The National Weather Service out of Newport/Morehead City this morning said confidence of a prolonged period of heavy rainfall across eastern North Carolina later in the week is increasing, but there’s no major change in Hurricane Dorian’s possible track which still remains uncertain.
The storm, upgraded Sunday morning to a catastrophic Category 5 storm with sustained wind speeds of 160 mph, struck the Abacos islands in the Bahamas. Dangerous widespread surf conditions and hazardous seas, including rip currents, will continue into next weekend. Dorian is expected to decrease in strength over the next 48 hours, but remain extremely dangerous.
The threat of tropical storm force winds in the eastern North Carolina could begin Wednesday with heavy rains through Friday night. Details on these probabilities are dependent on the storm’s track and NWS will provide an update Sunday evening.
Locally, today’s forecast calls for partly sunny skies with scattered thunderstorms possible, with a high of 84 degrees.
While Hurricane Dorian threatens Florida and the local weather forecast today (Saturday) is for fair weather, the National Weather Service in Morehead City warns of an enhanced risk of rip currents from this storm.
Erik Heden, warning coordination meteorologist, said in an email to the press that we will see impacts from Dorian through this weekend and next week. An enhanced risk of rip currents and will persist through next week.
Ocracoke beach goers should monitor the National Weather Service Newport/Morehead City forecast and be mindful of the conditions when deciding to enter the water.
Lifeguards are on duty at the Lifeguard Beach through Monday.
Although Hurricane Dorian is at least a couple of days away from directly impacting the Southeast United States, due to the approach and potential impacts of Hurricane Dorian, Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday declared “a State of Emergency for North Carolina due to anticipated widespread transportation delays.” Hurricane Dorian creates an imminent threat of severe economic loss of livestock, poultry and crops ready to be harvested, Cooper said in a press release.
Cooper issued the order to help farmers statewide after conferring with North Carolina Commissioner of Agriculture Steve Troxler.
“Some farmers have let us know that they are taking action now to harvest and transfer crops to protect them from potential damage and they need these restrictions lifted,” Cooper said.
The declaration lifts restrictions on transportation to ensure critical needs like fuel, medicine and water can get to those affected by Hurricane Dorian if it hits North Carolina. It also lifts restrictions on equipment needed to repair utilities and remove debris so those tools are easier to mobilize after the storm.
The official forecast has been to slow Dorian down early next week as the storm makes landfall over Florida, with a possible turn northward thereafter, said Justin Gibbs, Hyde County Emergency Services Director.
This possible turn could bring impacts to our area the middle to end of next week. Since the storm is moving very slow, confidence in the eventual track and any impacts remains low at this time.
“Minor changes in the forecast over the short-term could have major implications for North Carolina, so it is imperative that everyone monitor the weather over the weekend,” he said.
The Will Willis Store & Fish House (aka Jack’s Store, ca.1930) has now been secured to its new support structure with the surrounding dock, piers and platforms replaced. Over 200 feet of shoreline has been stabilized with rock and bulkhead. Several new benches have been added to relax and enjoy the views. There’s plenty of space for dances, outdoor concerts, sword fights and such.
For the first time ever, the building is level. A neighbor noted this is the first time she’s ever seen the roof line straight.
With the building resting level, this fall the Ocracoke Working Watermen’s exhibit space and contents will be refurbished and enhanced.
Financial support for these projects is from Golden LEAF, Ocracoke Occupancy Tax board, and Community Square lease income. T.J.’s Marine Construction, Pantego, did the work.
The new dock extends past the Coyote Den and enables more public engagement with the waterfront. Photo: C. Leinbach
Summer is still going strong on Ocracoke. Photo: C. Leinbach
To catch up on Ocracoke news and much more, click here
Ocracoke Seafood Festival to benefit the Ocracoke Health Center is this weekend, Saturday, Aug. 31, from 3 to 10 pm, at the Berkley Barn.
