A performance scheduled Saturday by the Salem Select Choir has been canceled.
The Salem Select Choir performance scheduled for Saturday night (March 10) in the Deepwater Theater has been canceled due to the uncertain condition of N.C 12 South from last weekend’s winter storm.
David Tweedie, director of Ocracoke Alive, which booked the return trip of this choir from Virginia Beach, Virginia, said the group hopes to reschedule later in the spring.
Under the direction of Lynne German, the choir is a small group of economically, socially and ethnically diverse students in Salem High School. The group performed last year.
Ocracoke recedes over the horizon on the ferry to Swan Quarter on Tuesday morning. Service to Hatteras resumed Tuesday evening. Photo: C. Leinbach
March 8: Finally, NC12 open and ferries running.
Update: Access to Ocracoke continues to fluctuate. From NC DOT this morning (March 7): Due to severe overnight overwash at Pea Island, Mirlo, and Ocracoke, NC 12 is now closed to ALL traffic between the Bonner Bridge and Rodanthe, as well as on Ocracoke between the Pony Pens and the Ferry Terminal. Also, ferries at Hatteras Inlet are not running until roads reopen.
N.C. 12 reopened Tuesday evening between the Bonner Bridge and Rodanthe, and the north end of Ocracoke Island. The highway was closed due to severe overwash and sand that began Saturday evening and continued through Monday.
Motorists are advised to drive with extreme caution since some sand and standing water will still be present at both locations. Some additional ocean overwash is also possible at high tide.
With the road reopened, ferry service has now been restored on the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route with the following schedule:
Tuesday, March 6: • From Hatteras: 6 p.m., 9 p.m., midnight • From Ocracoke: 7:30 & 10:30 p.m.
Wednesday, March 7: • From Hatteras: 6, 7, 9 and 10 a.m., 12, 1, 3, 4, 6 and 9 p.m., midnight • From Ocracoke: 4:30, 7:30, 8:30, 10:30 and 11:30 a.m., 1:30, 2:30, 4:30, 5:30, 7:30 and 10:30 p.m.
The route will resume its regular published schedule on Thursday, March 8.
Islanders and visitors have had to rely on the long ferry routes across the Pamlico Sound since the high winds abated on Sunday, but due to shoaling in Big Foot Slough just west of Ocracoke, these ferries have had abbreviated schedules and have limited the number and total weight of vehicles.
Ocracoke Postmaster Celeste Brooks said on Monday that no mail had been delivered or sent since Friday, nor packages delivered via UPS or FedEx, when N.C. 12 was closed due to ocean overwash from the high winds and ferry service was suspended. UPS service finally made it to the island on Tuesday, she said.
Ocracoke Postmaster Celeste Brooks with mail and packages awaiting to go on their way. Despite the lack of mail delivery since Friday, counter service has still been brisk. ‘This window has not quit,’ she said Monday. Photo: C. Leinbach
An overview and video presentation of the Island Inn project is the feature topic this year at the annual Ocracoke Preservation Society Spring Meeting today, Tuesday, March 6, 7 p.m. at the Community Center, 999 Irvin Garrish Hwy.
The ferry stacking lane at the north end of Ocracoke Island. Photo provided by NC Ferry Division
By Peter Vankevich
Getting on and off Ocracoke remains a challenge on Monday. Ferries were shut down Friday due to a passing storm that pummeled the Outer Banks with high winds and gusts over 50 mph.
Although the Ocracoke-Hatteras run was opened briefly Saturday evening, by dawn Sunday serious flooding from the shifting winds, caused significant damage to N.C. 12, especially on Hatteras Island closing NC 12 at Bonner Bridge. With the road closure went the ferry service. The Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries have also had intermittent runs.
Road crews worked to clear the roads, but a NCDOT N.C. 12 Facebook message Monday morning said the high tide overwash Sunday night wiped out the progress that the DOT crews made, and the road between the Bonner Bridge and Rodanthe remains closed.
On Ocracoke, N.C. 12 from just beyond the Pony Pens to the north end ferry terminal remains closed.
In many areas on Hatteras, including the tri-villages (Waves, Salvo and Rodanthe) and Avon, a lot of sand covering the roads will need to be removed. Standing water also impedes travel, and today’s 10 a.m. high tide was expected to contribute to damage.
Although the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry service is ready to resume, it is waiting for the road to be reopened, said Chris Bock, Ferry Division District 1 superintendent based in Hatteras.
“We have enough crew staff to run the routes, but we also have employees trying to get on the island,” he said. “Our primary goal right now is working the NCDOT to get equipment on Ocracoke and do whatever we can to help.”
Last week, the Ferry Division had placed temporary limits on total weight and 25 vehicles on the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter runs while shoaling issues are being resolved with the dredging of Big Foot Slough.
