Book excerpt: More than 6,000 ships have met their doom in the waters along the North Carolina coast, weaving a rich history of tragedy, drama, and heroics along these picturesque beaches. Men have lost their lives and fortunes, and heroes have been made where the combination of mixing currents, treacherous coastline and shifting underwater sandbars spells disaster for even the most seasoned sailor. These are the stories of daring rescues, tragic failures, enduring mysteries, buried treasure, and fascinating legends.