Officials Warn of 'Dangerous' Swimming Conditions at NC Beaches
If you're planning on spending time in the ocean for Memorial Day weekend, you may want to stay on high alert.
Oak Island and Sunset Beach in North Carolina are dealing with dangerous swimming conditions this week because Portuguese Man o’ War washed ashore. These organisms are known for packing an incredibly painful sting even after they've died. With that said, Cape Lookout officials have issued a warning to beachgoers.
"These aren’t jellyfish, but colonies of organisms with a powerful sting. Even when dead, their tentacles can still sting, so DO NOT TOUCH them," fire officials in Sunset Beach said.
That's not the only issue plaguing North Carolina this month. Swimming advisories have been issued for parts of the Outer Banks due to a serious bacteria problem.
According to the N.C. Recreational Water Quality Program, test results from Whiskey Creek show that bacteria levels have blown past the state and federal action levels of 104 enterococci per 100 milliliters. This is a sign of fecal contamination in the water.
Testing at Jockey’s Ridge Sound-side Access in Nags Head found water samples that show a running monthly average of 37 enterococci per 100 milliliters of water, according to the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality.
The levels in the Roanoke Sound exceed the state and federal standards of a running monthly average of 35 enterococci per 100 milliliters, based on five samples taken within a 30-day period, officials said.
The beaches in these areas have not closed despite these swimming advisories.
It's unclear how long these beach troubles will last for the Outer Banks.