By Connie Leinbach

Officials on Ocracoke are optimistic that the island will open Monday for visitors, Hyde County Manager Bill Rich said today.

“We will make a final determination on Saturday,” Rich said, noting that the island is expecting high winds tomorrow (Friday) and Saturday which may bring more tide onto an already soaked island.  “Friday will be the windiest.”

The group making the determination is the Ocracoke Deputy Control Group, composed of county officials, law enforcement officials and business owners who assess emergencies and make recommendations to the Hyde County commissioners.

Dare County began letting visitors back onto the southern Outer Banks on Thursday, and will let visitors into Frisco on Friday and Hatteras on Saturday.

In the meantime, he said the debris contractor is scheduled to arrive on the island on Tuesday and begin pick up island-wide on Wednesday.

Rich said David Hallac, superintendent of the Cape Hatteras National Seashore, has offered help and will allow the debris to be taken to the Lifeguard Beach parking lot where the debris contractor will determine how many trash disposal transports will be needed for the job.

He said a group of four United Methodist Committee on Relief (UMCOR) volunteers will arrive on the island tomorrow to determine how they can help anywhere islanders need it.

Anyone needing physical help with repairs, cutting trees, hauling or whatever should visit them tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 13) from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. or 8 a.m to noon Saturday in the Community Center.

After that, they will assess what is needed and gear up based on demand, Rich said.

He also said he expects to hear today or tomorrow (Friday) whether Hyde County has received “Individual Assistance” designation from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA).  This designation will expedite islanders’ obtaining financial assistance for losses from the storm.

Rich said once the designation is obtained, Gov. Pat McCrory’s office will supply the correct forms on the Hyde County website.

“People will be able to begin to fill out the forms to get a jump on this process,” Rich said.

Island businesses are beginning to reopen. Among those open are Jason’s Restaurant, Ocracoke Bar & Grille, Zillie’s Island Pantry and Island Vibe. The  Magic Bean Coffee Shop is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m and until 4 p.m. on Sunday. The Ocracoke Coffee Shop is open mornings beginning at  7 a.m. Daijo reopens Friday through Sunday from 5 to 10 p.m., and the Flying Melon is open from 5 to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday.

Eduardo’s Taco Stand opens for breakfast tomorrow and Gaffer’s opens tomorrow at 3 p.m. 

Howard’s Pub will open as soon as visitors are allowed.

The Variety Store resumes its seasonal 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. open hours tomorrow; the Community Store is open 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow through the weekend. Both received deliveries today and are well stocked.

The WOVV radio tower was destroyed during Hurricane Matthew and they are unable to broadcast by radio. Citizens can tune in and obtain the most current Ocracoke news by live streaming their programs at www.wovv.org.

Ocracoke School goes back into session on Friday and its Homecoming event will go on as scheduled, starting with a hot dog sale at 4:30 p.m.

Hyde County has waived all permit fees for reconstruction necessary due to Hurricane Matthew, however permits are still required by the Hyde County Building Inspector’s Office. 

Latest weather forecast:

Over the weekend, islanders should prepare for more weather challenges since a coastal flood advisory from the National Weather Service is in effect now until 8 p.m. Tuesday.

Minor to moderate coastal flooding and a high threat of rip currents along the Outer Banks is forecast for all beaches through Friday evening.

Water levels of one to two feet above normal are expected through Friday adjacent to Pamlico Sound then increasing to 2 to 3 feet above normal this weekend into early next week.

Gusty north winds will result in higher water levels on the Pamlico Sound on Friday. Water levels will remain elevated on the sound through early next week due to large amounts of flood waters draining into the tidal creeks from Matthews heavy rains.

High astronomical tides will create minor to moderate coastal flooding this weekend into early next week. High water will flood roads and may impact some properties.

Oct. 12, 2016. 11:24 a.m.

The Ocracoke-Hatteras ferry has begun service today but still only for residents, property owners, vendors, and critical infrastructure personnel with required documentation.

Hyde County’s re-entry restrictions remain in effect for all Ocracoke-bound ferries.

The route will run a daylight-hours only operation for the rest of the day Wednesday, Oct. 12 with an anticipated return to full scheduled service on Thursday, Oct. 13.

