Isabel Inlet was an informally named
inlet
An inlet is a (usually long and narrow) indentation of a shoreline, such as a small arm, bay, sound, fjord, lagoon or marsh, that leads to an enclosed larger body of water such as a lake, estuary, gulf or marginal sea.
Overview
In marine ...
along the
Outer Banks
The Outer Banks (frequently abbreviated OBX) are a string of barrier islands and spits off the coast of North Carolina and southeastern Virginia, on the east coast of the United States. They line most of the North Carolina coastline, separating ...
of
North Carolina
North Carolina () is a U.S. state, state in the Southeastern United States, Southeastern region of the United States. The state is the List of U.S. states and territories by area, 28th largest and List of states and territories of the United ...
. It was created by
Hurricane Isabel
Hurricane Isabel was the strongest Atlantic hurricane since Mitch, and the deadliest, costliest, and most intense hurricane in the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Hurricane Isabel was also the strongest hurricane in the open waters of the Atlan ...
when it swept ashore on September 18, 2003.
Hurricane Isabel's
storm surge
A storm surge, storm flood, tidal surge, or storm tide is a coastal flood or tsunami-like phenomenon of rising water commonly associated with low-pressure weather systems, such as cyclones. It is measured as the rise in water level above the ...
and waves created the inlet by washing out a portion of Hatteras Island between
Hatteras and
Frisco. The break was 2,000 feet (600 m) wide and 15 feet (5 m) deep, and consisted of three distinct channels. The formation of the inlet destroyed a portion of
North Carolina Highway 12.
For the two months it was in existence, Isabel Inlet separated the town of Hatteras from the rest of
Hatteras Island. The lower part became known as Little Hatteras Island.
Initially, long-term solutions to the Isabel Inlet such as building a bridge or a ferry system were considered, though they were ultimately canceled in favor of pumping sand and filling the inlet. Coastal geologists were opposed to the solution, stating the evolution of the Outer Banks is dependent on inlets from hurricanes.
Dredging operations began on October 17, about a month after the hurricane struck. The
used sand from the ferry channel to the southwest of Hatteras Island, a choice made to minimize impact to submerged aquatic vegetation and due to the channel being filled somewhat during the hurricane.
On November 22, about two months after the hurricane struck, Highway 12 and Hatteras Island were reopened to public access. On the same day, the ferry between Hatteras and
Ocracoke was reopened. The breach on the southern end of Hatteras Island was filled in with sand, as well.
References
Outer Banks
Geography of Dare County, North Carolina
Hurricane Isabel
{{DareCountyNC-geo-stub