Cape Hatteras National Seashore

A 67-year-old male died this afternoon while swimming in the Atlantic Ocean near Frisco, North Carolina on Hatteras Island. Resuscitation measures were attempted on the beach near Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Ramp 49 but were unsuccessful.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) reminds visitors and adjacent homeowners that it is illegal to detonate fireworks, or have fireworks in your possession, on all Seashore beaches, including the beaches on Ocracoke Island and all the beaches in Rodanthe, Waves, Salvo, Avon, Buxton, Frisco and Hatteras Village.

Parking lots at Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s off-road vehicle ramp 34 and Little Kinnakeet Beach Access, both located just north of Avon, North Carolina, will close from 11 p.m. Wednesday, June 25 through the afternoon of Friday, June 27 to support the removal of a large Coast Guard sea buoy from the beach. A safety closure of N.C. Highway 12 in this area, lasting no more than 10 minutes, will occur sometime between the hours of 8 and 11 a.m. Thursday, June 26.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore (Seashore) is urging its visitors to sign up for Dare County Emergency Management’s rip current forecast text alerts and swim at any of the Seashore’s five lifeguarded beaches.

Cape Hatteras National Seashore law enforcement rangers are asking the public for information that may help to determine who may have forcibly entered the Bodie Island Lighthouse between the evening of Monday, May 5 and the morning of Tuesday, May 6, 2025.