Monday, Aug. 26 Jolly Roger: Paolo Franco, 6 pm Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Melody Maxwell, 4 pm; Formula Duo, 7 pm Gaffer’s: Circus Mutt, 9 pm
Tuesday, Aug. 27 Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Kim France, 4 pm Jolly Roger: Aaron & Jackie, 6 pm Coyote Music Den: Plus One with Gary Mitchell, 8 pm Gaffer’s: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, 7 pm; Barefoot Wade, 9:30 pm
Wednesday, Aug. 28 Bella Fiore Gift Shop, Back Road: Trunk show with jeweler Julie Mills, 2 to 7 pm Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Lounge Rays, 4 pm; Jon Lea, 7 pm Jolly Roger: Edgar Scrubbs, 6 pm DAJIO: Barefoot Wade, 8 pm Ocracoke Oyster Co.: The Stokes 7 pm Gaffer’s: Team Trivia, 7 pm; Barryoke Karaoke, 9 pm Deepwater Theater: The Dingbatters Show, 8 pm
Thursday, Aug. 29 Zillie’s Wine Tasting, 6 p.m. Reserve at zillies.com or call 252-928-9036. Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Melody Maxwell, 4pm; 30THREE, 7pm Jolly Roger: Van Who, 6 pm Gaffer’s: Willis Gupton, 7 pm; DJ Marshall B Dance Party, 10 pm DAJIO: Raygun Ruby, 8 pm Deepwater Theater: Molasses Creek, 8 pm
Friday, Aug. 30 Zillie’s Wine Tasting, 6 p.m. Reserve at zillies.com or call 252-928-9036. Jolly Roger: Willis Gupton, 6 pm Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Kate McNally, 4 pm; Barefoot Wade, 7 pm Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Kate McNally, 7 pm Coyote Music Den: Coyote in Concert, 8 pm Gaffer’s: East Coast Rhythm and Blues Band, 9 pm
Saturday, Aug. 31 Berkley Barn: Ocracoke Seafood Festival to benefit Ocracoke Health Center, 3 to 10 pm: 3pm to 5pm – Silent Auction 4pm – Food Served 4pm to 6pm – Live Music: Barefoot Wade 6pm to 7pm – Live Auction 7pm – Live Music: Ocracoke Rockers 8:30pm to 9:45pm – Live Music: Raygun Ruby See story here. Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Kate McNally, 4pm; TBT Band 7pm Jolly Roger: Willis Gupton, 6 pm Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Mitch Barrett, 7 pm DAJIO: Kate McNally, 8 pm Gaffer’s: East Coast Rhythm and Blues Band, 9 pm
NPS summer programs through Sept. 2 on Ocracoke The National Park Service provides talks on the Ocracoke Island environment and history. All programs are at the benches by the Visitor Center unless otherwise indicated. Bug spray suggested for all outdoor activities.
NPS interpreter Letitia Lussier begins her pirate talk with a few jokes. Photo: C. Leinbach
Monday: 1 pm Pirates! Learn about Blackbeard and others. (30 min.) 3 pm Barrier Island Nature. Join a ranger for a talk about the wild side of Ocracoke. (30 min.) 8:45 pm Ocracoke after Dark. Explore the night sky with a ranger. Meet at the Ocracoke Day Use Area. (1 hour)
Tuesday: 10:30 am All About Turtles. Discover the mysterious creatures with talk and activities for all ages. (30 min.) 2:30 pm Ocracoke History. Learn about the island’s rich past. (30 min.)
Wednesday: 9 am Banker Ponies. Meet the ponies unique to Ocracoke. At the Pony Pen. (20 min.) 10:30 am All About Turtles. Discover the mysterious creatures with talk and activities for all ages. (30 min.) 2:30 pm Pirates! Learn about Blackbeard and others. (30 min.)
Thursday: 9 am Banker Ponies. Meet the ponies unique to Ocracoke. At the Pony Pen. (20 min.) 10:30 pm Ocracoke History. Learn about the island’s rich past. (30 min.) 2:30 pm Barrier Island Nature. Join a ranger for a talk about the wild side of Ocracoke. (30 min.)
Friday: 8:30 am Birds & Beaches of Ocracoke. An island exploration for all ages. Meet at the parking lot adjacent to the NPS campground. (90 min.) 2:30 pm All About Turtles. Discover the mysterious creatures with talk and activities for all ages. (30 min.)
Electric vehicle charging stations are available at Nash Square in downtown Raleigh. Could Ocracoke be a site for one of these? Photo courtesy of NCDOT
From our news sources
RALEIGH –The N.C. Department of Transportation is seeking public comments on a draft N.C. Zero-Emission Vehicle Plan the agency is developing to boost the number of electric vehicles on the road. People can review the plan and provide feedback on thisNCDOT webpageuntil 5 p.m. Sept. 6.
The draft plan is the result of Gov. Roy Cooper last fall issuingExecutive Order No. 80, which is a commitment to address climate change and transition to a clean energy economy.
