That Nor'easter that's now burying the east coast with snow started here on our coast with a different attitude Sunday night. At high tide Monday morning, surfers in Emerald Isle were braving 50-degree waters to get at 7 to 12 foot waves. And while it was the best surf since the hurricane season last year the storm did leave some worries behind for others. On Topsail Island just down the coast, Onslow County neighbors watched the massive waves wash under houses and a condo. And those seas also ate away at protective sand dunes.
The storms also brought new concerns to coastal inlets, where shoaling has created shallow waters during normal tides. And, there's no federal money available after one or two passes this year to maintain those channels.
