shelly island is shelly sandbar…for now

Shelly Island at Low Tide
Shelly Island at Low Tide

With just a trickle of seawater at high tide separating Shelly Island from The Point at Cape Hatteras, it may be an island no more. The experts predicted it, but the magic of the newest addition to the Outer Banks continues to draw curious visitors. Jeff Hampton reports for The Virginian Pilot.

Shelly Island in early September.
Shelly Island in early September. Photo, Dave Heinzel.

“Shelly Island may not be an island anymore – for now.

The massive offshore sandbar that gained national attention, and a name, after it formed in the spring has continued to grow – it now connects at low tide to Cape Point, which belongs to Cape Hatteras National Seashore. A stream of water maybe 20 feet wide and 6 inches deep flowed between the two land bodies at high tide this week.

It was fun while it lasted – tourism officials believe it helped increase the number of visitors and seasonal revenue.”

 

[box type=”bio”] Read the rest of this story at The Virginian Pilot .[/box]