The governor’s order called upon the NCDOT to develop a N.C. Zero-Emission Vehicle Plan to increase the number of zero-emission vehicles registered in this state to 80,000 by 2025. When the order was signed, more than 6,000 fully electric vehicles were registered in North Carolina.
Zero-emission vehicles (ZEV) are fully electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles. Depending upon the specific technology, these vehicles have no or significantly reduced tailpipe emissions compared with conventional vehicles.
“DOT has created this draft plan with clear and measurable strategies, in order for our state to lead the nation in embracing zero-emission technologies,” said Transportation Secretary Jim Trogdon.
NCDOT’s plan, released today, summarizes the research the department has done and the public input from online surveys and workshops it has received since January. It also highlights important issues and action areas for achieving 80,000 registered, zero-emission vehicles by 2025. One example is how to increase the number of electric vehicle charging stations along major routes and at retail centers.
“We’ve been studying some important issues that will need to be addressed under the governor’s executive order,” said Colin Mellor, an NCDOT environmental policy analyst helping coordinate the department’s ZEV plan. “We need the public and other stakeholders to confirm we have heard their points of view, and to let us know if there are any other issues we should consider as we finalize the plan.”
The plan highlights four categories of activities the state will need to pursue to comply with the governor’s executive order. Those categories are:
Promoting public awareness and education about electric vehicles;
Enhancing the convenience of operating and recharging a ZEV;
Reducing the upfront costs of a ZEV; and
Considering policy changes that promote the use of electric vehicles.
Ocracoke visitors board the Ocracoke Express passenger ferry for the return trip to Hatteras. Photo: C. Leinbach
From our news sources
Raleigh–The North Carolina Ferry System is developing a long-range plan that will chart a course for sustainability and success.
This plan will look 30 years into the future and help craft a vision for the system. It will consider how the system can better meet the needs of customers, as well as the region’s residents, communities, businesses and visitors, using new tools, new technology and new ideas.
To make the plan a success, the NCDOT is asking for the public’s help to complete a survey atpublicinput.com/NC-ferry-plan.
You can also access the survey by texting FerryPlan to 984-205-6615 or emailing NC-ferry-plan@publicinput.com.
Please share the links to this survey with friends and neighbors who use the North Carolina Ferry System. If you have customers who have recently visited and used the ferry, please feel free to share with them as well.
Fresh flounder at the Fish House on Ocracoke may be in short supply this fall and next year if proposed commercial fishing restrictions are approved tomorrow in Raleigh. Photo: C. Leinbach
By Connie Leinbach
Local flounder may be in short supply this fall if plans to drastically reduce the harvest take effect after the Marine Fisheries Commission meetings today and tomorrow in Raleigh.
The commission voted in June to accept the recommendations of the Division of Marine Fisheries to reduce the Southern flounder harvest for both commercial and recreational fishing by 62 percent starting this fall and a 72 percent reduction in harvest beginning in 2020.
Commercial flounder fishing goes into high gear in the fall and these recommendations would impact the local commercial and recreational fishermen—and the flounder supply to restaurants and the public.
The Marine Fisheries Commission is scheduled to vote on all of these measures, which is Draft Amendment 2 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan, and Amendment 2, regarding the blue crab fishery, tomorrow (Aug. 23) at 10 a.m.
If approved, these measures would be effective immediately and stay in place until adoption and implementation of Amendment 3 to the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan, scheduled for completion in 2021.
If that happens, flounder sales—both retail and wholesale—will be impacted and it will wreak havoc with the local fishing businesses and the Ocracoke economy, local fishermen say.
They understand the need for conservation, said Hardy Plyler, manager of the Fish House.
“The Fish House is not against doing some things to ensure the health of the flounder stock, but we’re not willing to go out of business,” he said in an interview.
Implementing this level of reduction this year will not allow any transition time for fishermen who harvest flounder time to evolve their fishing businesses, he said.
Since employment in the winter is almost nonexistent, fall fishing is critical to families to pay taxes, buy food, etc., he said in one of two letters to the commission.
Pound net fishing supplies Ocracoke with flounder, sheepshead and black drum.
“By forcing pound nets out of the water (in mid-October rather than the first week in November) access to fall species will be virtually nonexistent and will have a devastating impact on Ocracoke Seafood Company’s retail and wholesale businesses, Ocracoke’s tourism revenue and Hyde County’s sales tax revenues,” Plyler said in the letter.
