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Oak Island reopens to the public following Hurricane Isaias
Oak Island welcome visitors for the first time on Friday following Hurricane Isaias. (Photo: Tanner Barth, WWAY)
WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY)–It’s been a little more than a month since Hurricane Isaias ripped through the Cape Fear, causing major damage in Brunswick County. The island finally opened back up to the public on Friday.
Local businesses say the open came at just the right time, with a holiday weekend right around the corner.
“It feels great to be back open it’s been a rough 2020 being closed three of the eight months so far,”says Island Way Restaurant employee Christopher Garner. “So, we’re extremely grateful to be back here, luckily the restaurant wasn’t damaged more than it was. “We were able to get the repairs done quickly and then as soon as the island opened back up yesterday we’re able to open back up today.”
Businesses like the Ocean Crest Fishing Pier say they are beyond grateful that things are beginning to open back up with Labor Day weekend always bringing in a good crowd. They say it is something they need especially with all the community has dealt with in 2020.
AND PLACES LIKE THE OCEAN CREST FISHING PIER SAY…THEY ARE GRATEFUL THINGS ARE BEGINNING TO OPEN BACK UP WITH LABOR DAY WEEKEND ALWAYS BRINGING IN A GOOD CROWD…SOMETHING THEY NEED ESPECIALLY WITH ALL THE COMMUNITY HAS FACED IN 2020.
“Labor day is one of our bigger days of the year,”says Ocean Crest Pier employee James Bare. “If we wouldn’t have been open for Labor Day this weekend we would’ve been hurting pretty good.”
Businesses around Oak Island couldn’t thank the community enough for their support. They say it would’ve been difficult to make it through the tough times without them. Not just over the last month, but the past six months.
“We’ve been open 25 minutes and the phones ringing off the hook for carry out, people asking are we open this weekend,”says Garner. “Obviously Labor Day is one of our busiest weekends of the year. So, ya it’s awesome to have the local support and the support coming in from tourist this weekend.”
Oak Island officials say while they are back open to the public, there is still a lot of debris on the streets that still needs to be cleaned up. They are asking residents and visitors to be extremely cautious.