Emergency ferries run more frequently starting Monday, Hatteras Island access restricted under state of emergency as N.C. Highway 12 remains closed on Pea Island
North Carolina Department of Transportation equipment is seen on Pea Island Sunday evening, with what appear to be broken pieces of N.C. Highway 12 piled up where a dune line was prior to the recent multiday nor’easter that damaged the roadway. (Screenshot of DriveNC.gov camera view)
By Corinne Saunders
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RODANTHE — The North Carolina Department of Transportation (NCDOT) launched emergency ferry routes beginning Sunday morning between Rodanthe and Stumpy Point in Dare County, with an increased number of routes run starting Monday, as roadway access to the island remains unavailable following a strong multiday nor’easter.
Dare County declared a state of emergency for all of Hatteras Island, given the lack of roadway access, effective at 7 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 26, and remaining in effect for 14 days unless it is modified or rescinded.
Under the state of emergency, anyone may leave Hatteras Island via emergency ferries, but island access is restricted to Priority One and Two persons.
Essential personnel (Priority One) and permanent Hatteras Island residents and essential personnel for critical businesses (Priority Two) with valid identification can enter the island via emergency ferry, according to a Sunday morning Dare County press release.
“Non-resident visitors and non-resident property owners are not permitted to enter Hatteras Island at this time,” according to the release. “A one-way ferry trip takes approximately two hours. Ferry space is limited, and travelers should expect long lines and significant delays.”
Emergency ferry routes
NCDOT announced that 10 emergency ferry routes in each direction would begin on Monday, Sept. 28, with emergency routes in place as long as needed.
NCDOT scheduled six Sunday routes from Rodanthe to Stumpy Point and five from Stumpy Point to Rodanthe. The demand to leave the island swiftly exceeded route capacity.
“The line for the emergency ferry at Rodanthe already exceeds today’s remaining capacity,” Dare County announced around 1:30 p.m. on Sunday.
The emergency ferry schedule starting Monday will be:
Rodanthe to Stumpy Point: 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 8 a.m., 9:30 a.m., 11 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
Stumpy Point to Rodanthe: 2 a.m., 5 a.m., 6:30 a.m., 8 a.m., 11 a.m., 12:30 p.m., 2 p.m., 5 p.m., 8 p.m. and 11 p.m.
The Stumpy Point ferry terminal is at 100 Log Storage Road in Stumpy Point. The Rodanthe ferry terminal is at 23170 Myrna Peters Road in Rodanthe.
For more information about Dare County’s staged reentry system, visit www.darenc.gov/departments/emergency-management/reentry.
Remote learning day for Hatteras students
Dare County Schools on Sunday announced a remote learning day on Monday for Hatteras Island students only. A decision on learning arrangements for Tuesday is expected Monday.
Hatteras Island has been inaccessible by roadway since Thursday morning, with an initial NCDOT assessment revealing an approximately 500-foot damaged section of N.C. Highway 12 on Pea Island by the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center.
NCDOT closed the road early Thursday morning between the Basnight Bridge and Rodanthe, and as of Sunday evening, an estimated reopening time is not available.
Crews began working on the roadway on Sunday.
“Our first priority is building a protective dune while removing asphalt and grading for a one-lane onsite detour,” according to information NCDOT shared on Sunday afternoon. “If we get through the next high tide without trouble, we will have a better timeline as to when it can reopen.”
Meanwhile, NCDOT on Sunday afternoon reopened the portion of N.C. Highway 12 on the north end of Ocracoke Island in Hyde County that had been closed since Friday morning. This allowed ferry service between Hatteras and Ocracoke to resume on a limited schedule, according to a Sunday NCDOT press release.
Water hazards
The Dare County Department of Health & Human Services in a Friday press release urged residents and visitors on Hatteras Island to avoid walking, wading, swimming or playing in areas impacted by flooding and stormwater.
“Floodwater is not safe for recreational use,” according to the release. “Even when the water appears clean, it may contain sewage, fecal material, bacteria, chemicals, debris and other hidden hazards that can cause illness or injury.”
Other area hazards include broken wood in the water.
Avon Fishing Pier on its Facebook page on Saturday posted a broken heart emoji and the words, “Not what we want,” with a photo of the wooden pier appearing to be missing a section.
On Sunday afternoon, low tide revealed significant wood debris on some Kill Devil Hills beaches.
Along with washed-up horseshoe crab shells and myriad sea stars, Outer Banks Insider saw thin wooden boards appearing to be from broken sand fencing, small wood fragments and some large wooden boards whose sources were not immediately apparent.
Outer Banks ocean rescue agencies have flown double red flags every day since Wednesday, meaning that ocean swimming is prohibited, except for surfers with leashes and for bodyboarders with leashes and fins.
Double red flags remained effective on Sunday in Nags Head and in Kill Devil Hills.
Single red flag conditions, meaning a high risk of rip currents and a strong cautioning against swimming, were present in Avon and from Buxton to Cape Point on Sunday, according to Hatteras Island Rescue information. Yellow flag conditions, meaning a moderate risk of rip currents and advising non-swimmers to stay out of the water, were present from Cape Point to Frisco and Hatteras Village.
Find current Outer Banks storm-related travel and weather information
The Dare County information line opened Sunday at noon, according to a Sunday morning press release about Hatteras Island access. For questions about access and entry procedures, call the Dare County information line at 252-475-5655. Spanish translators are available (se habla español).
The dedicated Dare County webpage for storm-related information is www.darenc.gov/departments/emergency-management/hurricane.
Find current information about Cape Hatteras National Seashore conditions at www.nps.gov/caha/planyourvisit/conditions.htm.
To subscribe to the NCDOT Ferry Division Ferry Information Notification System (FINS) alerts, visit this NCDOT webpage.
For the most current local weather information for Dare County and Hyde County, visit the U.S. National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City’s website.
The U.S. National Weather Service at Wakefield, Virginia, covers Currituck County, including Corolla and north. For more information about that area, visit its website.
To sign up for Dare County-specific severe weather updates and for any other official messaging of interest, visit the OBX Alerts website.
To sign up for Currituck County-specific updates through Currituck Alert, text CTUCKALERT to 888-777. For alerts specific to Corolla and the 4WD beaches, text SAFECOROLLA to 888-777.
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