DARE COUNTY, N.C. (WITN) - Hatteras Island opened back up to visitors early Sunday morning after a mandatory evacuation order was lifted following Hurricane Erin.

High waters and high sand still lined parts of the coast in Dare County, on Sunday, and double red “no swimming” flags remained posted to warn beachgoers.

Conditions weren’t perfect, but they were good enough for vacationers like Julie Chipman and her family, who had been waiting for the island to reopen.

“We were sad yesterday — we were just waiting because we didn’t know when we would be able to come to the island,” Chipman told WITN. “When we found out at 11 that we could come today at 5 a.m., we quickly got packed and left the house.”

Other families had also been staying inland and made the trip in early Sunday.

On the w

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