Due to inundation of roadways, all Hyde County government offices will remain closed on Wed., Oct. 7.
As of now, offices are scheduled to reopen Thursday, Oct. 8 at 8 a.m. Included in this closure is the Hyde County Health Department and Hyde County solid waste convenience sites.
The Hyde County Board of Commissioners meeting has been rescheduled again to Monday, Oct. 12, at 6 p.m. The meeting will take place at the Hyde County Government Center Multi-purpose, 30 Oyster Creek Rd, Swan Quarter, and the Ocracoke School Commons, 120 School Rd, Ocracoke. The public is invited to attend.
Captain Jason Daniels of the Hyde County Sheriff Department urges all drivers to drive slowly in the standing water to avoid causing a wake.
By Connie Leinbach Tuesday, Oct. 6. 2:18 p.m.
Captain Jason Daniels of the Hyde County Sheriff Department urges motorists to drive very slowly through the water so as to not cause a wake.
“I’ve already issued citations for people driving too fast in this water,” he said today. “That’s careless and reckless driving.”
For the most part, every street in the village is flooded, he said, and driving too fast pushes water into businesses and homes. The speed limit village-wide is 20-mph, which still may cause wake.
Most at risk are those buildings that are about level to the ground, although houses along Sunset Drive, which is completely flooded, are noticing the wake.
“People are driving much too rapidly by and pushing boatloads of water into my yard and up to my house foundation,” noted Kati Wharton.
The highest spot he’s seen on the island is the intersection around Sunset Drive and Cutting Sage.
Daniels was busy Tuesday with such tasks as driving the outgoing mail to the NPS dock in Silver Lake for the Coast Guard, who, again are bringing the mail as they did on Friday.
Daniels will give them outgoing mail, he said.
Ocracoke School Principal Walter Padgett also announced that school will be closed tomorrow (Wednesday).
The latest Hyde County Advisory posted Thursday afternoon noted that .NC HWY 12 on Ocracoke is closed between the Pony Pens and the Hatteras ferry terminal with 4-12 inches of water on the roadway.
Visitor access to the island is still prohibited. A decision about allowing visitors to Ocracoke will be made tomorrow afternoon.
This sign, which could apply village-wide while the streets are flooded, was seen last October outside the Secret Garden Gallery.
Widgeon Woods, near the lighthouse, Tuesday morning. Photo by P. Vankevich
Oct. 6, 2015
Ocracoke islanders awoke Tuesday morning to a still-flooded village.
Water has receded slightly but there is a question as to where it will all go. The community has been deluged with high rains since Sept. 26 and the grounds have been saturated before Saturday when the flooding began.
Rain has stopped and winds today are in the 20- to 30-mph range.
The Variety Store is open until 5 p.m. said proprietor, Tommy Hutcherson.
The Ocracoke Station is closed, but proprietor, Sean Death, said the gas pumps are working with a credit card.
The Ocracoke post office is open, said Melissa Sharber at 10:30 a.m., who said she waded from her home to get there.
She and postmaster Celeste Brooks have the counter open but have had no customers yet. They are not sure if they will receive or send mail, nor how long they will be open.
“That depends on the next high tide,” Sharber said. “The parking lot is under water.”
Out for a Monday afternoon stroll–or kayaking–on a flooded Sunset Drive. Photo by C. Leinbach
The following is from the NC DOT local staff:
Dare OBX/Currituck OBX/Ocracoke Island: Most primary (N.C. and U.S.) and secondary routes have some areas of standing water. They are passable but please use caution and don’t drive through standing water if you don’t have to.
Ocracoke: No ocean over wash at last high tide. Much of the protective measures crews placed along N.C. 12 areas held. The whole village is under varying depths of sound water and tide is very high. Standing water on N.C. 12 from the village to Ferry Dock is between four inches and one foot. Almost every secondary road has high standing water. Crews will continue N.C. 12 protection efforts. Ferry service between Hatteras and Ocracoke will not operate due to flooding conditions of N.C. 12 on Ocracoke. N.C. 12 remains closed due to high water. Conditions will be reevaluated tomorrow.
