BUXTON, N.C. — Efforts are being made to repair the decades-old jetties that the U.S. Navy built in Buxton, which many feel could be pivotal in the fight against erosion and the area's future.
“Back when I was a teen, we would paddle out between the second and third jetty, go in between the second and use that as a blockade to get out, to block the current, hold, and get into the lineup. But over the last 10 years, that's become impossible," said Brett Barley, with the Buxton Civic Association.
Barley has called Buxton home his entire life and has paddled out alongside the jetties countless times.
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“I made a career in professional surfing, and that is because of the waves here. We have really good surf here, and this jetty has made some incredible, world-renowned waves," said Barley.
However, over the last 10 years, the condition of the decades-old jetties has deteriorated, showing just how rapidly the shoreline is eroding.
“When that started happening, the sand stopped holding at an alarming rate. You could see it north, looking towards Buxton; the beach started moving back into the village,” Barley recounted.
Barley and the Buxton Civic Association have begun advocating to elected leaders for help in repairing the jetties, including at the Dare County Board of Commissioners' most recent meeting.
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“That's kind of what we're just fighting for — to be like, hey, look, we're falling apart. There are things that are done around the world to help with erosion, some that benefit, and some that fail. But our argument is just to be like, at least, let us try,” Barley said.
The challenge is that hardened structures on the coast are illegal in North Carolina. However, permits from the state and the park service could allow it to happen; it would then come down to whether the county could afford to fund it.
All these processes take time, which the Buxton Civic Association feels they don’t have.
“We're basically one big storm away from having to deal with highway issues and stuff like that. So to me, it's at a state where we need this done yesterday,” said Barley.
