Albermarle Sound
Albemarle Sound, a shallow arm of the Atlantic Ocean in northeastern North Carolina. It is separated from the open sea by a long, narrow barrier beach. The sound is about 60 miles (96 km) long, east to west, and up to 15 miles (24 km) wide. It is used for commercial and recreational fishing. Catches include clams, oysters, and shrimp. Albemarle Sound is part of the Intracoastal Waterway, a sheltered route used mainly by pleasure boats and small barges. The Chowan and Roanoke rivers empty into the sound. On the barrier beach is Wright Brothers National Memorial, commemorating the first successful airplane flight, 1903, at Kill Devil Hill.