Enjoy This 3-Mile Round-Trip, Coastal Walk in Sunset Beach, North Carolina
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The Kindred Spirt Mailbox sits perched near the sand dunes on a lovely stretch of beach. The spot is just adjacent to the Bird Island Reserve; 1000 acres of salt marsh and creeks, and home to a variety of birds, animals, and plants.
Next to the beach mailbox are two wooden benches where you can sit quietly to pen your thoughts, wishes, or prayers in a journal found in the mailbox. Visitors have been attracted to the mailbox for years, but if you’re a fan of the American Author, Nicholas Sparks you may have read about it in his 2018 book, “Every Breath.”
“The first bit of inspiration for Every Breath was from a familiar destination in my home state of North Carolina. There is a mailbox, well known to locals as “Kindred Spirit,” that sits out on a secluded stretch of coastline — it’s a place where passersby fill a journal with their thoughts, fears, and dreams — and while it has a rich history all its own, what has stayed with me all these years is the romantic notion of a lonely mailbox in the middle of nowhere filled with handwritten notes of love, loss, and hope…” Nicholas Sparks
In the story, Sparks creates the character of Tru who is summoned to Sunset Beach by a man claiming to be his father. As he tries to uncover the truth, his path crosses with Hope spending a week at her family’s cottage. As you can imagine, the mailbox features in the story but we won’t say more. Check out Spark’s book and the mailbox on your next visit to the North Carolina Shore.
In the meantime, you may be wondering about the origins of the mailbox. In the late 70’s, Frank Nesmith encountered a woman struggling to install the mailbox. He stopped to help, got to know Claudia Sailor and the mailbox went on to attract more than 100,000 visitors. Sadly, both have passed on but PBS captured Frank’s memories about the experience:
“Claudia, from Hope Mills, wanted the mailbox to be a place where people who needed to find peace, comfort, and spiritual refuge could come. She came up with the mailbox and journals. Frank, from Tabor City, wanted to help see Claudia’s dreams come true, so he helped her for over 30 years… Claudia and Frank kept the secret of the Kindred Spirit through the years, even after they broke up and Claudia married another. {Today}, J. DeGroot and her friend Sandy continue to walk or ride bikes to gather and replace the notebooks every week in the summer and do repairs on everything from the flag to the dunes, to the mailbox itself.” PBS
Considerations
If you visit, prepare for your trip. Bring water, snacks, bug spray, and sunscreen, and keep all skin areas covered. Before you start out, check for closures, conditions, hours of operation, and other information. If you plan to walk the Bird Island Reserve Nature Trail, review the safety advice of the managing land agency before you start. Stick to the trails and do not disturb wildlife. Wear sneakers since the trail has burrs.
Directions
If you’re in the area to collect seashells, visit the Reserve, or simply vacation at the beach, follow these directions to discover the Kindred Spirit Mailbox.
- Cross over the Intercoastal Bridge to Sunset Beach
- Park in the few public spots on the corner of 40th & Main
- Cross the street to the 40th Street beach entrance
- Walk 1.4 miles to the right on the beach
- Pass by the sign “Nature Trail and Loop” to continue along the beach
- A short way after this sign you will spot the mailbox up by the dunes
This post is dedicated to my niece, Carly Lemire-Lake
References
Nicholas Sparks: Work, Every Breathe
PBS North Carolina: Frank & Claudia: Kindred Spirits
Resources
Brunswick Islands, North Carolina:Home
RuschtotheOutdoors: Dog-Friendly Beaches in North Carolina
Photos
Janice Rende Cardinuto
Kathy Rusch