May 22, 2013
Ophelia had one last blast with Swansboro at midnight. Winds knocked out power, storm surge came up into downtown and 15 hours of pounding was enough for the fire and police chiefs. Many couldn't believe that Ophelia was just a category 1 storm and easy to see why so many though it was stronger when you see North Topsail Beach. Dunes raked away and beach crossovers marked the height of missing sand. And, lost sand also marked under millions of dollars of condos now teetering. And on the other side of Swansboro, what water and wind didn't get, fires did. Three homes were totally destroyed. Firemen were not able to get through floods to save them. Ophelia's legacy? Wind, waves, surge and flames and that just might just be the beginning.
