An enhanced risk of rip currents is expected throughout the week due to distant Hurricane Lee, while coastal impacts including ocean overwash are possible and expected to peak Thursday through Saturday, per an update from the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City office. A high risk of rip currents is expected for the majority of the […]

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The heavy rains from Tropical Storm Idalia that have impacted the Outer Banks since Wednesday night have started to diminish as of 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, however, N.C. Highway 12 remains inundated with water and sand in multiple locations, and travel should be avoided unless necessary. “Lots of standing water left from the rain on most […]

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With Hurricane Franklin and Hurricane Idalia churning in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico, now is the time to prepare, per an update from Dare County Emergency Management. Hurricane Franklin’s impacts are already being realized in the form of hazardous ocean conditions that are bringing life-threatening rip currents and large breaking surf to […]

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A relatively low-key meeting of the Dare County Waterways Commission, held Monday, Aug. 14 in Buxton, turned testy midway when members learned that permitting the local dredge Miss Katie to do more work in Hatteras Inlet might be delayed until the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers completes a new inlet management plan. Commissioners reacted with […]

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Sea turtle hatching season has begun on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) with several nests that have hatched in the past few days, and many more approaching the hatching window, per an update from CHNS. When a nest is within its hatching window, (typically after 50-60 days of incubation), park biologists install black filter […]

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By Gilbert M. Gaul In the spring of 1890, journalist John Randolph Spears made plans to visit Cape Hatteras on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, one of the most isolated and dangerous stretches of coastline in America. For Spears, the Outer Banks loomed as a forbidding geography blackened by fog, lashing waves, and fitful winds, […]

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January 17, 1942 – July 11, 2023 BUXTON — Thomas B. Gray, Jr. “Tommy” passed peacefully from this world and to the next on Tuesday, July 11, 2023. He was 81 years old. Tommy suffered a fall, which resulted in several subsequent surgeries. His heart, having been so big and generous during his time on […]

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Mid-July marks the halfway point of the sea turtle nesting season on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS), and with 206 nests recorded so far, 2023 is on track to be another highly active year for visiting sea turtles on Hatteras, Ocracoke, and Bodie Islands. “We just past the halfway point of our sea turtle […]

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The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program for federal fiscal year 2024. The Request for Proposals is published on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries BIG Website FY 2024 Request for Proposals. BIG is a grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up […]

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From Wobx.com As the Outer Banks rolls into the height of the summer season, representatives from the various lifeguard and emergency service agencies in Dare County and the National Weather Service held a press conference to offer tips on how to make a day at the beach a safe one. Entitled “Outer Banks Beach Safety […]

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As today marks the official start of the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season, North Carolina Insurance Commissioner Mike Causey is urging residents to prepare now and to arm themselves with important knowledge for if and when a storm makes landfall. According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, experts have forecast 2023 to be an above-normal […]

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The Island Free Press is pleased to announce the launch of the new Wedding Guide that covers the options and information needed for hosting a wedding on Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands. The Spring 2023-Spring 2024 Hatteras and Ocracoke Wedding Guide includes a listing of service providers and vendors that cater to the islands, which includes […]

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From Wobx.com The N.C. Coastal Resources Commission will meet this week on Roanoke Island, where the commission is scheduled to continue discussing updates to CAMA regulations on septic tanks on oceanfront properties. The meeting will take place Wednesday, April 26 beginning at 9 a.m. at the Dare County Government Complex, 954 Marshall C. Collins Drive, […]

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Dr. Albert Plueddemann, senior scientist with Massachusetts-based Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, will discuss the new research ocean observing array to be relocated offshore of the Outer Banks during this month’s “Science on the Sound” lecture series. The program, “Relocation of the Ocean Observatories Initiative Pioneer Array,” is at 6 p.m. April 20 at the Coastal Studies Institute […]

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After what seemed like a month-long Nor’easter, I finally made it to the beach for a lovely beachcombing session. Upon arriving at the beach, I immediately noticed a flock of cormorants and some pelicans resting on the shoreline, and I tried not to disturb them as I could clearly tell they had all just been […]

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On Tuesday morning, March 7, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Hatteras Inlet was notified of a 25’ disabled sailing vessel located approximately three nautical miles off of Avon, with three people onboard. The station’s 47’ ft. Motor Lifeboat CG47244 was launched and began making its way toward the sailing vessel. Due to the deteriorating weather […]

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From wobx.com The North Carolina Coastal Resources Commission will meet on Feb. 23 in Ocean Isle Beach and among the agenda items is a pair of amendments to regulations governing septic tanks on oceanfront properties. Changes to the rules were drafted in response to sewage spills from three homes that collapsed last year in Rodanthe, […]

