OUTER BANKS, N.C. (WAVY) – On Tuesday, WAVY Digital Desk Host Sarah Goode spoke with David Hallac, the superintendent of national parks of Eastern North Carolina about erosion in the Outer Banks. Watch the conversation in the video player.
Hallac manages Cape Hatteras National Seashore, Fort Raleigh National Historic Site, and Wright Brother National Memorial. According to the National Park Service, Cape Hatteras National Seashore is the first national seashore in the United States and was established in 1937.
“In general, along all 75 miles, of seashore, we’re basically, in the long-term, seeing a trend of erosion, meaning the shoreline is moving,” Hallac said. The Outer Banks are made up of barrier islands. According to Hallac, barrier islands are shaped by the ocean and the wind. During events like high surf advisories, nor’easters, tropical storms, or hurricanes, large amounts of sand move around, resulting in significant erosion.
Rodanthe is one area experiencing significant erosion. On March 13, a house in Rodanthe collapsed into the Atlantic Ocean. It was about a mile north of several collapses last year.In the chat, Hallac discussed how homeowners can prepare, clean-up efforts as homes collapse, the costs of replenishment, and more.
Hallac encourages the public to visit their first national seashore and wants to put erosion in perspective. “The other unincorporated villages, and all Ocracoke Island, is not dealing with the same challenges right now. Even in Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, there is plenty of pristine, beautiful beach to enjoy.”
