Erosion from Hurricane Dorian slices up beach sand, reveals sea turtle nest on Hatteras Island

CAPE HATTERAS, N.C. (WTVD) — Hurricane Dorian brought life-threatening conditions along the North Carolina coast, but it also uncovered one of the beach’s most captivating sights, often hidden.

Rain and wind from Dorian created a 6-foot wall of sand on Hatteras Island, seen in a National Park Service photo on the Cape Hatteras National Seashore Facebook page. Viewable along the edge of the embankment is a hole in the sand several feet deep containing a nest of sea turtle eggs.

The picture was taken on Hatteras Island south of ramp 32.

The seashore’s Facebook page says only 15 percent of this year’s 470 nests appear to have been affected by flooding. Most of the active nests were still viable after the storm.

“There are still over 75 intact nests remaining along the Seashore and we are already seeing signs of successful hatching,” read a post on Cape Hatteras National Seashore’s Facebook page. The post of the photo has more than 830 shares as of Friday morning.