The ferry office area yesterday. Photo by Ed Fuller
Hatteras: No measurable ocean over wash at last high tide. There is sound-side flooding throughout the Village, with standing water on every primary and secondary road in Hatteras. Traffic is getting around slowly. The area is passable with caution.
Buxton: Minor ocean over wash at the north end. Standing water and sound-side flooding of most primary and secondary roadways. The area is passable with caution.
Pea Island: Conditions are the same. Some areas of standing water and sand on the road. Passable with caution.
Kitty Hawk: No measurable ocean over wash last high tide. Conditions at the closure area have not changed since last high tide. The section of NC 12 at Kitty Hawk Road remains closed at Lillian to the north and White St. to the south due to damage. Motorists are urged to use U.S. 158. There is high standing water on the beach road at different locations. The area is passable, but please only drive through with caution.
Ferry update: We are still dealing with some extremely high water across the coast this morning. Currituck and Southport are the only routes operating at this hour.
Kevin Pfeiffer slogs back home around noon today along Sunset Drive, which is now a river.
This article was updated Wed. 7:00 p.m. Hyde County Government Offices To Remain Closed on October 6
Due to inundation of roadways, all Hyde County government offices will remain closed on Tues., Oct. 6. As of now, offices are scheduled to reopenWednesday at 8:00 a.m. Included in this closure is the Hyde County Health Department and all Hyde County solid waste convenience sites.
Hyde County continues to brace for additional rain and flooding forecast for the next 24 hours. All ferry routes serving Ocracoke Island are currently suspended and visitor access to the island is still prohibited. Widespread flooding of local roads has created hazardous driving conditions through Hyde County. Drivers should exercise extreme caution and avoid water if possible.
All Hyde County government offices are closed today, including the Hyde County Health Department and all Hyde County solid waste convenience sites. The Board of Commissioners meeting has been rescheduled to 6 p.m. Wednesday, (Oct. 7.) Ocracoke School is closed today and tomorrow.
From AccuWeather: Coastal flood watch is in effect through late tonight. Water levels of 3 to 4 feet above normal will result in dune erosion and ocean overwash at times of high tide. Today’s high tides are 2:41 p.m. and 3:13 tomorrow morning. At 12:41 p.m., winds are at 21 mph with gusts up to 30 mph. Temperature is 74 degrees.
Updates:
Ocracoke Island:
A rain gauge in Widgeon Woods registered 10.7 inches of rain so far this month, with one inch received so far today.
NC Highway 12 on Ocracoke is still closed between the Pony Pens and the Hatteras ferry terminal. Beach erosion resulting in another dune breach last night of 100-feet in length.
Coastal Gas is on Ocracoke to secure gas tanks if need be. Report any floating natural gas tanks to Coastal Gas: 252-491-2625.
An Oyster Creek canal today around noon. Photo by Ann Warner.
Mainland Hyde County:
The National Guard and a swift water rescue team are in place in Swan Quarter to help with rescues.
An emergency shelter with showers and cots is open at O.A. Peay School, 1430 Main Street, Swan Quarter.
While NC Highway 264 is clear, many local roads are flooded with deep water. Do not hesitate to request evacuation assistance. Call 911 or the Hyde County Sheriff’s office for assistance.
Next Hyde County advisory scheduled for 11:30 a.m. Tuesday (Oct. 6).
As for the National Park Service Cape Hatteras National Seashore, visitor facilities and services (including campgrounds) and Silver Lake Marina remain closed today.
All NPS Off-Road Vehicles ramps in the Seashore remain closed until further notice. Ramps have significant flooding and standing water making many areas impassable. High tides and beach erosion has left very little beach available for beach driving. ORV ramps and routes will be evaluated frequently and will open as soon as possible.
The Ocracoke and Buxton Off-Road Vehicle Permit offices remain closed until further notice.
This article has been updated to reflect Hyde County government changes.
