Watching Dorian – Updates from Carolina Designs Vacation Rentals

Monday, Sept 8 – 10:00 am

The area received six inches of rain from a passing weather front overnight, which caused more flooding and water accumulation on roads. All roads and properties were checked yesterday, but this unexpected rain — on top of ground already saturated by the hurricane — caused more pooling water. Between heavy traffic from arriving visitors and this unexpected flooding, it is important to drive safely and exercise patience. There is severe weather in the area and more rain is expected today. Please continue to monitor the weather. Maintenance concerns should be reported to [email protected] or by calling 800.368.3825.

As of 12:00 noon on Monday, Sept 9, there is an area wide outage for Spectrum TV and Internet.

Sunday, Sept 8 – 9:45 am

Currituck County just announced re-entry procedures. If your rental is in the town of Corolla (Currituck County), visitor re-entry will be permitted at 8:00 a.m. tomorrow, Monday, Sept 9th. Until that time, there will be a checkpoint at the Duck/Corolla line.

For all other towns, visitor re-entry entry is permitted today, Sunday Sept 8th at 4:00 p.m.

Dare County homes have been assessed, and we continue to assess Currituck County properties today. While there are not many, if your vacation property sustained more than minor damage, you will be contacted directly with details. Otherwise, you may proceed to your property once access is permitted (4:00 p.m. today for Dare County, 8:00 a.m. tomorrow for Currituck County). Please use the entry code provided in your pre-arrival email.

Please remember that a hurricane passed directly over the Outer Banks two days ago. Visitors should be prepared to see signs of Hurricane Dorian, including debris in yards, sand and debris in pools, damp carpets around doorways, severe beach erosion in some areas, and more. Services, such as repairs and pool maintenance, may be delayed. We can assure you that the Carolina Designs staff, utilities crews, local officials, pool and service vendors, and so many others are working hard to prepare the Outer Banks for visitors.

For Sept 6th – 8th check-ins, if you are not receiving our emails we remind you to please check your spam/junk folder.

Sunday, Sept 8 – 7:25 am

Dare County has just announced areas north of Oregon Inlet will have unrestricted access beginning Sunday, September 8 at 4:00 p.m. Visitors to Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills and Nags Head will be allowed onto the Outer Banks.

**Due to widespread power outages, Currituck County has not changed their restrictions, and Corolla visitors are not permitted to enter.  There is a checkpoint at the Corolla town line.  Although there is no official word, we do not expect visitors will be allowed in today.**

Our phone lines will open at 10:00 a.m today, Sunday, September 8.

Although conditions are generally good, Dare County visitors should be prepared for debris in yards, sand in pools, damp carpets around doorways, beach erosion, and other effects of the storm. Services, such as repairs and pool maintenance, may be delayed.

While there are not many, if your vacation property sustained more than minor damage, you will be contacted directly with details this morning.

We look forward to welcoming our Dare County guests at 4:00 p.m. today and will keep in touch with our Currituck County guests as new information becomes available.

Saturday, Sept 7 – 8:00 pm

Dare County Emergency Management met this evening, and as of 8:00 p.m. we received word that only Priority Three— which includes non-resident property owners and employees of non-critical businesses —has been permitted re-entry for areas north of Oregon Inlet for Dare County.

Information about Priority Four re-entry, which includes visitors, has not been issued at this time. According to Dare County, the next official update will be issued no later than Sunday, September 8 at 8:00 a.m. We hope to hear information about visitor re-entry at that time. You can read the entire update on the county’s website.

Our phone lines will open tomorrow at 10 a.m. and we are expecting a high call volume. Thank you for your patience as we continue to update you with the most current information that we have. We are sorry for the inconvenience this is causing as you plan your travel.

Saturday, Sept 7 – 5:00 pm 

It has been confirmed that the sub station that powers Corolla (in Currituck County) has experienced a catastrophic failure, and there is a power outage from the Corolla Food Lion to the NC/VA State Line, with sporadic outages in other nearby subdivisions. At this time, there are no functioning gas stations in Corolla due to the lack of power, and most restaurants and shops are closed. The power also affects the water plant, and water restrictions have been implemented. There is no official timeline for power restoration in Corolla, and no official timeline as to when when visitors will be allowed to enter.

It is important to note that the information above refers to to Corolla, in Currituck County. The towns of Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, and Nags Head are in Dare County. 

In regards to Dare County, we have not received new information about visitor re-entry. We expect Emergency Management to meet again this evening, and we will update you as soon as we hear more.