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The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries recently certified a new state record for the Common Thresher, (Alopias vulpinus), breaking the previous record that was set near Oregon Inlet approximately 18 years ago. Steven Viltoft of Southport caught the 589-pound, 1-ounce shark near the Knuckle Buoy off Oak Island on Jan. 10, 2023. The previous state […]

Fishing |  Full Article

 Video from U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet At approximately 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, February 7, the U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet received a report of a disabled vessel, the F/V STUBBORN ONE, which was located approximately 30NM due southeast of the Oregon Inlet sea buoy. Conditions on the Oregon Inlet bar warranted […]

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2022 was an interesting year that brought us a hefty dose of good news, like the brand new Jug Handle Bridge and the arrival of the Miss Katie dredge, but it also had its share of challenges. Unexpected stories like the loss of the Frisco UFO and the collapse of three homes in Rodanthe garnered […]

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Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. “Bob” Woodard Sr. delivered the annual State of the County presentation at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills on Wednesday, January 25, 2023. The event—which was able to be held in person rather than virtually for the first time since January 2020 due to COVID-19—was […]

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Dare County reminds residents, visitors, and property owners that registration to attend the 2023 State of the County—which will be presented by Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. “Bob” Woodard Sr. on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills—closes on Wednesday, January 18, 2023. To register online, […]

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The recent cold spell over the holidays gave many islanders a great excuse to stay at home with their family and friends, but Hatteras Island’s N.E.S.T. (Network for Endangered Sea Turtles) volunteers were out in the elements all weekend long. That’s because with the plummeting temperatures, a staggering number of cold-stunned sea turtles were recovered […]

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Dare County Board of Commissioners Chairman Robert L. “Bob” Woodard Sr. will deliver the annual State of the County presentation on Wednesday, January 25, 2023, at Captain George’s Seafood Restaurant in Kill Devil Hills. The doors will open for seating beginning at 8 a.m., with a full breakfast to be served starting at 8:30 a.m. […]

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It was the Maker of Mottos and Heroes 138 Years Ago, and Became a Christmas Miracle “On 22 December 1884 the crew of the Cape Hatteras (NC) Station (Sixth District), performed one of the most heroic feats in the annals of the Life-Saving Service. Under the leadership of Keeper Benjamin B. Dailey, assisted by Keeper […]

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The immediate threat of coastal flooding has abated as the gusty northeast winds have diminished, and remaining coastal flood advisories will expire after this morning’s high tide, which is around 8:30 a.m. There was no additional flooding reported on N.C. Highway 12 as of 9:00 a.m. on Thursday, November 10. However, coastal flooding is possible […]

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First in a series. RODANTHE — Nothing good can be said about septic tanks leaking their foul contents onto a public beach. It sounds even worse that it’s within a national seashore on the Outer Banks renowned for its beautiful, clean beaches. That unfortunate reality illustrates the challenge adapting to rising seas under outmoded policies […]

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Beachcombing is more than just finding treasures on the beach. The saying “The early bird gets the worm” is often true when beachcombing for seashells, and many people, especially new beachcombers, often race to be the first ones on the shore, as the first person on the beach will no doubt get the biggest and […]

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There was ample reason to celebrate on Saturday morning, October 22, as roughly 30 descendants gathered at the Salvo Community Cemetery to honor a revitalized site where local loved ones are now properly respected, honored, and remembered for many years to come. The Salvo Community Cemetery has had a long and tumultuous history. Once a […]

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The 2022 sea turtle nesting season is winding down, but with 378 turtle nests recorded along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) as of mid-October, 2022 boasts the second-highest number of nests reported since data collection began. Sea turtle nests laid by loggerheads, green turtles, and leatherbacks have been monitored at CHNS since the 1970s. […]

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The story of a wrecked barge 115 years ago, at first glance, may not seem too exciting. This story, however, is not only engagingly interesting, but is also a somewhat complicated saga. On the negative side, it is of maritime lessons unlearned. On the positive side, it demonstrates, once again, the amazing tenacity of the […]

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The precautionary advisory against swimming issued due to Hurricane Ian is now lifted for most coastal North Carolina waters, however, three areas on Hatteras Island remain under observation and under a pending swimming advisory. These areas are: Sandy Bay sound-side access in Frisco; Salvo Day Use sound-side access across from ORV Ramp #23 in Salvo; […]

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The Outer Banks are expected to experience coastal flooding, gusty winds, possible ocean overwash, and hazardous marine conditions beginning midday Monday, October 3, and lasting through Wednesday, October 5, as a result of a coastal low that will impact our area. The National Weather Service at Newport/Morehead City has issued a Coastal Flood Warning, as […]

