For updates on Hurricane Florence and news on Ocracoke, click here
Monday, Sept. 17, 2018, 2:10 pm
By Connie Leinbach
Since severe over wash on N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island’s north end from the passage of Hurricane Florence has undermined the asphalt in a two-mile stretch, it may be several days before the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route is put back into action.
Ocracoke’s Hyde County Commissioner Tom Pahl said Monday in an interview on WOVV 90.1 FM, Ocracoke’s community radio station, that the ocean washed over the asphalt and to the sound breaking the edges.
“The pavement is broken on both sides,” Pahl said.
Moreover, the dune wall was completely washed away and will need massive repair.
“It’s just all gone—all the sand that was there,” he said about the tour he took of the area on Sunday.
“Yesterday they were talking about getting subcontractors in to haul sand at the north end spoil island then do the sand moving work,” he said.
The Ocracoke Deputy Control Group will meet today (Monday) at 3 p.m.to discuss access issues to the island, he said.
A special Hyde County Board of Commissioners meeting is scheduled for today at 5 p.m. about a sewer extension on the mainland and they also will talk about island access issues. The meeting will be teleconferenced in the Ocracoke Community Center.
Pahl was among dozens of Ocracoke islanders who did not evacuate before Florence hit on Thursday.
“We totally lucked out,” he said about the massive hurricane, though he, along with all of Ocracoke, are sad about the devastation south of the Outer Banks. “But there was the same degree of anxiety leading up to it. Actually, there was more anxiety because of how big it was. Everyone’s fried.”
People from afar wonder why we live here, he said as he prepared to go back to work.
“I love it here,” he said. “We all just love it here; we all have that conversation in our heads about why we live here, but we all just love it here.”
On mainland Hyde County, the Hyde County Emergency Operations Center announced that the Salvation Army has set up in the Scranton Post Office today, Tuesday and Wednesday from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 7 p.m. serving hot meals to residents that need it.
In the meantime, the Swan Quarter ferry is running for permanent residents, emergency and essential island personnel and vendors.
The Monday (Sept. 17) Swan Quarter ferry schedule is as follows:
Swan Quarter Departures: 9:30 a.m., 10:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 4:30 p.m.
Ocracoke Departures: 12:30 p.m., 1:30 p.m., 6:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
The schedule for Tuesday will be released later today.
My husband and I just vacationed on Ocracoke exactly a month ago for a wonderful week! We love it there and our hearts go out to all of you and the rest of the Outer Banks. It’s devastating to see what has happened! Speedy recovery and blessings to you all!
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