NAGS HEAD, N.C. – Members of the U.S. Coast Guard got a glimpse at the powerful waves created by Hurricane Erin on Friday while heading out in a lifeboat off the coast of North Carolina.
Though the coastal flooding threat from Erin had mostly subsided on Friday, other impacts from the storm continued through the weekend.
A crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet in Nags Head were operating a lifeboat off the coast when video captured large Erin-fueled waves forming in front of them.
In the video, the lifeboat makes a right turn just in time for a large wave to crest in front of the boat.
ERIN FADES FROM US BUT DANGEROUS RIP CURRENTS, ROUGH SEAS FOR SWIMMING TO LAST THROUGH WEEKEND
The first wave cresting in front of the boat.
(U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet / FOX Weather)
With no time to change course to avoid the wave, the boat coasted over the large wave before hitting the ocean with a large thump.
Just a few seconds after getting through the first wave, another started to crest in the ocean.
The boat went over this wave, too, this time with a little more ocean spray hitting the crew.
WATCH: NORTH CAROLINA MAN ‘OBLITERATED’ AS HURRICANE ERIN WAVE SMASHES INTO SAND DUNE
Ocean spray hitting the Coast Guard crew after the second wave.
(U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet / FOX Weather)
A third wave, probably the biggest, followed right behind the second wave.
“Hang on,” someone on the boat said to the other crew aboard, as the wave got closer.
HURRICANE ERIN’S HIGH TIDES IMPACT SEA TURTLE NESTS ALONG EAST COAST BEACHES
A massive wave produced by Hurricane Erin hits a U.S. Coast Guard boat off North Carolina on Friday, Aug. 22.
(U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet / FOX Weather)
Within a few seconds, the wave crested right on top of the boat, water hitting it with such force that the entire boat was covered in water. The wave’s strength caused the camera angle to shift, now pointed toward the floor.
The new angle showed a crew member getting back up, presumably after being knocked down by the wave.
The force of the third wave knocked the camera angle on the boat.
(U.S. Coast Guard Station Oregon Inlet / FOX Weather)
“The storm has passed but offshore sea state is still extremely dangerous,” the Coast Guard said in a Facebook post.
A rip current risk remains in place for much of the East Coast through the weekend, but wave heights had mostly returned to normal by Saturday.