Hyde County Government Offices Closed; Commissioners Meeting Rescheduled to October 7
Due to inundation of roads and severe weather, the regularly scheduled monthly meeting of the Hyde County Board of Commissioners has been moved from Monday, October 5, to Wednesday, October 7, at 6:00 p.m. The meeting will take place in the Hyde County Government Center Multi-Purpose Room, 30 Oyster Creek Rd, Swan Quarter, NC and the Ocracoke School Commons, 120 School House Rd, Ocracoke, NC. The public is invited to attend.
All Hyde County government offices, including the Hyde County Health Department, will be closed on Monday, October 5 due to severe weather. All Hyde County solid waste convenience sites on the mainland will also be closed on Monday, October 5. The solid waste convenience site on Ocracoke will remain open until further notice.
Ocraoke School will be closed Monday, Oct. 5.
Note: for more on adverse weather conditions, go clickhere.
Highway 12 north of the pony pens is experiencing over wash, which has forced the road closure. Photo courtesy of Corey Cutright.
Sunny skies earlier today have yielded to the winds and rain with Hurricane Joaquin close to Bermuda. A strong northeast wind is impacting Hyde County today and tomorrow (Oct. 5).
Hyde County officials have decided to continue to prohibit visitor access to Ocracoke until further notice.
Access to Ocracoke is only granted to emergency personnel, utilities, vendors, residents, and property owners with proper identification.
Conditions on Ocracoke Island:
The National Weather Service is predicting 3 to 5 inches of rain for the island over the next 48 hours. A northeast wind is
White ibises taking refuge at the NPS Visitor. Photo by P. Vankevich
expected to build to 30 MPH with gusts between 40 to 45 mph.
Highway 12 is closed north of the Pony Pens due to a breach in the dunes estimated to be 340 feet in length. NCDOT was able to fill a smaller, secondary breach yesterday, but Highway 12 remains extremely vulnerable to high surf and over wash.
The Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route is suspended until Highway 12 reopens. The NC Ferry Division has also suspended the Cedar Island-Ocracoke route due flooding on roads in Cedar Island, and will not resume operations until road conditions improve.
Flooding in Widgeon Woods near the Lighthouse, Sunday afternoon, Oct 4. Photo by P. Vankevich
Local flooding on roads in the village remains an issue, likely to worsen with additional rain this evening.
Drivers should continue to exercise extreme caution. There has been no loss of power on Ocracoke. However, Tideland EMC is reporting outages in other communities in their service area.
Sunset Drive is experiencing flooding again today, but that didn’t stop Debbie Leonard from riding her bike through it to get home. Photo by C. Leinbach
Conditions on Mainland Hyde County:
The National Weather Service is predicting 1 to 3 inches of rain for mainland Hyde County. A strong northeast wind, expected to last for several days, will likely exacerbate sound side flooding conditions in low-lying areas.
Currently all the major roads in and out of Swan Quarter are open, though water is starting to accumulate in certain areas of NC Highway 264 near Scranton. Several low-lying local roads are inundated with high water and drivers should exercise caution.
Farmers are reporting thousands of acres of damaged crops due to flooding. Hyde County Emergency Services Department is working with local drainage districts to pump water out of residential areas and roads.
Swan Quarter is reporting the highest water levels since Hurricane Isabel.
North Carolina Ferry Division update Oct. 4 As you might imagine, all this wind and water is disrupting several of our ferry routes today… and conditions are only forecast to get worse as the day progresses. Keep up to date with route closures on our Twitter feed at @NCDOT_Ferry (Twitter posts can also be found on the homepage of ourwebsite), or call ahead to your specific ferry terminal before leaving home today or tomorrow. Stay safe out there!
Courtney and Freddy Contreras with officiant Dan Chaverin. Photo by P. Vankevich
By Peter Vankevich
As storm clouds gathered, bride Courtney Colin rushed into the church clutching her wedding dress above colorful rain boots while her sister and bridesmaid, Jameson Colin, sheltered her under an umbrella.
Friends and family gathered to celebrate the union despite the evacuation taking place. In the days leading up to the ceremony, many reminded the couple that if rain on the wedding day means good luck, then a hurricane must be even better.