At this point, all seven North Carolina ferry system routes have returned to service in the aftermath of Hurricane Matthew. 

The following is from Dare County Emergency Services:

The North Carolina Department of Transportation has worked diligently to clear sand and water from NC Highway 12 on Hatteras Island and has indicated that conditions will soon allow for safe travel.

All Hatteras Island volunteer fire departments and emergency service personnel are working closely with Dare County Emergency Management to ensure that the necessary resources and infrastructure are in place in preparation for the arrival of visitors.

Based on current conditions, the Dare County Control Group has determined that visitors will be allowed access to the villages of Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon and Buxton beginning 7 a.m. on Thursday (Oct. 13).

Previous restrictions remain in place for areas south of  Buxton, Back Road and NC 12 (NC SR 1232 at Cape Hatteras Secondary School), including the villages of Frisco and Hatteras Village. Residents, non-resident property owners and non-resident employees of businesses with proper reentry passes will be allowed access.

It is important for visitors coming to unrestricted villages check with their rental company or accommodations provider to confirm reservations before traveling to the area since some properties were impacted and require repairs. Please be mindful that many residents and businesses of the island have suffered significant impacts and are in the process of recovering so your patience and understanding is truly appreciated.

There is still sand and water on roadways and motorists should proceed with caution. Go slowlhere.y through standing water because creating wake will cause damage to vehicles and nearby properties.

For Ocracoke news, click here.

Update as of 2:41 p.m.: Electric power is restored to Ocracoke. If it has not in any island households, call 800 882-1001.

For Ocracoke news, including earlier stories on Hurricane Matthew,  click here.

Monday, Oct. 10, 2016;  1 p.m.

By Connie Leinbach

Ocracoke on Monday continues to assess damage and clean up after the passage of Hurricane Matthew on Sunday.

The Variety Store was the place to be Monday as residents mingled inside and on the porch, sipping complimentary coffee and discussing the storm and its aftermath.

Since the store has a generator, coffee was available as well as cell phone charging ports.

“We have all kinds of connectors here,” said clerk Trudy Austin. “And coffee is on the house.”

In addition to food, bleach, mops and brooms were hot items.

Hyde County Manager Bill Rich reported after the morning meeting of the Ocracoke Deputy Control Group that a lot of information is still coming in.

As for electricity, he said that Tideland EMC is optimistic that power will be restored later today.

Rich said local crews have repaired three of the four damaged poles at the north end of the island along Highway 12. They are working on the fourth one today.

“Bobby O’Neal and his crew did a great job,” Rich said.  

The N.C. Department of Transportation’s Ferry Division has received conditional approval from the U.S. Coast Guard to resume service to and from Ocracoke Island for first responders only. Service was suspended due to hazardous conditions caused by Hurricane Matthew.

The schedule for service today is as follows:
1 p.m. Swan Quarter and Cedar Island to Ocracoke
1 p.m. Ocracoke to Cedar Island
4 p.m. Cedar Island to Ocracoke and Ocracoke to Cedar Island

Crews are currently conducting test runs on the Hatteras Inlet route to Ocracoke.

Full passenger operations remain suspended until the Ferry Division receives clearance from the Coast Guard. Once approved, service will resume under the guidelines of Hyde County’s re-entry protocols.

As for clean-up, Rich said the county is poised to hire a debris clean-up contractor who will arrive on the island sometime soon to assess damage.  Property owners should put tree debris only out on the streets.

The Ocracoke Volunteer Fire Company today will make an island-wide assessment of home and business damage.

The Control Group will meet again today at 5 p.m.

Important safety message from Hyde County officials:

If there’s any chance that your car wires got wet, disconnect your car battery immediately. There’s a chance that batteries can spontaneously catch fire.

“During Hurricane Alex (2004), when vehicles got flooded with water, they exploded,” Hyde County Manager Bill Rich said today.

The county advises all not to play in the flooded water, especially in bare feet or bare legs. There are lots of contaminants in the flood surge. (See graphic below).

As for Dare County, just north of Ocracoke, damage assessment teams are working to assess the conditions caused by Hurricane Matthew, according to a press release today.

Entry to Dare County and to Currituck County’s Outer Banks continues to be restricted because significant portions of Dare County are still experiencing hazardous road conditions and power outages. 

