Figure Eight Island is a barrier island off the coast of North Carolina, just north of Wrightsville Beach. It is surrounded by the Intracoastal Waterway and the Atlantic Ocean. It is a private island that can only be reached via a guarded causeway bridge. It has been known as a playground for the rich, being a popular destination for wealthy North Carolinians as well as celebrities and politicians including former Vice President Al Gore, who has rented a house there, and John Edwards, who owns a house on the island. The island is home to several titans of industry and finance, including Former CEO of Morgan Stanley, John J.