科克岛上的奥克拉科克灯塔，北卡罗来纳州

欢迎来到北卡罗来纳州外滩的奥克拉科克岛。这是一个历史与自然交织的地方。这座只有乘坐渡轮或小型飞机才能到达的僻静小岛，拥有16英里长的人迹罕至的海滩和丰富的故事。从今天的图片中可以看到，奥克拉科克灯塔是一个引人注目的地标，它于2023年迎来了200周年纪念日，并成为了北卡罗来纳州最古老的、持续运行的灯塔。这座灯塔的灯光亮度与8000支蜡烛的亮度相当，在离岸14英里处都能看到。

奥克拉科克岛的历史充满了海盗的故事，其中包括声名狼藉的黑胡子：他是一名英国海盗，因在西印度群岛以及弗吉尼亚和卡罗莱纳海岸一带活动而臭名昭著。他在奥克拉科克岛度过了生命最后的大部分时光，直到1718年去世。岛上的居民讲一种融合了伊丽莎白时代的英语、爱尔兰语和苏格兰口音的独特方言，名叫“Hoi Toider”。不过，随着年轻一代采用更标准的美式英语，这种方言正在慢慢消失。尽管奥克拉科克岛的人口不多，但其历史、文化和自然美景使其成为各年龄段游客心驰神往的目的地。

Ocracoke Lighthouse on Ocracoke Island, North Carolina

Welcome to Ocracoke Island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina. This secluded island, with 16 miles of beaches, can only be reached by ferry or small plane. The Ocracoke Lighthouse, seen in today's image, stands out as a notable landmark. The lighthouse celebrated its 200th anniversary in 2023, making it the oldest continuously operating lighthouse in North Carolina. It boasts an 8,000-candlepower light, which can be seen up to 14 miles offshore.

Ocracoke Island's history is peppered with tales of pirates, including the infamous Blackbeard, an English pirate who was notorious for his operations in the West Indies and along the Virginia and Carolina coasts. He spent much of his final days on Ocracoke Island until his death in battle with British naval forces in 1718. The island's residents speak the unique 'Hoi Toider' dialect, a blend of Elizabethan English, Irish, and Scottish accents. However, this dialect is slowly fading as younger generations adopt more standard American English.