Kiss of the year. Courtney and Freddy Conreras are now husband and wife. Photo by P. Vankevich
Island residents, Alfredo (Freddy) Contreras and Courtney Contreras, née Courtney Colin, had been dreaming of and planning their wedding for almost two years–right after Alfredo proposed to Courtney in Mexico City while they were on vacation visiting his family.
The ring had been baked into a cake, and as Courtney cut into her piece, the symbol of their love became visible. Alfedo removed it and presented it to her on one knee amidst much fanfare at the party.
Just before the wedding ceremony at the Ocracoke Assembly of the Church of God. Photo by P. Vankevich
The two met while working at one of the island’s popular restaurant, Dajio.
“I was immediately smitten with Freddy,” Courtney said,
Alfredo was a bit slower to the take, not realizing how much Courtney cared for him. He eventually caught on and the feelings became mutual.
Courtney was born and grew up in South Africa. Her family moved to Kansas where her father served as a pastoral minister. After beginning her studies at a university in Kansas, she decided that her calling was to return to South Africa.
Courtney and Flower girl, Ava Loya. Photo by Jameson Colin
In order to pay for her year working as a mission school teacher, Courtney was recruited to work on Ocracoke by long-time friend of Justin, son of Doug and Judy Eifert, the owners of Dajio. It was during her three months as a server that she fell in love with Alfredo. Soon after beginning their relationship, Courtney moved to South Africa and they embarked on a two year, long-distance relationship that finally ended when she moved back to Ocracoke to be with Alfredo once again.
Alfredo moved to Ocracoke as a teenager. Since many years had passed since graduating from high school in Mexico, he wanted to achieve his GED in the U.S. He was paired up with Gary Davis and the two of them worked diligently to prepare him for the difficult test.
Not only did he pass, but he obtained such high grades that he qualified for scholarships in order to pursue an International Business degree through College of the Albemarle. He also completed his Medical Interpreting/Translating certification while continuing to work at Dajio.
He has been hired as an interpreter/translator at the Ocracoke Health Center where he also works as an outreach worker with the migrant and seasonal farmworker on the mainland. He is now being trained by SHIIP (Senior Health Insurance Information Program) to become a Medicare counselor. He also is responsible for the translations for the Ocracoke Observer.
The wedding was originally planned to be outside on the grounds of Books to Be Red.
Becky Colin, mother of Courtney. Photo by P. Vankevich
Several days before, Ocracoke started to get rain–lots of it. Leslie Lanier, owner of the book store, let them know that if the rain stopped by Monday before the Thursday wedding date, the location should be dry enough.
It didn’t.
Additionally, a fast-forming storm system in the Caribbean became Hurricane Joaquin and began threatening to strike Ocracoke. Pastor Ivey Belch of the United Assembly of God Church on Lighthouse Road graciously offered them the use of the church.
Meanwhile, about 25 friends and family were headed to Ocracoke for the wedding and soon after their arrival, the Hyde County commissioners announced that there would be a mandatory evacuation just one hour before the ceremony.
Officiating Pastor Dan Chaverin from Kansas. Photo by P. Vankevich
“I’ve officiated for many weddings, but none have been under a hurricane threat,” said Courtney’s pastor, Dan Chaverin of the Westside Family Church in Lenexa, Kansas.“The good news is we got through.”
At the reception, several of the mid-western guests, accustomed to dealing with tornado threats, said they found the atmosphere of the day to be a combination of the excitement to be on the island, with a sprinkling of mild anxiety about an approaching storm.
“I think all of my Kansas and South African friends and family were all off island by 10 a.m. the next day,” said Courtney.
Fortunately, the hurricane veered east well into the Atlantic which spared Ocracoke a direct hit that many experts feared.
The wedding was bilingual, in English and Spanish. So there were some chuckles for Spanish speakers, followed by those who speak English, after hearing the English portion. Courtney’s mom, Becky Colin and her sister Jameson were readers at the ceremony.
