The Graveyard of the Atlantic is still very real, although with the US Coast Guard on hand it is not nearly so deadly as it once was.
Nonetheless, the waters of the Atlantic give continuous testimony to their power.
Yesterday, Tuesday, the shrimp trawler Bald Eagle II, a 78’ steel hulled ship out of Wanchese developed engine trouble off the Southern Shores beach in rough seas.
The captain dropped her anchors, hoping to ride out the storm, but the waves and wind were too strong and the ship dragged its anchor and was headed to shore.
At 7:30 a.m. the Elizabeth City Coast Guard station had its first call and by 10 a.m. a rescue helicopter was on hand to pull all four crewmen to safety.
The Bald Eagle, by that time, as the picture shows, was hard on the beach at Southern Shores and being pounded by the surf.
It’s unclear what caused at the engine trouble. Another commercial fishing vessel, the 55’ Jonathan Ryan, ran aground last week on Hatteras Island after its fishing net fouled its propellers.
According to published reports, the owners of the Bald Eagle are planning on having a salvage tug pull the ship off the beach so repairs can be made.
The Coast Guard has a long history on the Outer Banks. The Lifesaving Service, the predecessor to the Coast Guard, established its first stations along the shore in 1874.
The Coast Guard now maintains stations at Oregon Inlet and Hatteras on the Outer Banks. Typically Station Oregon Inlet would have made the rescue, and one of their surf boats was on hand, but the seas were so rough that approaching the vessel by water would have been too dangerous and a helicopter rescue was the only option.
The Outer Banks is a place of ever changing weather and conditions—a fascinating area to visit. Take some time to explore the sand, sea and dunes while staying in a Brindley Beach Vacations home.