“But because we cannot run the Hatteras route, we upped the limit to 30 vehicles,” Bock said. “We are doing every bit we can to help Ocracoke.
Without the Hatteras ferry running, travelers should make reservations for the Cedar Island and Swan Quarter ferries to ensure a spot.
The Pamlico Sound ferries have already had many cancellations in the past few weeks due to low water and shoaling. Dredging in the sound has begun, but that, too, has been interrupted due to recent the adverse weather conditions.
There is no timeline on when N.C. 12 will reopen. One optimistic report said 3:30 p.m. Monday afternoon (approximate low tide), though that will depend on the damage assessment of the roads, which could prompt further delays. Even if the roads are open, vehicles will have to drive through standing water in many areas.
One video widely distributed on Facebook showed the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge Visitor Center inundated by roaring water from the ocean.
The Island Free Press has photos showing substantial damage to buildings on Hatteras Island, and noted that Hatteras schools are closed today.
NC 12 just beyond the Pony Pens. Photo by Peter Vankevich
Word Play at Coyote Den, Wednesdays in the winter. Bring a reading to share. Photo by Peter Vankevich
Monday, March 5 Community Center. Hyde County Commissioners. 6 p.m. Comments taken on offshore drilling at 5 p.m. Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Live Music, 7 pm
Tuesday, March 6 Canceled due to area construction: Coyote Music Den: Music Jam, all ages & levels, 6:30-8:30 pm. No charge, donations appreciated. Gaffer’s: Texas Hold ‘Em Poker, 7 pm Community Center. Ocracoke Preservation Society Spring Membership Meeting, 7 p.m. Quilt raffle tickets, dessert, update on Island Inn project. All welcome.
Wednesday, March 7 Canceled due to area construction: Coyote Music Den: Word Play, if you love words bring some to share, 7 to 8:30 pm. No charge, donations appreciated Gaffer’s: Trivia Night, 7 pm
Thursday, March 8 Ocracoke Bar & Grille: Live Music, 7 pm
Friday, March 9 Gaffer’s: Willis Gupton, 9 pm
Saturday, March 10 Ocracoke Oyster Co.: Martin Garrish, 6 pm Deepwater Theater: Salem Select Choir, 7 pm Canceled. May be rescheduled later in the spring. Ocracoke Bar and Grille: Live Music, 7 pm Gaffer’s: Willis Gupton, 8:30 pm
NCDOT works on clearing N.C. 12 at the north end of Ocracoke. Photo by Richard Taylor
To catch up on Ocracoke news, clickhere
Editor’s note: Access to the island is changing frequently until roads are cleared and the storm system has moved on. Expect both ferry runs and disruptions for a little longer. N.C. Ferry Division phone numbers are listed below for more information.
By Peter Vankevich
Early Saturday evening the N.C. Ferry Division tweeted that the Hatteras-Ocracoke route had resumed after being suspended on Friday due to high winds and water. That back-to-normal was short-lived.
Sunday morning the Ferry Division again suspended service to Hatteras and Ocracoke islands until the roads are cleared.
The N.C. Department of Transportation posted early Sunday morning that N.C. 12 was closed from the Bonner Bridge to Rodanthe where several areas are sand-covered and have deep standing water. To stay current on that situation, visit https://tims.ncdot.gov/tims/RegionSummary.aspx?ro=3810.
Travel may likely be disrupted over the next several high tide cycles.
High tides on Sunday are 9:19 a.m. and 9:43 p.m.; low tides 3:40 a.m. and 4:01 p.m. Monday high tides will be 10:02 a.m. and 10:29 p.m.; low tides, 4:30 a.m. and 4:42 p.m.
On Ocracoke, over wash and sand caused road closure near mile post 75 (near the South Dock terminal) while the NCDOT maintenance crew worked on clearing it. A warning on the NC DOT sign leaving the village indicated the road was closed ahead and Hyde County Sheriff’s Deputies blocked the highway just north of milepost 76. Reopening time remains unclear.
The good news is the Sunday ferry departures are running on schedule, at least for today. These are the routes and times: 1 p.m. Ocracoke to Cedar Island; 1:30 p.m. Ocracoke to Swan Quarter; 4:30 p.m. Cedar Island to Ocracoke and 4:30 p.m. Swan Quarter to Ocracoke.
The Pamlico Sound routes, however, are still hampered by shoaling and dredging was suspended due to the storm system for safety reasons.
Travelers should contact the Ferry Division for departure information. The telephone numbers for updates are 252-996-6000 for the Hatteras Terminal; 252-928-1665 for the Ocracoke terminal; 252-225-7411 for the Cedar Island terminal; and 252-926-6021 for the Swan Quarter terminal.
