View Comments We’re getting back to doing the things we love after many months of staying at home. Once fully vaccinated, we make a beeline for the beach. Oak Island, N.C., calls us to its sandy shore and fishing piers. The 12-mile-long island is home to more birds than people. Sanderlings, gulls and pelicans patrol the expansive beach and dunes. The Town of Oak Island has a fudge shop, donut shop, ice cream parlor, a few grocery stores, a dozen restaurants and not much else. The Town of Caswell Beach, with its historic lighthouse, golf course and mix of year-round and vacation homes, stretches across the eastern tip of sun-lit Oak Island.