State parks return to normal schedule

Updated at 3:46 p.m.

Cape Lookout National Seashore just announced that all park areas as services will fully resume on Saturday.

State parks in the area are returning to normal schedule this weekend while the national seashore has partially reopened following Hurricane Earl.

Fort Macon State Park reopened Friday and ferry service and camping at Bear Island at Hammocks Beach State Park is scheduled to resume today, according to the N.C. Division of Parks and Recreation.

At Cape Lookout National Seashore, preliminary assessments found only minor impacts to park facilities such as shingles missing from some of the buildings., Superintendent Russel Wilson announced.

All of Shackleford Banks and the Cape area of South Core Banks south of Milepost 40 reopened to passenger ferries, private boats and pedestrian use at noon Friday.

Great Island and Long Point cabin camps and the Portsmouth Village area remain closed.

South Core Banks and North Core Banks continue to be closed to vehicle use while the park staff work to assess the safety of vehicle routes and to re-establish the posting of nesting closures disrupted by high wind, waves, and tides associated with the hurricane.

Coastal residents and officials in Onslow and Pender counties breathed a collective sigh of relief Friday.

After assessing the beach areas, Alan Libby, Surf City’s tourism director, said there was next to no damage following Hurricane Earl’s passage off the coast. Surf City Pier lost one brace, but was open for business. There were no breaches and very little of the dune protection was compromised.

Town Manager Steve Foster said it was clear sailing at North Topsail Beach — there were no breaches, minimal escarpment and no reportable damage.

Seaview Pier in North Topsail Beach had one broken light and even remained open to visitors during the storm so those interested could watch the ocean, said Greg Ludlum, the owner.

Norman Bryson, the deputy director of Onslow County Emergency Services, said there were no reports of any issues throughout Onslow County. He said winds and rains Thursday evening and into the early hours Friday remained light for the most part.

In a 2 a.m. survey of a few roadways he said there were no traveling issues, and he heard of no reports of any problems along any of the areas roadways. No power outages were reported.

The three emergency shelters closed at 6 a.m. this morning.

BOGUE BANKS – After early morning assessments, hurricane damage was minimal on Bogue Banks and its beach towns are welcoming people back for the Labor Day holiday weekend.

The towns along the Carteret County barrier island – including Emerald Isle, Atlantic Beach, Pine Knoll Shores and Indian Beach – announced Friday morning that they had lifted the state of emergency, ended an evacuation order and terminated a Thursday night curfew.

The high-rise bridges at Atlantic Beach and Emerald Isle are open to traffic and the island is back in business.

“Atlantic Beach was extremely lucky and sustained virtually no damage as Hurricane Earl passed by us offshore,” said Atlantic Beach Mayor Trace Cooper.

Cooper said all Labor Day weekend events are continuing as scheduled, including Bluegrass at the Beach, an outdoor concert by The Hotwires, set for 5:30 tonight on the Circle boardwalk. Seaside Cinema by the Sea, an outdoor movie night, will be held tonight and Sunday.

Emerald Isle officials are also welcoming residents and visitors beck in time for what is expected to be a beautiful weekend for the beach.

“We expect Friday to evolve into a beautiful day, and the Labor Day weekend weather forecast is sunny with highs in the mid 80s. It should be an absolutely gorgeous weekend in Emerald Isle. Come and visit,” said Emerald Isle Town Manager in a morning storm update.

Emerald Isle reportedly received only a “slight glancing blow” from Hurricane Earl, whose center passed approximately 200 miles east of Emerald Isle at approximately 2 a.m.

Maximum recorded winds at the Emerald Isle fire station were 34 mph though higher gusts were likely present along the oceanfront and soundfront areas.

In Pine Knoll Shores, town officials reported that roads were clear and no power outages were reported during the storm.

The Emerald Isle bridge is open, town officials said.

Maximum recorded winds at the Emerald Isle Fire Station were 34 mph, although higher gusts were likely present along the ocean front and sound front areas, according to the EI website. Rainfall totals were minimal, with no significant storm water issues.  A full assessment of beach erosion will occur later today.