Thursday, September 28, 2023
By Outer Banks Voice on September 7, 2023
For the third time this week, a visitor has died after being pulled from the ocean off Dare County. On Sept. 4, a 28-year-old Washington D.C. woman could not be revived after being pulled from the ocean near Avon, and on Sept. 5, a 68-year-old Ohio man died after swimming off southern Hatteras Island.
This new release from the Town of Nags Head, sent on Sept. 7, reports on the latest death.
A 36-year-old man from Enfield, Connecticut has died after being pulled from the ocean in Nags Head yesterday evening.
Nags Head Fire and Ocean Rescue and Police Departments responded to a 911 call at approximately 5:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Sept. 6 after receiving a report of a man in distress in the ocean about 50 yards north of Nags Head Fishing Pier in the 3300 block of South Virginia Dare Trail.
Arriving first on the scene, an Ocean Rescue guard quickly pulled the man from the water. The guard immediately began cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Dare County Emergency Medical Services transported him to the Outer Banks Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Beachgoers are reminded to swim near a lifeguard, never swim alone, and learn about rip current safety before entering the ocean.
Nags Head Ocean Rescue provides water rescue services from April through October. Through September 30, staffed lifeguard stands are present at the Bonnett, Epstein, and Gulfstream public beach accesses. Guards on roving ATVs are patrolling the beach through October 31, though this may change due to staffing levels.
For local information on water and beach safety, visit LovetheBeachRespecttheOcean.com.
The Town of Nags Head’s thoughts are with the man’s family and friends after this tragic event.
Thank you to the good Samaritan on the beach and to Dare County EMS for their assistance with this call.
SEE ALSO: Visitor from Ohio dies in waters off Hatteras
28-year-old visitor dies in water off Avon
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Travis
The beach is one of our main attractions and, of course, the ocean.
If the Alpengeist at Busch Gardens killed 3 people in a month, a bunch of regulatory-minded folks would notice and take steps to address the problem. Even if it was completely the riders’ fault they died, the situation would be addressed.
Apparently the public service announcements aren’t working, no more so than the ones that ask people not leave massive holes in the sand. Maybe more stick and less carrot is going to be necessary to get people to stop committing seaicide.
Glenn
Can our Tourism Board please hire the plane that pulls the signs & have them pull one that says “Rip Currents Are Active, NO SWIMMING!” This is unbelievable. Prayers (again) to the surviving family members!
Tim
Travis, no one goes in the ocean planning to die. It just happens and is preventable when they make poor choices, but more stick won’t work. People leave common sense over the bridge when on vacation.
Ron Davidson
Maybe the plane should have a banner that reads,”respect the power of the ocean”.
Obxserver
So the powerful swells and active ocean stirred up by Franklin and Idalia have now claimed 3 lives in Dare County this week. Coming soon will be another round of powerful swells from Hurricane Lee which will impact our coast next week. Please carry a couple of boogie boards with you to the beach and when you go in to swim IF PERMITTED!! bring one along. The 2nd can come in handy if you spot someone in distress. Just because you see others dealing somewhat gracefully with the relentless power of moving water in the ocean doesn’t mean it’s easy. Take flotation!
Avalon
Glenn, there are rip currents regularly. It’s the ocean. There are flags clearly posted on the beach that say rip currents. There are flags by nags head pier. Unfortunately, you can’t stop everyone that has no business in the water from using poor judgement. Too many people base their plunge into the ocean on “I spent a lot of money to be here for a week, I’m getting in the ocean”. You can debate that point, but have heard it many times. Not sure you can stop that ridiculous judgement.
Jimmy Bo
Use my opinion for a public safety campaign… I just come there to sit on the beach and watch the ocean, I’m not getting into the sea-lifes toilet.
Just a mom
Oh my goodness!
So sorry for these folks and their families!
It is horrible. It is also as I have said before not something anyone is responsible for except poor judgment. Until one knows one doesn’t know. I have not known… and I was lucky enough to know. I am so sorry they did not get lucky and spit out like me 3 decades ago.
Nothing will stop people from experiencing things first hand. It is sad but also honorable that life was lived by these souls. There are many people who would never walk in the woods or touch the waters of a tough or quiet sea. An error in judgement on the unpredictability and power of a thing is not to be judged as this has occurred to us all in many facets of life from driving on a dirt road at too high a speed to jumping from a swing at too high a height to jumping in a creek after a hard rain 5 days before… anyway blah blah blah on my words but I am very sorry for the families of these folks. So sorry for the unfairness.
Phoebe
ALL 3 deaths could have easily been prevented. People still blindly ignore Red Flags that are flying. This is not new. How does anyone not make it a priority to KNOW the conditions of the powerful ocean before going in, especially during Hurricane season? I’d rather be denied a quick swim than any “future” vacations due to a lack in judgement. No PSAs, banner planes, or warning letters from Realty companies will ever fix this problem. Most visitors don’t even educate themselves on rip currents. Hurricane Lee is spinning out in the ocean right now. I’m sure visitors will think because Lee is so far out, it has little to do our OBX coast. Sadly, there will be more deaths.
Charles
A bigger storm is coming in this week that will create even bigger waves. This will begin TOMORROW.
There is a great flyer out on the NWS Morehead City website that explains this.
Details :
The public should check surf and swimming conditions before heading to the beach, and the daily beach forecast at http://www.weather.gov/beach/mhx includes rip current risk levels, and information about other hazards along the beach.
In addition, visitors are encouraged to sign up for text alerts from Dare County, ocean rescue agencies, and the National Weather Service by texting “OBXBeachConditions” to 77295.
Remember that the forecast for Hurricane Lee will continue to be refined in the coming days, and the public can check for updates on the NWS Newport/Morehead office’s website at weather.gov/mhx/tropical.