This Land, Your Land

The National Park Service opened the North Core Banks road and resumed vehicle ferry access at Cape Lookout National Seashore this week, allowing vehicle traffic for the first time since Hurricane Irene tore through the area August 26-27.

The 20 Long Point Cabins are closed for the season and repair work continues in the cabin area, but tent and RV camping is allowed on the beaches. (The 21 Great Island Cabins at South Core Banks remain open through November 28.)

Roads between the beach and the ferry landing and sanitary dump station, and between the beach and the long-term parking lot and bathhouse are open.

In addition to roads, long-term parking, a fish-cleaning station, potable water, a sanitary dump station, and the bathhouse and bathrooms are open as of Wednesday.

The camp office remains closed, and gasoline, diesel and ice are not available.

"The island was subject to a tremendous amount of erosion and overwash from Hurricane Irene and there are still numerous hazards (such as old rusted-out vehicles, and pilings) partly buried in the sand," the National Park Service news release says. Drivers should "be very mindful of the signs designating where vehicles may operate."

In addition to damaging the Long Point Cabins, the storm's overwash eroded about 50 feet of beach and filled in the ferry landing with about 100 feet of sand.

All remaining reservations for the season at the Cape Lookout National Seashore's Long Point cabins will be cancelled as the national park continues to deal with damage from Hurricane Irene, which struck in August.

There are 20 Long Point rental cabins on North Core Banks and their season was to go to the end of November. There are 21 similar cabins at South Core Banks that remain open.

The National Park Service also said in a news release Thursday that the Long Point ferry basin would be dredged, and that vehicle access to North Core Banks could be available by mid-November.

When it hit August 26-26, Hurricane Irene significantly overwashed the entire seashore, the news release says, "and overwash caused the greatest physical damage at the Long Point camp, eroding about 50 feet of beach, causing damage to cabins [and] cabin infrastructure, and filling in the ferry landing with about 100 feet of sand."

In addition to other work, the "back road" to the Long Point area has been graded, and marking the dune lines and remaining vehicle routes is underway.

In an update two weeks after Hurricane Irene's strike, officials at Cape Lookout National Seashore say workers continue to make repairs but have opened most areas of the park.

The Long Point Cabins on North Core Banks suffered the most extensive damage, a news release says. After Irene, high seas washed over North Core Banks as Hurricane Katia passed offshore. Damage to the septic system and the ferry basin, which filled with sand, will require coordination with regulatory agencies to repair. Work to replace roofs continues, the news release says.

The camp at Long Point consists of 20 furnished cabins of about 500 square feet each that sleep six in bunk beds.

Elsewhere, Shackleford Banks is open, visitor services in the Lighthouse area have been restored, and the visitor center on Harkers Island is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.

In Portsmouth Village, the two developed areas remain closed, but the beaches have reopened for day use and foot traffic.