Saturday, Sept 7 – 3:30 pm

At this time, we have not received additional information as to when visitors will be permitted re-entry to Dare and Currituck Counties. Crews are working to restore power and water in areas that have lost them, including in Corolla, Kill Devil Hills, and Manteo. Utilities must be restored before the general public is allowed re-entry, and although we are hearing that restoring power may be especially delayed in Corolla (Currituck County) due to a failure at sub station, there is no official word from Currituck County at this time, and no official timeline on when that may be restored.

We expect Emergency Management to meet again today and will update you as soon as we hear more. We understand that you are trying to gauge when you should travel to the Outer Banks, and that the uncertainty is frustrating. We can assure you that the Carolina Designs staff, utilities crews, local officials, pool and service vendors,  and so many others are working hard to prepare the Outer Banks for visitors.

Note: Corolla is the only town in Currituck County. Duck, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hills, Nags Head, and Manteo are located in Dare County.

Saturday, Sept 7 – 9:30 am

The Dare County Emergency Management control group met this morning to discuss initial damage assessment and determine a timeline for re-entry. Guidelines have only been established for Priority Two re-entry, which includes permanent residents and essential personnel for critical businesses. The control group has not provided any information about visitor reentry at this time. Priority Two begins today (Saturday) at 12:00 noon for areas north of Oregon Inlet.

There are widespread power and water outages, including areas Corolla, Kill Devil Hills, and Manteo. We have no timeline as to when all utilities will be restored. We are in the field working to assess homes and prepare properties to the best of our abilities. As information becomes available from Dare County Emergency Management, we will continue to send updates.

The Dare County Emergency Management website has additional information, and you can read about the process of staged reentry here.  We are looking forward to welcoming you to the Outer Banks as soon as conditions allow.

Our hearts go out to our neighbors to the south in Hatteras and Ocracoke, who experienced a direct hit and have seen catastrophic flooding and damage. The Outer Banks Community Foundation is coordinating donations for those in need. Carolina Designs is donating to relief efforts, and contributions can be made online at www.obxdisaster.org.

Friday,  Sept 6 – 8:30 pm

The Dare County Emergency Management control group plans to meet Saturday morning to review damage assessment and determine re-entry procedures. The evacuation order remains in place due to downed trees and power lines, flooding, and power outages.

Read about the process of staged reentry here.  You may sign up to receive alerts via text at darenc.com/alerts, and we will pass along information as we receive it. We also encourage you to monitor on the Dare County Emergency Management website.

If you are an incoming guest (checkin dates between Sept 6-8) and have not been receiving our email updates, please check your spam and junk folders. Thank you again for your patience and understanding as damage is assessed and the county determines a safe timeline to allow visitors back to the Outer Banks.

Friday, Sept 6 – 2:15pm

The Outer Banks continue to feel the effects of Hurricane Dorian. The curfew has been extended in most towns, and the Outer Banks remain under an evacuation order. As advised by Dare County Emergency Management, those who have stayed are sheltering in place and waiting for the storm to pass completely. There are reports of downed power lines, downed trees, and flooding in some areas. Many are without power.

At this time, there is no update from the county regarding re-entry for visitors. We encourage you to monitor on the Dare County Emergency Management website. Once the storm passes, we will begin to assess damage as quickly as is safely possible. Thank you for your patience.

Thursday, Sept 5 – 10:45 am

The Outer Banks are under a Hurricane Warning, Storm Surge Warning, Tornado Watch, and Flash Flood Watch. All towns remain under an evacuation order. Hurricane Dorian has strengthened to a Category 3, with maximum sustained winds near 115mph. Storm surge from ocean and sound side flooding is estimated at this time to reach up to 7 feet.

We expect to feel effects from Dorian beginning tonight, with the highest intensity through Friday. Bridges will close at 8:00pm on Thursday and there will be no access into Dare County. Curfews are in place for many Outer Banks towns from 8pm Thursday through 12pm Friday, and may be extended depending on conditions. According to Dare County Emergency Management, power outages and flooding are expected, and roads will become unsafe for travel.

If you are an incoming guest, it is important to understand that there is no guaranteed timeline for the county to lift evacuation orders. Even if the storm is out to sea on Saturday, the evacuation order may still be in place due to conditions on the Outer Banks following the storm, and will remain in place until the county decides that it is safe for visitors to arrive. We understand that the uncertainty surrounding your arrival to the Outer Banks is frustrating, and we appreciate your patience and understanding. Once the storm passes, we will begin damage assessment for all properties and pass along information as quickly as is safely possible.

