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From: Tiderunner
Date: 9/23/2023
Time: 10:10:39 AM
So, should we start numbering the storms named Ophelia that come to CALO?
I was on the island in 2005 when one came. It was only a Cat. 1 hurricane and I wanted to stay but they made me leave so I went to a friend's on Harkers Island to wait for it to pass. Well, that was a big mistake. It didn't pass! She sat off Drum Inlet for 3 days and blew and blew and blew some more. I was tracking it on a NOAA map twice a day, I would log the position. It did not move, one day it moved north 3 miles, then the next it moved south 2 miles.
At that time the north end of South Core was about a mile from the south end of North Core and the inlet was named New Drum Inlet. After the storm there was now Ophelia Inlet with a small island in between.
Staying on Harkers was not that pleasant. The Power went out and the temperature went up. Hot and muggy for sure; And the Park did not open back up for about a week as the ferry operators had to rebuild their docks and the park service had to repair the water and roads and docks out there on the islands.
Even though this Ophelia didn't make it to Hurricane status it didn't miss by much. At 5 AM today it was blowing SE 64 MPH with gust to 76 at the weather tower.
I'm sure that exposed a lot more of the old vehicles down by the lighthouse.
I do love a good storm on the beach but waiting one out on Harkers Island was not nearly as much fun..
Hope all our friends down East didn't have too much damage and that the park will get back open soon.
TR