Isabel Inlet

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"Isabel Inlet" (USGS)
"Isabel Inlet" (USGS)

Isabel Inlet was an informally-named inlet along the Outer Banks of North Carolina. It was created by Hurricane Isabel when it swept ashore on September 18, 2003.

For the two months it was in existence, Isabel Inlet separated the town of Hatteras from the rest of Hatteras Island. The lower part became known as Little Hatteras Island.

Due to its large size (518m/1700 feet across), there was a debate as to whether the breach should be filled with dredged sand, or if a bridge should instead be built across it. Ultimately, the former choice prevailed: the Army Corps of Engineers used 555,000 cubic yards (424,000 m³) of sand to fill the inlet. North Carolina Route 12, which was severed along with the island, was reopened on November 18.