Our phone lines and office are closed, and will reopen once evacuation orders are lifted. The Dare County Emergency Management website is a great resource for the most up to date local information.  For any travel insurance questions, please contact Red Sky Insurance directly or call 866-889-7409.

Wednesday, Sept 4 – 12:00 pm

A Hurricane Warning and Storm Surge Warning are in effect for the Outer Banks, and all towns in the area are under a mandatory evacuation order. There is a ban on ocean swimming due to dangerous surf conditions and strong rip currents along the beaches. Dorian is still a serious storm that will impact areas hundreds of miles from where it makes landfall, with high winds, flooding, storm surge, and heavy rainfall predicted.

If you are a current guest in one of our vacation rental homes, we again encourage you to comply with the mandatory evacuation order and leave the Outer Banks.

If you are an incoming guest (Sept 6-8 check-ins), we advise you to monitor the weather and local ordinances. Please do not plan come to the Outer Banks until the evacuation order is lifted.  Entry restrictions will likely be implemented by Dare County Emergency Management. Once the storm passes, we plan to begin damage assessment and will be passing along information as quickly as is safely possible. We will continue to be in communication with incoming guests via email – if you are not receiving our emails, please check your junk/spam folders.

As many of our employees are following the mandatory evacuation order, our office will close today — Wednesday, Sept 4 — at 1:00 pm. To the best of our abilities, we will respond to inquiries sent to [email protected]. We will reopen once the evacuation is lifted and conditions allow. It is likely that standard check-in procedures will be affected or delayed this coming weekend.

The Dare County Emergency Management website is a good resource for the most up-to-date local information.

For questions related to travel insurance, please contact Red Sky Insurance directly or call 866-889-7409.

We look forward to welcoming you to the Outer Banks when conditions allows. The safety of guests, staff, and Outer Banks neighbors and friends is our top priority at this time, and we again thank you for your patience and understanding.

Questions about what a mandatory evacuation means? This video from Dare County Emergency Management explains why evacuations are issued.

September 3, 2019 – 11:45 AM

Currituck County ⁠—which includes all homes in Corolla ⁠— has issued a mandatory evacuation for all visitors beginning Wednesday, Sept 4 at 8:00 am. Yesterday, Dare County issued an evacuation that begins today (Tuesday, Sept 3) at 12:00, which includes Duck, Southern Shores, Kitty Hawk, Kill Devil Hill and Nags Head. This means that all visitors to the Outer Banks are under a mandatory evacuation order. If you are in one of our rental homes, you must gather your belongings and prepare to leave. We will begin to see impacts from Dorian on Wednesday evening, with the greatest impacts likely Thursday and Friday.

All service requests are now suspended as we prepare for the storm’s arrival and our employees secure their own homes. As you depart, we ask that you take a look around your rental house and if you are able, bring inside any lightweight items that could blow away. Please do not place trash cans out for pick up at this time.

Our office and phone lines will be closed at 1:00pm tomorrow (Wednesday, Sept 4) until the evacuation is lifted. To the best of our abilities, we will respond to inquiries sent to [email protected]. We will reopen once the evacuation is lifted and conditions allow.

If you are an incoming guest (checking in the weekend of Sept 6-8), you should be receiving additional email communication from us regarding your upcoming stay.

If you purchased travel insurance through our website, there is a Hurricane Dorian form available here. Red Sky Travel Insurance is the best source for insurance-related questions. You can contact them at suntrippreserver.com or by calling 866-889-7409.

Thank you for your patience as we work through fielding calls and questions about Hurricane Dorian. Please know that the safety of our guests, staff, and Outer Banks neighbors & friends is our highest priority. Understandably, visitors have questions about evacuations, re-entry, and what this means for your vacation. As is the case with any hurricane, there are many variables that will determine when visitors will be allowed back to the area, and we will be working to continually update this blog to keep everyone up to date with the latest information that we have.

September 2, 2019 – 3:45 PM

Dare County issued a mandatory evacuation for all Dare County visitors beginning Tuesday, September 3 at 12:00pm (noon). If your vacation home is in the town of Corolla, you are in Currituck County. All other Carolina Designs homes not in Corolla are in Dare County. We will announce information from Currituck County when it becomes available.

As you depart, we ask that you take a look around your rental house and if you or a party member is able, to bring inside any lightweight items that could blow away.

All service requests are now suspended as we prepare for the storm’s arrival and our employees secure their own homes.

Please note that we are experiencing a high call volume, and we thank you for your patience. If you purchased travel insurance through our website, Red Sky Travel Insurance is the best source for insurance-related questions.

September 1, 2019