File:Coast watch (1979) (20660982165).jpg

Title: Coast watch
Identifier: coastwatch00uncs_19 (find matches)
Year: 1979 (1970s)
Authors: UNC Sea Grant College Program
Subjects: Marine resources; Oceanography; Coastal zone management; Coastal ecology
Publisher: (Raleigh, N. C. : UNC Sea Grant College Program)
Contributing Library: State Library of North Carolina
Digitizing Sponsor: North Carolina Digital Heritage Center

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FROM THE EDITOR Life-Saving Message Some Mondays, many of us would rather not venture into an overloaded e-mail inbox. But one Monday in August, I was thrilled to get a message that was shared by Mary Doll, chief of interpretation for the Outer Banks Group of the National Park Service. Pierre Berland and his family from Quebec had been visiting Cape Hatteras National Seashore one Saturday. They thought the "Shell Bingo" program, led by park staff, would be fun for the youngsters. "At the beginning of the activity, Eric gave to us information about the rip currents," Pierre wrote in an e-mail, noting that this was the first he had heard about rip currents. The following Thursday, his 7-year-old daughter got caught in a rip current while playing in the surf near Buxton. There were no lifeguards on duty at the time. "Because of the information given by Eric, I identified the rip," he explains, noting that he knew that once he reached the girl, they could swim parallel to the beach to escape its grip. Then he went back and saved another girl who was visiting from Louisiana. Pierre can testify that rip currents are "dangerous, very dangerous" —and that simple lessons save lives. He credits Eric and all who developed and continue to share the rip current safety information. "Continue your excellent job." The Park Service has an added focus on safety this year. "I made it a standard for rip current information to be provided at the beginning of our interpretive programs this year, regardless of the park or the topic of the program," Mary explains. Sea Grant and the National Weather Service have worked with IN THIS ISSUE Contributing Writers: Kathleen Angione a Ann Green □ Jamie Harris E-Ching Lee a Katie Mosher Contributing Photographers: Wendy Allen a NateBacheler 0 KenBlevins ° Tim Cole Chuck Gresham 0 John Hackney ° Michael Halminski DaveHeithaus 0 Daniel Kim a Wayne Hoggard Jamie Moncrief □ Paula Ouder 0 Spencer Rogers NormShafer □ Dale Suiter □ Scott Taylor a Nancy Voiland North Carolina's diverse coast offers countless interestingsubjects. The large dots on the map indicate story settings in this issue — including Nags Head, Morehead City and Raleigh. the Park Service and Dare County Emergency Management over the years to increase beach safety. Efforts this year included the addition of 42 new "Break the Grip of the Rip" signs, along with thousands of brochures. Some of those signs in the Salvo area were the special project of Ralph Osborn, as a memorial to a family friend from Maryland who died in a rip current on Hatteras Island in 2005. Not only did Ralph purchase signs and work with Doug Murphy of the Park Service to get them posted, but he also encouraged a realty company to use brochures and magnets, and he suggested a rip current story in Carolina Country magazine sent to all electrical cooperative members in the state. Ralph got a printer involved and together they worked with the National Weather Service, which approved "Break the Grip" stickers for vehicle bumpers and surfboards. In all, Ralph's mission is to make visitors aware of the power of the ocean along with its beauty. Mary Doll agrees. "We do the best that we can to make sure that every family that visits our parks goes back home whole." \Natch future issues o/Coastwatch for news on a survey by researchers at the University of North Carolina at Wilmington to assess the impact of education efforts by the New Hanover County Rip Current Awareness Strategies Team. Known as RCAST, the group includes a variety of individuals and agencies — all committed to beach safety. Katie Mosher, Managing Editor
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