The bridesmaids were Ariana Contreras and Jameson Colin and maid of honor, Alex Robinette. The groomsmen were Adrian Ibarra Espinoza and Saul Contreras Rubio. Best man was Jesus Chavez Lopez.
Coyote, Marcy Brenner and Lou Castro, performed at the reception and the food was prepared by Alfredo’s mother Cira Contreras and desserts by islander Carol Ritchie
Courtney summed up the change in plans:
“Married life and life in general requires one to deal with the unexpected,” Courtney said with Alfredo nodding in agreement.
The challenging circumstances bode well for a happy marriage. “Boda” is Spanish for wedding, but we’re not sure how to make a bilingual pun.
So let’s finish with this, upon hearing of a potential hurricane heading to Ocracoke, one could evoke, “I don’t think we are in Kansas anymore.”
Coyote, Lou Castro and Marcy Brenner performing at the reception. Photo by P. Vankevich
The ocean is up to the dunes on Saturday at the Lifeguard Beach. Photo by C. Leinbach
Round-up of Ocracoke weather updates on Saturday, 4:38 p.m.
Even though it is sunny, breezy and warm here, Ocracoke Island remains in a state of emergency and only residents and property owners and limited commercial vendors are allowed onto the long-route ferries to Ocracoke. Highway 12 north of the pony pens experienced over wash from Friday’s storm. According to the NCDOT website here, it is expected to open at 9 a.m. tomorrow (Sunday).
From the National Weather Center: Swells generated by Joaquin are affecting much of the southeastern coast of the United States and will spread northward along the east coast of the United States through the weekend. . These swells are likely to cause life-threatening surf and rip current conditions. Even though Joaquin is expected to pass well east of the coast of the United States, a prolonged period of elevated water levels and large waves will affect the mid-Atlantic region, causing significant beach and dune erosion with moderate coastal flooding likely.
From the Outer Banks Group Cape Hatteras National Seashore:
The Seashore experienced significant coastal flooding on Friday and will experience rough surf conditions, especially during high tides, with ocean over-wash and coastal flooding, and strong winds through Sunday and into Monday depending on the track of Hurricane Joaquin.
Weather conditions are expected to deteriorate again this afternoon (Saturday). A coastal flood warning is in effect through Monday, and a coastal flood watch is in effect for Sunday and Monday.
For public safety and the welfare of park visitors and staff, Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Wright Brothers National Memorial and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site will remain closed today. Wright Brothers National Memorial will reopen to the public at 9 a.m. Sunday.
The following NPS visitor facilities and services remain impacted by storm conditions including significant flooding in low lying areas:
All NPS campgrounds, Ocracoke, Frisco, Cape Point and Oregon Inlet remain closed until further notice. The Recreation.gov campground reservation system has been temporarily suspended.
Silver Lake Marina on Ocracoke Island and Oregon Inlet Marina on Bodie Island remain closed.
All NPS Off-Road Vehicles ramps remain closed until further notice. Significant flooding has effected most ORV ramps and high tides and beach erosion has left very little beach that could be available for beach driving. ORV ramps and routes will be evaluated frequently and will open as soon as possible.
South Point Road is closed until further notice. Photo by C. Leinbach
The Ocracoke, Buxton, and Bodie Island Off-Road Vehicle Permit offices remain closed until further notice.
NPS visitor centers at Ocracoke, Hatteras Island, Bodie Island, and Fort Raleigh National Historic Site remain closed until further notice. The visitor center at Wright Brothers National Memorial will re-open at 9 a.m. Sunday.
Cape Hatteras and Bodie Island Lighthouses remain closed to climbing. The grounds and parking area at Bodie Island Lighthouse are currently open.
Lighthouse Road leading to Cape Hatteras Lighthouse in Buxton Village is closed due to flooding.
Among the businesses open on Ocracoke Island are:
The Ocracoke Variety Store will close today at 7 p.m.