Residents attempting travel between the Bonner Bridge and Rodanthe are advised to use extreme caution due to large amounts of sand and water on NC Highway 12.  NCDOT is working to address the situation.  Until conditions improve, only residents and essential personnel with permits should attempt to travel this area and do so only in high-profile 4-wheel drive vehicles.

The National Park Service reports that there are no planned openings of any visitor services or facilities today for Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, or Wright Brothers National Memorial.

Safety assessments began yesterday afternoon, and work crews are on the grounds this morning to begin necessary clean-up and repairs. Services and facilities will reopen once clean-up and repairs are completed, and as staff are able to return to work.

WOVV lost its transmission tower for 90.1 FM, but is still broadcasting online at wovv.org. Officials said today they do not know when restoration of FM broadcasting will resume.

Ocracoke School will remain closed tomorrow (Tuesday).

Oct. 9, 2016, 4 p.m.

For Ocracoke news, click here.

By Connie Leinbach

Hurricane Matthew brushed by Ocracoke last night bringing high winds and high storm surge.

Windy conditions began Saturday evening then struck in earnest around 4 a.m. today (Sunday) until mid-morning.

Power went out island-wide around 4:30 a.m., and word today from Tideland Electric Membership Corporation said four poles on the beach were broken. Power would not be restored today as repairs will depend on flood levels.  

Hyde County Manager Bill Rich said the word he got from Tideland was they were hopeful the power would be restored later Monday. As of 4:30 p.m., there was no word from Tideland about starting up the generator on the island.

Islanders were out at first light walking in the flooded streets.

“It’s the most water I’ve ever seen in my 41 years,” said islander Valerie Mason this afternoon, adding that the water has gone down a great deal since this morning.

Her husband, Kenny, walked around and took pictures of islanders’ cars at the NPS parking lot, which is a spot where many islanders park their cars in such weather events.

“The NPS parking lot was a moat,” she said about the surrounding water on the roads.

Mason, who has a portable generator, has posted numerous photos of the flooding on Facebook.

Jesse Spencer, who has the Beach Tow business here, was out in his motor boat around 8:30 a.m. picking up workers for Tideland and the water plant.

“I have about six inches more of tide in my yard than for Hurricane Alex,” he said. Alex, which struck the island in 2004, was the highest recorded flood waters on the island.

Matthew’s surge numbers may make a new record.

 Though the Ocracoke Deputy Control Group was supposed to meet today, conditions did not allow it, said Rich.

“Too many people don’t have power to their cell phones,” he said.  The group will meet tomorrow at 10:30 a.m.

Justin Gibbs, Hyde County Emergency Services Director, said in an interview that there were no rescues of anyone on either Ocracoke or the mainland.  There was minor damage and less storm surge than the last two storms.

“Then the wind shifted out of the north, it pushed a lot of the water out,” he said about the mainland, which experienced significant flooding from Hurricane Hermine over the Labor Day weekend.

“It’s a historic event for Ocracoke,” he said about Matthew. “I’m just pleased everyone made it through safely. We have material damage, but that can be rebuilt.
Across the state, flooding and damage has been considerably higher.

“People evacuating from South Carolina went to the North Carolina piedmont area and had to be re-evacuated from there,” Gibbs said. “(Elsewhere) there have been deaths and people missing.”

It was a frustrating storm owing to Matthew’s shifts and changes, and Gibbs said a mandatory evacuation for residents would have resulted in sending them also into the middle of the state.

The storm surge level Gibbs recorded was four feet seven inches, Gibbs reported.

 From the National Weather Service, on the forecast track as of 2 p.m., the center of Matthew was moving farther offshore of the coast of the North Carolina Outer Banks this afternoon and tonight. A gradual weakening is forecast during the next day or so, and the low is expected to be absorbed within a frontal boundary Monday night.

Tropical storm conditions are expected to continue over the warning area are diminishing.

Storm surge:  While levels should subside by this evening the rising tide and wind are still a factor.

The Ocracoke Variety Store is open until 6 p.m. tonight and will open again at 8 a.m.

Ocracoke School is cancelled tomorrow (Monday).

The N.C. Ferry Division has not issued any information as to when ferry service will resume.

WOVV lost its transmission tower for 90.1 FM, but is still broadcasting at wovv.org.