Starting Memorial Day weekend, you'll notice that we've aligned our beach warning flag system with national and international standards.

For decades, lifeguard agencies in the U.S. and around the world have employed flags to notify swimmers of conditions, to warn of hazards, to identify safer areas for swimming, and to notify beach users about regulated areas. To help ensure global consistency, the International Life Saving Federation developed international guidelines for warning flags.

These guidelines have been adopted, in part, by the International Standards Organization, and are endorsed by the United States Lifesaving Association. By consistently following these warning flag guidelines, lifeguard agencies can help ensure a universal understanding of their meaning and thus improve their effectiveness.

Lifeguard supervisors will be working in conjunction with Dare County Emergency Management’s Love the Beach, Respect the Ocean project and the National Weather Service's rip current forecasting group to determine the level of risk each day, starting Memorial Day weekend through October 15, when flags will be posted on flag poles at our public beach accesses.

Flag Definitions

The following are specific definitions for each of the flags. 

• Yellow – Medium hazard. Moderate surf and/or currents are present. Weak swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. For others, enhanced care and caution should be exercised.
• Red – High hazard. Rough conditions such as strong surf and/or currents are present. All swimmers are discouraged from entering the water. Those entering the water should take great care.
• Double Red – Water is closed to public use. Swimming in the Atlantic Ocean shall be unlawful. The term "swimming" is defined to mean and include any entry into the water of the Atlantic Ocean whether assisted by a raft, float, or other aid or device commonly used, but shall not include any entry assisted by a "surfboard" or "body board and fins.

Digging holes in the sand is more dangerous than it may seem.

Fatal sand collapses occur in holes just a few feet deep. Children and adults should not dig holes deeper than their knee height.

Ocean rescue personnel and lifeguards must be able to drive on the sand day and night to quickly provide emergency services to those in need. Large holes in the sand can be challenging to see and are dangerous obstacles.

Sea turtle laying and hatching season runs from May through September. Holes in the sand become fatal obstructions for female sea turtles laying nests on the beach at night and hatchlings heading out to sea roughly 60 days later.

If you dig a hole, please fill it in before leaving the beach.

For more beach safety tips, please visit LoveTheBeachRespectTheOcean.com.

The Loggerhead public beach access will be closed for around three to four weeks, subject to weather conditions, for the replacement of the dune walkover.

The construction of the new bathhouse at our Epstein public beach access is nearing completion! We anticipate reopening the access within the coming weeks, but kindly refrain from entering until it has officially reopened.

Currituck and Dare Counties, and incorporated communities, are updating the Outer Banks Regional Hazard Mitigation Plan. As part of the update, which FEMA requires so we can maintain eligibility for pre-and-post disaster mitigation funding, a meeting will be held April 22 to provide information on the plan update process, review the identified hazards, and gather feedback from the public.

During the update process, we identify natural disaster risks and vulnerabilities common in our area and then develop long-term strategies for protecting people and property from similar events. 

Hazard Mitigation Plan Kickoff Meeting
Monday, April 22 | 5pm 
Dare County Emergency Operations Center
370 Airport Road | Manteo 

Learn about the plan update and provide input on hazards, risks, and mitigation opportunities!

Additional public meetings will be scheduled later in the planning process.

Do you know someone who should be recognized for their contributions to Nags Head? Our Board of Commissioners is accepting nominations for the prestigious "Nags Head Lightkeeper" and "Nags Header" awards until May 1.

The Lightkeeper award distinguishes an individual who shows significant personal and professional leadership in our community. 

The Nags Header award recognizes a special deceased person who has made a difference in the town and who has shaped the culture of Nags Head since its incorporation in 1961.

If you know of someone who should be recognized for their contributions to Nags Head, please submit a nomination form to the Town of Nags Head no later than May 1, 2024.

The award recipients will be honored at the June 5, 2024 Nags Head Board of Commissioners meeting.

More information is available on our website.

Deputy Town Clerk Brittany Phillips
TownClerks@NagsHeadNC.gov
252.449.2021

Beach driving season ends April 30, 2024. We'll share more information about when you can purchase a permit for next year (October 1, 2024 through April 30, 2025) this fall.  

Have a concern or question for Nags Head's Police Department? Or do you want to just get to know the officers in charge of protecting your community? Join us Thursday, May 23, 2024, from 12-1 p.m. at Waveriders Coffee Deli Pub for Coffee with a Cop. We hope to see you there!

The Dare County Public Works Department has announced that it will host a three-day household hazardous waste collection event from Thursday, May 9, 2024 through Saturday, May 11, 2024 in three different locations throughout the county.   

During this event, Dare County residents and property owners can drop off hazardous waste for safe disposal at the following locations:

• Northern Beach Collection: Kitty Hawk Town Hall (101 Veterans Memorial Drive), 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursday, May 9, 2024
• Buxton Collection: Buxton Transfer Station, (47015 Buxton Back Road), 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. on Friday, May 10, 2024
• Manteo Collection: Dare County Public Works (1018 Driftwood Drive), 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, May 11, 2024

Residents of Dare County may use any of the three locations noted above during the three-day household hazardous waste collection event. 

Please note that this hazardous waste collection is only for Dare County residents (both property owners and year-round residents) as well as the agricultural community/farmers within Dare County. 

Visit the Dare County Public Works website for more information about the events.

A reminder:  on April 25, you can share your thoughts with the NC Coastal Resources Commission about the NC Rules Review Commission's efforts to change, or get rid of, Jockey's Ridge State Park's designation as an Area of Environmental Concern.

Our collective voice has the power to influence decisions that impact the very fabric of Nags Head. 

 Be sure to speak during the Public Comment section of the meeting.

Thursday, April 25 | 11:30 am | Public Comment
Dare County Government Center
954 Marshall C. Collins Drive
Manteo

If you ever have any questions about what can or can't be recycled, we are happy to help. This toothpaste package is made of cardboard, but the user wanted to ensure it was recyclable because of the shiny packaging.

You can put this item in the recycling bin for our service areas. The toothpaste tube should go in the waste bin, we do not accept that in our recycling.

For a quick recycling reference, click here: https://tfcrecycling.com/what-can-be-recycled/

Thank you for recycling right!

If you don't have time to haul your recyclables to the recycling centers we have at town hall (5401 South Croatan Highway) and our public services facility (2200 Lark Avenue), subscribe to the curbside recycling collection service offered by TFC Recycling. The cost is only $10.33/month thanks to a $5/month subsidy from the Town.