The Cape Hatteras National Seashore reported the following on Sunday:
Other areas of NC Highway 12 and side roads may also have hazardous driving conditions that should be avoided.
The Atlantic Ocean has over-washed the dunes in multiple locations along both Hatteras and Ocracoke Islands.
High surf conditions have resulted in extremely hazardous conditions on and directly behind beaches.
Walking and driving on beaches is not recommended until hazardous conditions subside later this week.
Potentially hazardous ocean debris may wash ashore and buried items may be exposed during storm conditions.
The U.S. Coast Guard reported that 70 cargo containers fell off of a cargo ship Saturday night, about 17 miles off Oregon Inlet, North Carolina. Seashore visitors should report sightings of cargo containers either offshore or on the beach to Dare County’s non-emergency line at 252-473-3444. Richard Taylor contributed to this story.
Sunday morning heads-up for those considering the ferry, which closed. Photo by Richard Taylor
Ocracoke is used to inconveniences due to bad weather.
The National Weather Service had forecast a coastal storm starting late Thursday and stalling off the Mid-Atlantic coast over the weekend. Gale-force wind speeds all day Friday and into Saturday forced suspension of both island ferry routes, which delayed printing of the March issue of the Ocracoke Observer.
“Although it seems like the stormy conditions are winding down, there is still the threat of coastal flooding, and very high waves on the Outer Banks through the rest of the weekend, ” Shane Kearns of the National Weather Service in Morehead City, reported Saturday night. “We still have a coastal flood warning for Outer Banks Dare county for significant beach erosion, and ocean over wash during the next few high tides.”
Minor sound side flooding is expected to occur over night and Sunday morning as winds shift a bit more to the north and push water into down east Carteret County, Ocracoke and parts of southern Hatteras Island, Kearns said.
The Hatteras ferry resumed runs Saturday afternoon, and the sound side ferries were still suspended Saturday night, but the Observer expects March issues on the island Monday evening.
Ocracoke to Hatteras at dawn. Photo: Peter Vankevich
Upate for Sunday, March 4. From the N.C. Ferry Division: Morning departures from Ocracoke, Cedar Island, and Swan Quarter are suspended due to high winds. Conditions will be reevaluated for the noon departures. For information call: 252-928-5311, 252-926-6021, or 252-225-7411
Second update, Sunday, March 4, 10:17 a.m.: With N.C. 12 closed on both Hatteras and Ocracoke islands, the Hatteras-Ocracoke ferry route will be suspending service until road conditions improve.
The N.C. Ferry Division announced early Saturday evening that the Hatteras to Ocracoke Ferry route resumed its normal schedule starting with Hatteras 6 p.m. and Ocracoke 6:15 p.m. Service was suspended Friday morning due to high winds that continued into Saturday.
For more information on the Hatteras route, please call 252 996-6000.
While other routes also resumed, the Cedar Island/Ocracoke and Swan Quarter/Ocracoke routes did not run again today. Apart from the stormy weather, there have been cancellations due to shoaling.
For information regarding these routes, call 252-928-5311, 252-225-7411, or 252-926-6021.
Ingrid Contreras reads to Sayde Sanchez, Imanol Guerrero and Angel Garcia during Read Across America Day at Ocracoke School. Photo by Richard Taylor
By Richard Taylor
High winds, choppy seas and canceled ferries could not keep the spirit of Dr. Seuss away from the island on his 114th birthday Friday morning.
As a new participant in the National Education Association’s “Read Across America Day” program, Ocracoke School elementary teachers marched dozens of their charges into “the tank,” the school gym.
Many got into the spirit of the day wearing iconic red-and-white top hats in honor of the most famous of Seuss’s characters, the Cat in the Hat—the main character of Seuss’ 1957 classic of the same name.
Some kids sported homemade hats while Adam “Coach B” Burleson distributed pre-made versions.
For 45 minutes, some 26 groups of three or more sat sprawled around the gym floor, as older students read the Dr. Seuss and other books to younger listeners.
Carolyn Novak reads to Pre-K students. Photo by Richard Taylor
“This should happen every Friday,” quipped Assistant Principal Mary McKnight. Sitting under a basket she knew all too well, senior Ingrid Contreras, a Lady Dolphins basketball star, read to second-grader Sadye Sanchez and third-graders Imanol Guerrero and Angel Garcia.
“Read Across America is an annual reading motivation and awareness program that invites every child in every community to celebrate reading on March 2, the birthday of beloved children’s author Dr. Seuss,” the NEA’s website says. The nationwide program began 20 years ago.
Teachers looked on admiringly, then handed each participant a red-lettered NEA certificate for “Seussational Achievement” in reading.
Principal Leslie Cole initialized the program here this year but could not attend. McKnight said nearly 100 students signed up locally to participate in this special reading celebration.
