Waves from Earl batter Frisco Pier on Hatteras

HATTERAS, N.C.

Hurricane Earl wasn’t chasing residents away.

While the Category 3 storm churned its way toward Hatteras Island – later dropping to a Category 2 – a fascinated public gathered at the dunes surrounding the Frisco Pier late Thursday afternoon.

About 50 people had gathered there between 4 and 5 p.m. to socialize, drink beer and place bets on the fate of the vulnerable pier. Amateur and professional photographers took pictures of each other taking pictures.

The pier was closed about two years ago because of damage sustained in other storms, but it remained standing.

That probably won't be the case for long, said Buxton resident Johnny Williams.

"It'll be lucky if anything's here" after the storm, Williams said.

By 4:30 p.m., a few of the structure's wooden beams had already given up the fight and washed ashore.

"As soon as high tide hits, it'll go," said another Buxton resident, Paul Goldman.

As for the impromptu gathering, longtime Buxton resident Al Fariss said it's times like these that bring the community together. Everyone's finished boarding windows and buying batteries. Now it's time to enjoy the show.

"It seems like everybody just goes to look at the ocean," Fariss said. "I guess the pier's a draw today because everybody think it's going to fall down." John Driggers, also of Buxton, predicted some people would stick around until dark.

"If I'd have brought a couple more beers, I'd stay a lot longer," he said shortly before 5 p.m.

A smaller crowd gathered Thursday evening at Cape Point, the former site of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse.

Volunteer firefighter Joe Blink said he was enjoying his last few moments of downtime before spending the night at the Buxton fire station. Blink said he and other volunteers will respond to emergency calls tonight if conditions allow.

Neighbors on Hatteras Island take care of each other, he said.

"We'll take turns sleeping," Blink said.

Volunteer firefighters weren't the only ones in for a long night of assisting those in need, however.

For longtime resident Charlie Trevillian, hurricanes are "when I do my thing."

Trevillian said he relies on a four-wheel drive pickup truck and a little help from God to check on elderly and disabled neighbors during the height of bad storms.

Trevillian, who lives in the Kinnakeet community in Avon, was eating lunch Thursday afternoon at the Diamond Shoals Restaurant, one of several still open for business.

With preparations complete, Trevillian said he was just waiting to see what Hurricane Earl had in store for Hatteras Island.

"Only thing I gotta do now is run around and look after people," he said. "You can't just hunker down and forget your neighbors."