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The wreck of the schooner Ada F. Whitney, which occurred on September 22, 1885, was a very difficult but somewhat routine event for the life-savers during a somewhat difficult time in America. In the year of this wreck, 1885, America had 38 states – yet to become would be the states of Washington, Idaho, Montana, […]

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A Coastal Flood Advisory, High Surf Advisory, and Gale Warning are in effect beginning on Thursday afternoon due to indirect impacts expected from distant Hurricane Fiona. While Fiona is expected to remain well offshore as it moves up the East Coast, strong long-period swells from the hurricane will result in a period of dangerous rip […]

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  Hatteras Island Meals’ annual raffle is in full swing, and 2022 is already proving to be a banner year for the event, with a total of seven prize packages worth more than $1,000 each. “Last year, we had 30 businesses donate [to the raffle] and had six packages,” said VP for Hatteras Island Meals […]

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With a total of 373 turtle nests recorded along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS) as of the end of August, 2022 is a banner year for the sea turtle nesting season, with the second-highest number of nests reported since data collection began. Sea turtle nests laid by loggerheads, green turtles, and leatherbacks have been […]

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On August 16, 1918, Surfman Number Eight of the Chicamacomico Life-Saving Station, Leroy Stockton Midgett, took the watch in the tower of the still-new 1911 station. Although this was three years after the Life-Saving Service had been recreated as the Coast Guard, these folks had been used to the old terminology for many years and […]

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The N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries is accepting proposals for the Boating Infrastructure Grant (BIG) Program for federal fiscal year 2023. The Request for Proposals is published on the N.C. Division of Marine Fisheries BIG website. BIG is a grant program of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service that reimburses up to 75 percent of […]

Fishing |  Full Article

Ignited 10 days ago, most likely by lightning, a wildfire burning on private land in rural Hyde County is 24% contained, the North Carolina Forest Service announced Tuesday. But like past wildfires in the region that smoldered for many months, the Ferebee Road fire, as it is known, is deep under the surface, burning down […]

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While 2019 was a record-breaking year for sea turtle nesting activity within the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS), 2022 is shaping up to be another strong year for sea turtles as well, with a total of 117 nests recorded so far along the National Seashore beaches, as of June 23. Also this year, for the […]

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When Dunbar Davis, Keeper of the United States Life-Saving Service Station Oak Island, went to bed on Monday night of August 28, 1893, he would never have dreamed of responding to four different shipwrecks mostly by himself the next day, and saving 23 men during a violent hurricane, over a course of 55 consecutive hours, […]

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The first sea turtle nest of the 2022 season was found on Ocracoke Island on Friday morning, May 20, per an update from the Cape Hatteras National Seashore (CHNS). The crawl pattern indicated to CHNS biologists that the nest came from a Loggerhead sea turtle, and the nest has been marked off to protect it […]

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State recreational water quality officials advised the public on Wednesday, May 11, to be aware of potential pollution from possible septic system failures in ocean swimming waters along parts of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore. The Outer Banks of North Carolina is experiencing extreme high tides caused by a low pressure system that may have […]

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This year is the 50th anniversary of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Marine Sanctuary Systems, an occasion that by definition makes the Monitor National Marine Sanctuary extra special because it was the very first one. The problem is that most Americans may be thinking: “What’s a marine sanctuary system?” And even if the […]

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Coastal North Carolina’s wild birds and commercial poultry have not been immune to the outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza. The virus, often called bird flu, can be fatal for poultry, especially backyard or commercial flocks, but doesn’t appear to be a threat to humans or other animals. While there are no reported positive […]

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The spacious room underneath Frisco’s Red Drum Pottery has been through a number of transformations over the past few years. After owners Wes Lassiter and Rhonda Bates purchased the property in 2014 and renovated the ground-level garage, it became a theater and stage where folks could pop in and listen to exceptional music, courtesy of […]

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This is the second in a special reporting series on federal infrastructure spending and North Carolina’s navigation needs. Lacking high-volume marine traffic or large ports, North Carolina’s northeast coast typically qualifies for far less federal funding to help maintain navigational channels and inlets than do the state’s southern coastal communities. But mariners in Dare and […]

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It was a warm and breezy late winter afternoon, a perfect day for a stroll along the ocean. As seabirds dove for dinner just offshore, Hope Lineman and her family were working their way north, weaving between a stretch of large houses on the beach off Ocean Drive. But they weren’t there to watch the […]

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Scott Pumphrey is chillin’ by himself today on his accidental waterfront hotel nestled temporarily on the Ocracoke beach. Early Tuesday morning, he and his wife, Karen, ran aground on South Point in their 55-foot Novateck yacht while trying to navigate to Silver Lake via Ocracoke Inlet. The couple, of Baltimore, Maryland, were sailing their newly […]

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