- BHI Transportation, Inc. will be running ferries again today (9/19) from 10:00 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. There is still no tram service.
- Update on recovery.
- Village offices, including the IPC/PO, are closed today. Office staff are working remotely.
- Helpful links.
- Reminders: Swimming advisory, no visitors coming to BHI, no Village property inspections or assistance with disabled golf carts.
- Please check our social media and/or media webpage for more frequent updates.
Ferry Service & Trams
BHI Transportation, Inc. announced this morning that it will resume service today at 10:00 a.m. from Deep Point and will run as conditions allow until a final departure from BHI at 5:30 p.m. The Village is still under a State of Emergency and visitors who do not have an identified residence on the island will not be allowed to travel to the island. Tram service remains suspended due to the conditions of the island’s roads. As a reminder, the Department of Public Safety does not provide personal transport to the marina. The barge will not be running today. Please continue to check the BHIT website or app for updates.
Update on Recovery
Both 10-inch pumps have been pushing stormwater off the island at the ocean outfalls since 6:00 p.m. Tuesday (9/17). The BHI Club and Village continue to coordinate to push water through lagoon bypass and outfall at BHI Creek.
The Village crews continue repositioning the smaller pumps to efficiently remove stormwater from key locations. The Village is doing the best it can to remove water in the most efficient manner to make primary roads passable, then secondary roads will be considered, also in consideration is our utility equipment for water and sewer, and Duke Energy and Spectrum lines and equipment.
A few notes from the Public Services Director as he was out early this AM:
- Both sides of N Bald Head Wynd behind Village Hall and IPC/PO are now dry.
- Spikerush and W Bald Head Wynd is about 5 inches deep.
- Horsemint and W Bald Head Wynd is up to the pickup truck’s rocker panels.
- W Bald Head Wynd is dry on both sides from Sandpiper except for a little section as you head north to Black Skimmer Trail.
- Black Skimmer to Mourning Warbler is about 6-8 inches deep. This area is level with the lagoon along the fairway at the rear of these properties and pumping will resume when that lagoon is lowered within its banks.
- Near 304 Stede Bonnet is fairly deep.
- Stede Bonnet at Scoters Ct. is still about 10-12 inches deep.
- Stede Bonnet Wildlife Outlook to the north is clear except for a small section before Fort Holmes Trail. A short section before Dogwood and Dowitcher is still deep.
- A pump will be positioned on the west side of Federal where it’s about 10-12 inches deep. Federal is passable on the east side.
As roads are being cleared of water, Public Works is coming behind to sweep the roads of debris. The Village started spraying for mosquitos this morning as the standing water is a prime breeding area. Not all mosquitos carry diseases, but since there is a possibility they could, this measure is taken to protect the public’s health.
Village Offices Closed Today
Village offices remain closed today with office staff working remotely. You may contact them by email or phone (directory). The Island Package Center and Post Office is closed today due to limited ferry runs and the suspension of the barge.
Helpful Links
- Click Here to See Latest Brunswick County Road Conditions and Closures in Real-Time
- North Carolina Department of Transportation‘s DriveNC.gov map (using the Potential Tropical Cyclone filter)
- Brunswick County Sheriff’s Office, NC’s social media pages and mobile app.
- Bald Head Island Transportation, Inc. website.
- Barge website.
- Island Directory
- Village social media channels
- Village Emergency Preparedness webpage (what did you forget to do before this event?)
REMINDERS
Swimming Advisory
State officials have advised against swimming in coastal waters impacted by this storm, this includes the beaches and waterways of BHI. The advisory will remain in place until water testing can be completed and that is on hold until roads are safe on the mainland.
See the BHI Conservancy’s social post (HERE) to add some insight on what the advisory means.
Visitors Coming During SOE
The Village is currently under a State of Emergency and is recommending that all visitors, to include those who may be staying overnight, or for the week, not to come to the island. The trams are still not running because of the condition of the roads. There is no certainty in when the roads will be clear to allow the trams to begin operating again.
The roads on the mainland are still in very bad shape, we still have many employees who are having issues getting to work safely, and there is a swimming advisory. Keeping our roadways clear of additional traffic will also help us with our stormwater management response.
Property Inspections & Assistance with Disabled Carts
The Village does not inspect private properties at the request of property owners. Some may be confused by the “damage assessment” that was announced a few days ago. This is a “windshield” assessment for FEMA to estimate the amount of damage from a storm, it is a quick assessment of the outside of structures and simply a tick mark on a form indicating severity of damage. Years ago, when there were only a few hundred homes, the Village did inspections upon request after storm events, that has been discontinued some time ago with the increase in the number of homes built.
The Village has also received requests regarding disabled golf carts on private property. If you have a disabled golf cart, please contact one of the golf cart companies on the island (Island Directory HERE).
Updates on Social Media & Webpage
Continue to check our social media and/or media webpage for more frequent updates We aim to provide an email blast update every morning and evening as we recover from this event.