N.C. beaches continue to earn accolades

We're big fans of "Dr. Beach" and his annual list of the best beaches in America. We are also blessed -- and biased; beaches from North Carolina routinely make the list, and this year is no exception.

"For the third year in a row, an NC beach is making a big splash in national rankings. Ocracoke Lifeguarded Beach has been ranked as No. 2, same spot from 2019. ...

"Another North Carolina beach, Lighthouse Beach in Buxton on the Outer Banks checks in at No. 5 on Stephen Leatherman’s list."

No. 1 on the list this year was Grayton Beach State Park  -- on the Florida panhandle.

Leatherman, a coastal scientist and professor at Florida International University, has been drafting the list under the alias “Dr. Beach” since 1991.

Leatherman uses 50 criteria to evaluate beaches, with the most important categories being water cleanliness, safety and management of the beach environment and its facilities. Leatherman uses data from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to grade the beaches on water quality and has been to all the beaches on his list.