Among the compromises suggested was a less drastic reduction: 31 percent this year and a 52 percent reduction in 2020.
Details of the amendment and the meeting materials can be found online here and a commentary here.
Once again, I am writing about our Commercial Fishermen here in Carteret County and the whole coastal area of North Carolina. This week there is to be a vote by the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission for a proposed Amendment 2 of the Southern Flounder Fishery Management Plan (FMP). The proposed
Photo by Ruth King
Amendment 2 recommends a 62% reduction in fishing mortality the first year which includes this fall, 2019 and a 72% reduction the next year (2020). This Amendment will be detrimental to all of our Summer Flounder fishermen. I wrote a letter in June to Michael Reagan, Secretary DEQ and to the following Senators and State Representatives for these are the folks who will vote for this new Amendment. Representative Pat McElraft, Representative Jimmy Dixon, Senator Norm Sanderson, Senator Toby Finch, Representative Kyle Hall, Representative Chuck McGrady, Senator Stephen Ross and Senator Andy Wells. Part of my letter is quoted below.
“I work with many farmers in Eastern NC but I live amongst the commercial fishermen here in Carteret County. I am constantly comparing our farmers and commercial fishermen all the time with their hard work and the plights against them. This amendment is seeking to cut 62% then next year 72% of the amount of flounder these fishermen can catch. Can you imagine a law that was presented to a local farmer telling them that they could not grow 62% of one of their main cash crops? Could you imagine getting a phone call tomorrow morning telling you that your salary has been cut by 62% and it will be cut by 72% by next year.
I do not know any farmer nor commercial fishermen that wants to destroy our soils nor our fish…. but to tell a hard-working tax paying individual that they have to lose 62% of their income is unjust!”
Unfortunately, the difference between a commercial fisherman and a farmer is that the US government will sometimes subsidize a farmer for loss of income on a crop (i.e. tobacco) but not the fishermen.
The Carteret County Marine Fisheries Advisory Board and Mark Mansfield Chairman of the Carteret County Commissioners sent a letter to the above-mentioned stating that they opposed Amendment 2. What this group asked for was a 31% reduction in the” overfishing threshold”. “They also asked for new stock assessment be performed as quickly as possible (within 2 years) to examine the population responses or other factors are more at play than fishing mortality.”
Pamlico County Commissioners have also asked for a similar request.
What I want to do is possibly explain to others the many factors that exist today that may contribute to the loss of our fish stock. Unfortunately, the commercial fishermen get the blame over and over. The facts and figures that I will use in this article are hard numbers that anyone can find through the NC Wildlife Commission, The NC Marine Fisheries website and the North Carolina Sea Turtle Project.
Item 1: Active Registered Fishing vessels in the state of NC Recreational Vessels: 324,441
Commercial Vessels: 4,610
Over 658 Commercial vessels registered are from inland counties: For example; Wake Co. 22, Pitt County 65, Sampson County 24, Duplin County 27 and Lenoir County 35, Guilford County (Greensboro) has 13 commercial registered vessels.
This is a personal assumption but I know fishermen who live and work full time jobs during the week inland and come down to the coast to fish on the weekend and then sell their fish but these catches are included into the commercial yearly catch numbers. Also, consider how many fish 324,441 boats land fish out of our NC Coastal waters. Of course, sometimes they go out and do not catch anything but most of the time they do. And, most boats will have two or more fishermen and if they all catch fish just for instance; 4 fishermen catch 4 fish each = 16 fish times 324,441 = 5, 191,056 fish.
Where I live, it is nothing to hear air boats head out into the Sound at 1AM or 2AM in the morning…I have seen some of these boats and the owner bragging how they caught 500 pounds of flounder and seeing all the blood in the boat, I have to believe them. Yes, the NC Marine Patrol does a great job, but there is no way for them to monitor the whole coast line of NC with all the private docks and boat ramps on people’s private properties. According to the 2018 Annual Fisheries Bulletin Commercial and Recreational Statistics published by the NC Division of Marine Fisheries, 21 species are dominated by Recreational fishermen. Nine out of the top ten species listed (pounds caught) averaged an 821% total capture greater than commercial fishing. You can go back and look at the years in the past and the recreational catch on some of these species are anywhere from 700%, 600% 500% more than the commercial fishing catch. If you go to the NC Marines Fisheries website and look for the different species you will find that the three of the most overfished species is not from the commercial fisherman but from the recreational fishermen. For instance, Speckled Trout: 2018 the Recreational catch 658,555 pounds and the Commercial fishermen catch was 128,922 pounds. In 2017 the Recreational catch of Speckled Trout was 2,157,198 and the Commercial catch was 299,911 pounds. In 2018 the Red Drum Recreational catch was 1,451,358 and the Commercial catch was 144,464. In 2018 the Recreational catch of Spots was 597,511 and the Commercial Catch was 167,675 pounds. The nine species that is overfished by Recreational fishermen are; Speckled Trout, Red Drum, Dolphin, Spot, Yellowfin Tuna, Bluefish, Cobia, Spanish Mackerel and King Mackerel. “But the Commercial Fisherman is blamed for catching all the fish!”