Ocracoke Bar & Grille
Ocracoke Oyster Company
Gaffer’s Sports Pub
The Community Store
The Flying Melon Cafe on Back Road will be opening tonight with a appetizer and dessert menu; drink specials. They will roll out a couple new things they’ve been thinking about. Starting at 6 p.m.
Zillie’s Island Pantry: open until 8:30 p.m.
Travelers can also check highway and road conditions at www.weather.gov/mhx.
The roiling ocean today. Photo by C. LeinbachCOAST GUARD TO THE RESCUE. Coast Guard members stationed at Hatteras on Saturday delivered the mail to Ocracoke, “about 11 or 12 bags,” said Tod Midgett, BMI E6, the boat captain. After having lunch at the Ocracoke Oyster Company, they took about 6 bags of Ocracoke mail. With Midgett are Terrence O’Toole, rear, and Chet Ceren.
Island EMT Sandy Yeatts took this shot yesterday of water on the road.
N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island, Hyde County, is closed in both directions from the Pony Pen to the Hatteras Ferry terminal with reports of about 2 feet of water on the roadway.
N.C. Department of Transportation maintenance crews are out assessing the road conditions. There is no estimated schedule for reopening the road at this time, and there will be no Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry service until the road reopens. Regular updates on ferry routes can be found onTwitter.
No other road closures are reported at this time along the Outer Banks. However, there are areas of standing water throughout the region, which is likely to continue through the weekend.
All roads are open and passable, but drivers should proceed with caution and avoid driving through standing water if possible. Updates will be posted on theNCDOT N.C. 12 Facebook page as they are received.
The Lifeguard Beach during a lull in Friday’s day-long deluge. Photo by C. Leinbach
Updated, Friday, Oct. 2, 11:00 p.m.
NC Department of Transportation released the following:
N.C. 12 on Ocracoke Island in Hyde County has closed this evening due to sound-side flooding. The road is currently closed in both directions from the Pony Pen to the Hatteras Ferry terminal with reports of about two feet of water on the roadway.
N.C. Department of Transportation maintenance crews will be out Saturday morning to assess the road conditions. There is not an estimated schedule for reopening the road at this time.
There will be no Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry service until the road reopens. Regular updates on ferry routes can be found on Twitter.
No other road closures are reported at this time along the Outer Banks; however, there are areas of standing water throughout the region, which is likely to continue through the weekend. All roads are open and passable, but drivers should proceed with caution and avoid driving through standing water if possible. Updates will be posted on the NCDOT N.C. 12 Facebook page as they are received.
Friday, Oct. 2; 7:29 p.m.
Hyde County officials today lifted the mandatory evacuation for Ocracoke Island as of 5 a.m. tomorrow (Saturday), but travel to the island will be restricted to residents, property owners, emergency personnel, utility crews and vendors, according to a late afternoon press release.
Access to Ocracoke Island for visitors remains prohibited until further notice.
The NC Ferry Division announced it will resume its regular schedules on the Hatteras-Ocracoke, Cedar Island-Ocracoke, and Swan Quarter-Ocracoke routes also at 5 a.m. Saturday.
Note, however, that around 5:30 p.m. Friday, the Facebook page on the NC Ferry Division posted that Hwy 12 north of the village has been closed, so they are suspending operations on the Hatteras-Ocracoke route until the road reopens. The number to call to see if the Hatters/Ocracoke ferries are running is 252 986-2353. A neon sign leaving Ocracoke also has posted information
Law enforcement personnel will be on hand at ferry terminals to enforce the restricted entry.
Tolls remain waived and reservations cancelled on the Pamlico Sound routes, and all ferry runs to and from Ocracoke will be loaded on a first-come, first-served basis until full access to Ocracoke is restored.
Highway 12 is partly under water near Lifeguard Beach. Photo by C. Leinbach
During the course of the mandatory evacuation, NCDOT ferries carried more than 500 vehicles and 1,200 passengers off of Ocracoke Island.
According to the National Weather Service, Joaquin has weakened slightly as the eye passes near San Salvador Island, but hurricane conditions will continue over the central Bahamas for several more hours.
