Onslow Beach

Also see: Image gallery of Onslow Beach military exercises

At Camp Lejune, Onslow Beach, North Carolina, a group of Marines wait around for live fire exercises to begin.

Onslow Beach is an 11-mile stretch of undeveloped beach in Onslow County, North Carolina, that supports both military and recreational needs of the Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune community. Militarily, the base uses the area for various military exercises, and the beach has been used by the U.S. Navy to practice amphibious landings. Recreationally, it is popular for fishing, sunbathing, and shell collecting, especially during warmer months.

The beach also supports habitat for several endangered species, both plant and animal. Sea turtles habitually nest on its adjacent sand, and a U.S. federally protected annual plant called seabeach amaranth grows on its dunes and overwash flats.

As with most beaches that support important human and wildlife activity, restoration efforts to counter natural erosion are an ongoing effort. In September 2005, Hurricane Ophelia took an especial toll, not only causing significant erosion but nearly destroying the beach's historic Riseley Pier.

Onslow Beach in 2006--clearly not just for miliatry uses.