Cape Lookout is the southern point of the Core Banks, one of the natural barrier islands on the Atlantic coast of North Carolina. It delimits Onslow Bay to the west from Raleigh Bay to the east. Core Banks and Shackleford Banks have been designated as parts of the Cape Lookout National Seashore. Part of Carteret County, the cape sits 11 miles southeast of Beaufort. It is one of the state's three major capes, along with Cape Hatteras to the north and Cape Fear to the south. The 163-foot Cape Lookout Lighthouse sits about three miles northeast of the cape's point. From Wikipedia
With the core staying offshore, a growing swell will push dangerous water onto the Outer Banks, threatening Highway 12.