Caffeys Inlet Lifesaving Station, life saving station in Dare County, North Carolina, north of the Town of Duck
Caffeys Inlet Lifesaving Station is a historic rescue post in Dare County, North Carolina, located at a dangerous tidal inlet. The 1897 building has two stories with wooden walls, a sloped roof, and a tall observation tower rising from the center that offers wide views across the sky and water.
The station was built in 1874 to rescue sailors and travelers from the dangerous waters around the inlet. It remained active until about 1899 when it closed, with the 1897 replacement building surviving to the present day as the original structure no longer exists.
The name Caffeys Inlet refers to the dangerous waterway where the station operated. Today the 1897 building functions as a restaurant, allowing visitors to experience the space where lifesavers once worked and planned their rescues.
The building is part of the Sanderling Resort and can be visited as a restaurant. The coastal location means visitors should expect windy conditions and changing weather, so comfortable shoes are helpful.
The original 1874 building no longer exists, but the lesser-known history shows that upgrades in 1885 and 1897 made the station stronger. Many visitors overlook that the structure visible today is actually the replacement building that came after those improvements.
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