Hurricanes and Community

Growing up on Hatteras Island in the 80's and 90's was an incredibly unique experience. And no it was nothing like the modern Netflix version of The Outer Banks. We didn't have to hunt for treasure because we were surrounded by it. Open beaches, world class fishing, and some of the best waves on the East Coast. We also had frequent hurricanes and a very tight knit community.

Sticking out into the middle of the Atlantic Ocean along the edge of the continental shelf had it's perks, as the Gulf Stream passed close by for the fishermen and we were open to any swell direction to the surfers' delight. Hatteras being a barrier island (a glorified sandbar) at the edge of the world made us extremely vulnerable to extreme weather conditions. Now, even more so as the sands continue to shift west and sea levels rise.

There are only two ways off the island: The ferry system which required a 45min ride to Ocracoke and then another 2 hour ferry to the mainland; or a harrowing drive between shifting sand dunes and constant over wash to get over the Herbert C Bonner Bridge (Now replaced by the Marc Basnight Bridge and the newest Rodanthe Bridge, or "the jug handle", oh and the other one when the old inlet, called New Inlet, reformed). It didn't take much for the ferry system to shut down when foul weather approached and the roads were constantly undermined and over washed anytime the wind blew more than 20 mph and the waves got big.  Oh, and there was that one time a barge came loose during a Nor'Easter and took out a 100 yard section of the bridge...and at least two hurricanes that carved new inlets into the middle of the island. 

In a fragile, yet rugged, environment you had to always be prepared. Flashlights, candles, and the weather radio were always within an arms length for constant power outages. Generators were always topped up and ready to go and pantries were always stocked in case the island got cutoff from delivery trucks.

Hurricanes were always a threat whether they made direct impact or not. But one of things I have kept with me is the sense of community before, during, and after a storm. With each impending hurricane I vividly remember the efficiency of every single community member preparing their homes for the storm and then moving on to help their neighbors. Once your windows were boarded up and outdoor furniture put away, you moved on down the road to make sure the next home or business was taken care of.

As the wind and rains came, people would move their vehicles to the highest ground possible, and there wasn't much. Once the tourists were gone and evacuated, nearly everyone remained on the island. Some would stay in their homes to perform damage control should anything happen, but many of them who lived in more vulnerable homes would gather with friends and family in the safest places they could. One of those places happened to be the Cape Pines Motel in Buxton. In 1987 my family moved from the windy city of Chicago to the windy coast and spent 20 years running, renovating, and refurbishing one of the oldest, safest motels on the island. We sat dead center in the middle of Buxton on higher ground than most of the island. Hurricanes were one of the times we were really glad that we weren't one of few non-oceanfront motels. During storms, our rooms would fill with locals depending on which way the wind was blowing, we would all hang out on the leeward side porches sharing stories, snacks, and taking bets on how high the water was going to come up. 

After the rain bands stopped and the tropical storm force winds had died to a measly 40mph, you would begin to see folks slowly making their way out to assess the damage. An easily recognizable neighbor's truck would pass slowly through the flooded streets in front of the Red Drum Tackle Shop making its best attempt not to kick up the corrosive salt water, almost like a boat through a no wake zone. A couple friends on bikes would pedal by Conner's Supermarket dodging broken limbs in the middle of the street with a cold Fresca in hand (We had cases of Clearly Canadian stocked up). Then in the deeper areas closer to the ocean over wash, business owners and locals alike would be in waders or have their pants jacked up to their thighs (High water walkers) attempting to salvage what they could knowing it could be some time before the water fully receded. 

But then almost immediately, once it was safe, the entire island would kick into gear (well...after the wind went offshore and we got to surf one last time before the swell disappeared!). The boots and gloves went on and everyone hit the ground. The following days and weeks were always a testament to the human spirit, solidarity, and community. If you and your property were good, you moved on to the next home or business to help do whatever was necessary. Everyone knew their strengths and contributed, because we never knew how long it would be til help arrived from FEMA the Salvation Army or National Guard. Whether it was debris removal, running chainsaws, tearing out carpet and drywall, feeding volunteers, or giving friends a place to stay while their homes dried out everyone chipped in. When Hurricane Isabel cut an inlet between Frisco and Hatteras, the boat captains from the villages "bussed" the kids to school everyday until the gap was filled and the road rebuilt. 

Fast forward to Wilmington, NC September 14th, 2018. Hurricane Florence changed things for the Cape Fear region forever. It had been a long time since a storm of this magnitude directly impacted our coast. I originally came to Wilmington in 1998 when I attended UNCW. I became a permanent resident in 2006 and have seen plenty of storms come and go through North Carolina in that time. This one was different. It sat for days, took a turn south, soaked the ground, flooded places that had never seen water, knocked down trees whose roots had nothing left to hold onto, and left our region devastated.

Enter, Port City Proud! Within a week a small group of friends had banded together, started a Facebook page and from there, the entire Wilmington community jumped on board. Surfers, realtors, construction workers, photographers, WB Ocean Rescue, and people from all walks of Wilmington life threw on their boots and gloves, grabbed their chainsaws and sought ought those in need. Volunteers helped to remove trees and debris that had fallen on people's houses, into their yards, all over town. Even well into October there were still folks who hadn't the means or the physical ability to take care of some of the damage, and/or were too far down the list as professional crews and insurance adjusters became overwhelmed. It was amazing to see a diverse group of people pooling their resources, time, and talent together to help complete strangers, simply because they were in need. For those who couldn't run a chainsaw, they drove tractors, dragged limbs to the curb, hauled debris away, brought snacks and water to the crews, and did whatever they could to help bring our community back to a state of normalcy. 

It's been some time since we've experienced anything like Florence, but with our recent close encounter with Debby I, like many others probably, was feeling a combination of anxious excitement and being on high alert/prepared for the worst. I know the PCP volunteers were standing by with chainsaws sharpened and oiled waiting for the bat signal to go up, as were others. It is amazing how something that is otherwise so dangerous and destructive can pull together a community, big or small, bridging socioeconomic, racial, political, and religious divides.

With this hurricane season ramping up, we should all be prepared to protect our own homes, but let's also be prepared to take care of our fellow neighbors when the time comes! 

Visit our Storm Disaster Resource Page to prepare yourself for the next storm and contact us if you have questions about protecting your property or getting involved with recovery efforts in your area. Here at Wells we are all about giving back to our local communities and are always on the lookout for opportunities to serve. Check out some of the other ways Wells Gives Back to the local community and maybe you will also find some fun ways to get involved!