Ocean overwash is problem for ORVs heading to Cape Point
Darling said that this morning’s ocean overwash — at the high tide around 8 a.m. — occurred throughout the vehicle corridor and at the end of Cape Point.
“This evening’s high tide is expected to be nearly a foot higher than in the photographs and cause significantly greater ocean overwash,” he said. “We encourage everyone to use caution and monitor tide conditions closely. ”
High tide this evening is at about 8 p.m. and at about 8:30 tomorrow morning.
The Point is closed to pedestrians, who are not allowed to walk through the corridor, which was established to guide vehicles through an area where two American oystercatchers are nesting while keeping the birds safe. The area will be closed to vehicles when and if the eggs in the nest hatch, which would be later this month.
The National Weather Service in Newport/Morehead City, N.C., has issued a beach hazard statement for today for a high risk of rip currents from Cape Hatteras north.
The high risk, the Weather Service says, is caused by a lingering southeast swell on the ocean and higher than normal astronomical tides — the same conditions causing the overwash at Cape Point.
The risk of rip currents is highest at the time of low tide, which is about 1:30 this afternoon.
