The Village of Bald Head Island is terminating its state of emergency in response to Tropical Storm Debby, effective 12:00 p.m. today (August 9, 2024).
Village Updates:
Village administrative offices are closed today, and staff are working remotely. You can contact them via phone or email.
The Island Package Center/Post Office is open today until 3:00 p.m. and will be open tomorrow (Saturday 8/10). So far today they have received five pallets of FedEx/UPS packages and USPS dollies are regularly making their way over via ferry. Please continue to use our package tracker (HERE) to check the status of your packages.
Public Works crews have been on the island today cleaning up debris and doing what they can to help drain the stormwater off the roads. A few spots (i.e., entrance to BHI Club and Cape Fear Trail) will take a little longer to dry out. Village staff have coordinated with BHI Club staff to assess the lagoon levels. The parties decided it was best to release some excess water from the lagoons as a precaution and in preparation for possible future heavy rainfall events.
GFL, the Village’s solid waste contractor, is on the island today and is doing its best to catch up from yesterday’s missed pickup. Household trash can also be taken to the trash compactors at Public Works at any time.
Guidance for Islanders:
The rip current risk remains HIGH. This means that life-threatening rip currents are likely in the surf zone. The surf is dangerous for all levels of swimmers. Swimming in these conditions not only puts individual swimmers at risk but also risks the lives of our Public Safety Officers. Always “Know Before You Go” and check the beach forecast before you decide to swim in the ocean.
In addition, the NC Department of Environmental Quality (DEQ) is advising against swimming in coastal waters impacted by Tropical Storm Debby. This is due to the stormwater runoff that can contain elevated levels of harmful bacteria that drain into coastal water bodies. On BHI this would mainly apply to the creeks and not the waters adjacent to the high frontal dune system since the Village did not pump stormwater into the ocean for this event. Read the DEQ’s full advisory HERE.