Photo: @danielpullen
Cape Hatteras, an island in the Outer Banks of North Carolina, offers some of the best waves on the East Coast.
Surfers from up and down the East Coast flock there when any big storm is approaching in the Atlantic, which will almost always provide excellent swells and surf conditions due to the Cape’s exposed position.
Unfortunately, this also means the island is more prone to beach erosion, which is taking a serious toll on the island. In addition to the daily effects of wind, waves, and tides, rising seas and more frequent storms in recent years have played a large role in coastal erosion impacts.
In Rodanthe and Buxton, located near Cape Hatteras National Seashore, the erosion has caused houses to collapse into the ocean.
“[This] may result in reduced beach access and safety for visitors, a loss of habitat for shorebirds and sea turtles, and, sometimes, structure collapses on Seashore beaches, resulting in many miles of beach debris” (NPS)
Erosion’s Damage on Cape Hatteras
Due to its location as a barrier island, Cape Hatteras is one of the highest-risk areas for hurricanes and tropical storm systems in the Atlantic Ocean along the entire U.S. East Coast.
One of the most significant effects of the erosion, which has been narrowing the shoreline, is that many privately owned properties are dangerously close to the water’s edge.
These homes, many of which were constructed in the 1970s-90s, are not built to withstand the ocean or storm’s power that they are now being exposed to. They must frequently withstand battering from strong winds and large waves.
The rising sea levels have brought the ocean to the threshold of many homes that were once several hundred feet from the shoreline.
People have lost their homes, and even more are at risk of losing their homes, and when these structures collapse, a considerable amount of debris is quickly washed away by the waves and litters the shoreline for several miles.
This is a potential hazard for beachgoers, both residents and visitors. The debris can also harm marine life and can result in a loss of habitat including shorebirds and sea turtles.
According to data from the National Parks Service (NPS), In 2024, four unoccupied homes collapsed into the ocean on May 28th, August 16th, September 20th, September 20th, September 24th, and November 14/15th. It can be inferred from the data that hurricane season plays a role in how many homes are put at risk at a given time, but there are structures at risk at any time of year in Cape Hatteras.
Risk to Surf
Three main groins that serve as surf spots in Cape Hatteras, Southernmost is the First and the northernmost is the Third.
Between the groins there are also plenty more waves of a little lesser quality. The First is the most popular of the breaks, famous for its consistent barreling lefts when Northeast swells hit the coast.
The erosion in Cape Hatteras affects the sandbars that help shape the waves that the area is so beloved by surfers for.
By eating away at these sandbars, the wave quality is typically
worsened and the surf spots become less and less consistent as the sandbars become weaker and are constantly moving and shrinking. The loose debris from collapsed buildings also pose a threat to surfers.
What’s Being Done to Fix This?
Although erosion is part of the natural cycles of the ocean, when it occurs at such a fast rate there are steps that can be taken to slow down and even reverse some effects of erosion.
In 2023, the NPS began a much needed program aiming to address the issues occurring along the Cape Hatteras National Seashore.
They ended up purchasing two oceanfront properties in Rodanthe that were at risk of collapsing which they were able to demolish safely before the properties could collapse and spread debris in the ocean.
By purchasing these properties through funding from the Land and Water Conservation Fund, the NPS gave the homeowners the ability to sell their properties for fair market value. The NPS continues to evaluate the possibility of purchasing more threatened homes in Cape Hatteras for this reason.
Another step in the right direction is newly proposed legislation that would grant homeowners insured by the National Flood Insurance Program more flexibility to manage natural disasters. This “Prevent Environmental Hazards Act of 2024” would provide funding to relocate or demolish threatened properties prior to collapse.
As of September 16th, it is still under review, but would aim to do the following:
● Authorize National Flood Information Program payouts for structures condemned due to chronic erosion or unusual flooding.
● Allow advance payouts for demolition or relocation: up to 40 percent of the home’s value or $250,000.
● Limit payouts to 40 percent if owners neglect to act before a collapse. ● Reduce confusion in attributing damage to specific floods.
● Encourage proactive demolition or relocation to prevent collapses and reduce cleanup costs.
Other projects and plans in place to help the situation in Cape Hatteras include communicating clean-up plans with owners of collapsed homes and supplementing this with community cleanup activities.
Closures around other threatened houses in Rodanthe are also put in place for visitor safety during severe weather events or as a result of rough surf conditions.
Public meetings regarding threatened oceanfront structures in Rodanthe are often hosted and the Threatened Oceanfront Structures Interagency Work Group engages with partner organizations and stakeholders to identify, research, and recommend policy and/or program improvements to establish more proactive, comprehensive, and predictable strategies for addressing structures at immediate risk of collapse (NC.Gov).
The Bottom Line
The ongoing challenges Cape Hatteras is facing due to erosion are disheartening, but there are ways to combat this and the NPS is working with local authorities and organizations to figure out the best way to protect and preserve Cape Hatteras.