Item 2: Active Recreational and Commercial Fishing Licenses
According to the NC Marine Fisheries 2018 License-Statistics Annual Report there are 469,571 salt water Recreational fishing license issued to NC fishermen. The 2018 Commercial license count is 7,413. Please note that some recreational fishermen also own commercial fishing license too and vice versa. Also, these numbers do not include lifetime fishing licenses. Again, the NC Marine Patrol does an excellent job but they do not have the money nor the man power to check almost half million recreational fishermen in NC and their catch. Whereas the Commercial fishermen when they sell their catch to a licensed Dealer, the Dealer completes a trip ticket recording the catch, species and pounds and the trip ticket is sent to the Marine Fisheries for records and statistics. Once again, there are no true records as to how much the recreational fishermen catch. The Marine Fisheries sends out a paper survey to recreational fishermen to complete and send back about their catches but I for one who has had these surveys and a lot of other people do not complete them. I cannot prove this number but as the true number of Salt Water Recreational Fishing license (469,571) the Marine Fisheries may interview approximately 20,000 Salt water fishermen plus the surveys each year…There is no proven way at this time how many fish that the Salt Water Recreational Fishermen catch…”But the Commercial Fishermen is blamed for catching all of the fish”!
Item 3: Sea Turtles
I cannot tell you how many times that I have heard how the Commercial Fishermen “kill Sea Turtles” …By law the Commercial Fishermen have had to change many times over the years their nets and other ways of catching fish so that they would not injure nor kill a turtle. I saw a video a few years ago with 4 or 5 Commercial Fishermen working hard to remove a Sea Turtle from a net, the turtle was eating their fish but these men, worked hard to push, pull and roll a huge turtle back into the Sound…
This year the 2019 nesting statistics show a record breaking 2298 Sea Turtle nests on the coast of NC. In 2018 799 nests, in 2017 1223 nests and in 2016 1650 nests. This is fabulous news and it proves that the Commercial Fishermen are working hard to help these numbers rise each year.
What do all these numbers and information have to do with you, the consumer of NC fresh seafood? We need our Commercial Fishermen to catch seafood so that we who do not own boats can enjoy the fresh seafood that these hard-working men and women bring to our tables. We need desperately like so many other factors in our lives today not to be governed and bought by special interest groups. There are special interest groups always fighting against the Commercial Fishermen but numbers do not lie!
So, I urge you to contact the elected officials mentioned in the beginning of this article, contact the NC Marine Fisheries and the NC Wildlife Commission, The NC Commercial Fishermen need you help.
I was telling a recreational fisherman recently about this article that I am writing today. His comment has stuck in mind every day since, “The last fish will never be caught by a Commercial Fishermen.”
Ruth King
Ruth King is a writer living in Carteret County and serves on an advisory board of the N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission.
Addendum
The N.C. Marine Fisheries Commission is meeting Wednesday through Friday (Aug. 21 to 23) at the Doubletree by Hilton University Brownstone, 1707 Hillsborough St., Raleigh.
The meeting will begin at 6 p.m. Aug. 21, at 9 a.m. Aug. 22, and at 8:30 a.m. Aug. 23.
Public comment periods will be held at 6 p.m. Aug. 21 and at 9:30 a.m. Aug. 22. Members of the public may speak to the commission on any fisheries-related topic. The chairman will allow each speaker to comment for three minutes. More time may be allotted, at the chairman’s discretion, depending on the number who sign up to speak. Those making comments will be asked to speak only once, either at the Aug. 21 or the Aug. 22 session, but not during both public comment periods.
