September 2018 Newsletter     Like us on Facebook  Follow us on Twitter 
Recovering from Hurricane Florence

Prior to Hurricane Florence making landfall on September 14, response teams from NOAA's Office of Coast Survey were standing by, ready to assess damage to affected ports and waterways. As the hurricane moved inland officers received calls from the U.S. Coast Guard and U.S. Corps of Engineers requesting survey assistance, as hazardous obstructions were found in the Cape Fear River channel in southeastern North Carolina. 

The navigation response teams worked quickly--using side scan sonar and multi-beam echo sounder data to locate the dangerous underwater hazards. Navigational charts were updated and distributed to ports and the Coast Guard in just 24 hours. 

Safe travel though Cape Fear River waterways to the Port of Wilmington is critical to commerce in the area. The waterways provide for delivery of fuel to the water treatment plant and hospital facilities that rely on fuel for their generators. The preparedness of the response team allowed the port of Wilmington to be reopened swiftly, with updated charts available to the public just three days after the hazards were discovered.

   NOAA Charts New Hazards and Helps Ports Recover Following Hurricane Florence [Web blog post].   (September 19, 2018). 
U.S. Coast Guard: Their Florence Story 

The United States Coast Guard, Sector North Carolina was one of many organizations that assisted victims of Hurricane Florence and helped out with the clean up. Learn more about their response efforts here.


Safety at Sea

The threat of lightning continues into fall, so use the tips below to protect yourself and your passengers while on the water. 
  • Designate someone onboard to keep an eye the weather and decide when to return to port. 
  • Monitor NOAA weather reports and note National Weather Service thunderstorm watches and warnings.
  • Head for a secure anchorage and seek shelter on land inside a structure when lightning is seen or thunder is heard.
Read more from United States Power Squadrons on avoiding a lightning strike.

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