Stretch of Buxton beach closes due to recently exposed and potentially hazardous infrastructure on the shoreline
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) temporarily closed a stretch of beach between the Buxton Beach Access and the area of the Buxton jetties on Friday afternoon, September 1, after post-storm assessments were conducted following Tropical Storm Idalia.
Seashore staff implemented the closure after substantial post-storm beach erosion was observed, and reports of a strong smell of fuel were received from visitors.
Beach erosion caused by distant Hurricane Franklin and Tropical Storm Idalia has exposed potentially hazardous infrastructure from a former military site at the end of Old Lighthouse Road in Buxton.
Seashore visitors are asked to stay out of the closed section of beach until the area is further assessed and reopened for public use.
I worked on that military base for several years. The officers club, observation deck, and electronics building were right on the shoreline. The officers club was frequently shored up to keep back the ocean. The uncovered debris could be from any of those or other. The was also a gasoline dispenser close by. When the base was demolished unknown if the tanks were removed from in the ground.