Receive a new petition for rulemaking from the N.C. Wildlife Federation and vote on whether to initiate the rulemaking process. The petition asks the commission to designate all internal coastal waters not otherwise designated as nursery areas as Shrimp Trawl Management Areas. The petition also asks for gear and time restrictions within these new areas.
Vote to send Draft Amendment 3 to the Blue Crab Fishery Management Plan out for public comment and advisory committee review. A 2018 stock assessment determined that North Carolina’s blue crab stock is over fished and overfishing is occurring. At least a 0.4% reduction in the number of crabs harvested is needed to end overfishing within two years, as required by law. At least a 2.2% reduction in the number of crabs harvested is needed to achieve sustainable harvest within 10 years, as required by law. The draft amendment includes several options for achieving these harvest reductions.
Receive a presentation from Division of Marine Fisheries staff on this year’s stock overview and on the 2018 landings summary.
A full meeting agenda and briefing book materials are posted online here.
The Ocracoke voting location is at the Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department on Irvin Garrish Hwy.
By Peter Vankevich
North Carolina voters in two congressional districts will have the opportunity to vote on Sept. 10 for the person who will represent them in Washington.
In the Third Congressional District which includes Ocracoke and most of eastern North Carolina’s 17 counties, a special election was called after long-serving Congressman Walter B. Jones died on Feb. 10.
Polls will be open from 6:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on election day, Tuesday, Sept. 10.
One-stop early voting will be held at the Ocracoke Fire Department located at 822 Irvin Garrish Highway in Ocracoke on Thursday, August 29 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. and at the Hyde County Board of Elections office located at 1223 Main Street in Swan Quarter from Wednesday, Aug. 21 until Friday, Sept. 6, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays (Closed Sept. 2 for the holiday)
Absentee voting by mail is available. Requests for an absentee ballot must be made on an absentee request form (available on the State Board of Electionswebsiteand at the county board of elections office) and must be received in the Hyde Board of Elections office by 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 3.
On the ballot will be Tim Harris (Libertarian), Greg Holt (Constitution) Greg Murphy (Republican) and Allen M.Thomas (Democrat).
A total of 26 candidates filed for the primary election on April 30–17 Republicans, six Democrats, two Libertarians and one Constitution Party candidate.
Democrats selected Allen M. Thomas, Libertarians chose Tim Harris, and Greg Holt was unopposed in the Constitution Party.
The Republican candidate was delayed since none of the 17 candidates received 30 percent of the vote. As required by law, a runoff of the two candidates would have to take place if the person receiving the second highest votes requests it, which she did. The runoff took place on July 9 between candidates Greg Murphy and Joan Perry. Murphy easily won the runoff with more than 20 percent of the vote.
The scandal-plagued District 9 seat in the south-central part of the state has been vacant since the opening of the 116th Congress in January, following the refusal of the North Carolina State Board of Elections to certify the results of the November 2018 election in the district due to allegations of electoral fraud.
So, Dan Bishop (Republican), Dan McCready (Democrat), Jeff Scott (Libertarian) and Allen Smith (Green) will be on the ballot.
Persons with questions about registration, polling places, early voting, absentee ballots, a Multipartisan Assistance Team visit to a facility, or other election matters may call the Hyde Board of Elections Office at 252-926-4194. To connect to their website, clickhere.
The small plane that crashed on Ocracoke before it reached the runway near beach Ramp 70.
Updated 4:49 p.m. Aug. 20, 2019
Text and photos provided by the National Park Service Cape Hatteras National Seashore
At around noon today (Monday, Aug. 19), a small, single-engine plane crash-landed approximately 30 yards from the runway at Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Ocracoke Island Airport (W95). The pilot and one passenger walked away from the crash with “bumps and bruises,” EMS officials told the NPS.
According to Federal Aviation Administration documents, the pilot was Allen W. Sawyer of Garner, Wake County, who is also listed as the manufacturer. The FAA document deemed the aircraft “experimental,” and departed Johnston Regional Airport (JNX) in Smithfield, Johnson County, for Ocracoke Island Monday morning.
The crash landing occurred around mid-runway on the land side (not beach side) of the runway, so it did not occur close to Ramp 70, the NPS said. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) was immediately notified of the accident, but it is unknown if an investigation will occur.
The debris will be cleaned up by a contractor, the NPS said.
National Park Service rangers, Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Department, Hyde County Sheriff’s Department and Hyde County Emergency Medical Services responded to the accident.
EMS assessed bruises and treated for minor scratches, nothing further.
Sunday, Sept. 1, 2019 8:40 am
