Posted on July 22, 2026
By: Nick Broadway
NAGS HEAD, N.C. (WAVY) — The Herculean effort of beach nourishment continues along a several mile stretch of Nags Head, including the area around Jennette’s Pier, where crews are storing the rest of the large pipes and construction equipment.
“It’s been pretty crazy, I’ve seen all the pipes,” said one visitor. “Sand for the beach and stuff, I think it’s pretty cool.”
Life goes on for Outer Banks vacationers, even with construction activity continuing around them. The vacationers set up beach chairs in front of the hulking stacks of massive brown pipes, which are all dismantled after dumping more than two million cubic yards of sand up and down the stretch of beach.
Crews are carrying out hydrographic surveys to make sure they put in enough sand. Locals 10 On Your Side spoke with said they were not bothered by the construction. Crews appeared to be pretty efficient, trying not to completely disrupt beach fun.
“They had a plan and it was still accessible other than small areas at a time,” said Jenny Ash, who works in Nags Head. “As far as the need to do it, it’s sort of what makes this place happen. So it’s fortunate that this can be done.”
Dare County Manager Bobby Outten spoke earlier this month about the multiple beach nourishment efforts, as Avon and Hatteras Island are next in line to receive beach nourishment later this summer.
“I think they finished it one day and Irene came the next,” Outten said, recalling what happened in 2011. “We went out there the morning after Irene. There was no water in the road, there was no damage to any buildings, there was no nothing. The beach had water on it, about an inch or two deep. But it did just what it was supposed to do. It allowed the water to run up and come back and prevented the waves from getting out to where it did damage. They’ve worked very well and have been very successful for us.”
