MIAMI -- Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina's Outer Banks, even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.

Evacuations were ordered on a couple of barrier islands along the North Carolina shore as authorities warned the storm could churn up dangerous rip currents and swamp roads with waves of 15 feet. Tropical storm and surge watches were issued Monday for much of the Outer Banks.

Tourists and residents waited for hours in a line of cars at Ocracoke Island's ferry dock - the only way to leave other than by plane.

Officials at the Wrightsville Beach, near Wilmington, North Carolina, reported to the National Weather Service rescuing at least 60 swimmers from rip current

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