The track guidance models are now in good agreement that Joaquin will move generally northeastward between the United States and Bermuda well away from the Outer Banks, with a short-lived northward turn in the 48-72 hour period. Eventually, the hurricane is expected to move into the westerlies and move quickly east-northeastward across the North Atlantic. The new forecast track is similar to the previous forecast and now lies near the consensus models.
Drivers should exercise caution as there is high water on several roads within the village. Hyde County government offices and all Hyde County solid waste convenience sites will continue to operate normally until further notice.
Seas are still expected to build to 15 to 20 feet on Saturday and much more rain is expected on Sunday and Monday.
Flooding on Cedar Island forced the NC Ferry Division to suspend service Friday between Ocracoke and Cedar Island until road conditions improve.
An emergency general population shelter that was set up in the Englewood Baptist Church, 1350 South Winstead Ave., Rocky Mount, Nash County, closed today at 5 p.m.
Ed Joyner, a member of the church, said in an interview that no one from Ocracoke or mainland Hyde showed up.
“A Red Cross trailer was there and the county had their people on standby,” he said.
The lighthouse experiencing minor flooding Friday afternoon, Oct. 2. Photo by P. Vankevich
High waters along Highway 12 in front of the Ocracoke Oyster Co. Photo by C. Farley
It’s not often one sees Trudy Austin sitting down while working the register at the Ocracoke Variety Store, but Friday afternoon, Trudy was taking a break between the few customers.
“They all came in yesterday to get their stuff,” she said, then hopped up to check out some youngsters and others.
Janet Spencer, working in the hardware store, said she had a steady trickle of customers getting items for indoor repairs.
“They can’t work outside,” she said. “So they’re working inside.”
Tommy Hutcherson, Variety Store proprietor, said the store is well stocked. He had milk and bread deliveries today and a grocery delivery Thursday.
“We’re really fine,” he said. The store is open its regular hours of 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Dave Frum, who works at the water plant, was one of those customers.
He noted that on Ocracoke, it’s not necessary to stock up on bottled water for storms.
“The water plant will continue to pump water,” he said.
The NCCAT dock earlier this morning. Photo by C. Farley
The system is a closed one and so protected, and if the power goes out, they have a generator.
A few eateries are open today and tonight awaiting customers.
“We’ll stay open,” said Nick Odom at the Ocracoke Oyster Company. “If the power goes out, we have a generator.”
In front of the Ocracoke Seafood Co., aka, The Fish House. Photo by C. Farley
The kitchen is open until 10 and the bar open until midnight, he said.
Laurie Death, co-proprietor of the Ocracoke Bar & Grille, said she’s had seven customers all day, a few of them vacationers. They are open until 2 a.m. They have a full menu until 9 p.m. and a limited menu after that.
Thai Moon take-out will be open until 6 or 7 tonight, said Moon Dennis. She is not sure about her hours on Saturday.
“It’s been fairly slow, obviously,” said Tom Powell at Gaffer’s Sports Pub, which is open from 8 a.m. to 2 a.m. Customers have been locals and staff, he said.
“We have plenty of food and (drink),” he said.
Zillie’s Island Pantry was closed today, said Will Canterbury.
“Back Road is almost completely flooded,” he said. Open time tomorrow at 1 p.m. is tentative, too, depending on the water, he said.
All establishments recommended checking their Facebook pages.
A rain gauge in Widgeon Woods measured 7.7 inches of rain today.
Between downpours, Mark Justice, owner of the Fudge & Ice Cream Shop as well as a medical responder with the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, made a scud around the island and turned his truck around in the Lifeguard Beach parking lot.
Even though Joaquin has weakened a bit and does not appear to be making a beeline toward the Outer Banks, according to NOAA, Justice noted he was concerned about the expected wind on Saturday. Weather Underground estimated Ocracoke gusts on Saturday and Sunday will be in the 25 to 35 mph range.
“It could bring more water,” he said about the already saturated island and possibly result in the loss of trees.
He go ready to move on.
“I do this twice a day,” he said about his rounds. “It’s my island; my people.”
