HATTERAS ISLAND, N.C. (WAVY) — As Tropical Storm Idalia pulled away from Carolina country, the surf was still pounding, choppy and loud. 10 On Your Side saw some folks out walking, but for the most part, it was a day to stay inside. 

Our travels to Hatteras Island started early, making our way down Highway 12. 

10 On Your Side noticed the work being put in by the North Carolina Department of Transportation, as they got out early trying to keep ahead of pouring rain and blowing sand, and they were there as we left the island 10 hours later.  

There was heavier flooding towards Frisco and Hatteras Village. 

Scott Whitney and his family from Richmond, staying in a rental on a street where they have visited 16 times in different homes, said it was windier than he was expecting.

“Of course, there’s lots and lots of rain,” Whitney said. “The house was moving around a little bit, but the only thing we worried about was Highway 12 washing over because we really don’t want to be stuck here past Saturday.” 

Whitney was concerned about whether the power would stay on through the storm.  

“We don’t want to lose power because we’ve got four kids upstairs under the age of four,” Whitney said. “It’s a long day in the house with them. They are up there doing crafts at the table. We had breakfast, drank couple of Bloody Mary’s, and we will be switching to rum punch shortly.”

Andrew Hodnick, walking along the beach, said this was his first hurricane-turned-tropical storm.

“’I knew it was going to be a big a** storm,” Hodnick said. “It was my first time in a hurricane. It was a little scary at first. I did feel like the house was shaking, the bed was shaking. Just lying there, the winds were so crazy, the winds were crazy.” 

Hodnick was walking with Allyson Charlovich, both from Pittsburgh. 

Last year, while in the Outer Banks, Hurricane Ian swamped Charlovich’s car.

“I went through a flooded road,” she said. “My car was literally floating, (and) military people came and pushed me out.” 

Dylan, staying in anther house, is just glad it’s over and sunshine tomorrow.  

“Apparently, this is only going to last a day, so hopefully it is better tomorrow, and we can enjoy the rest of our vacation,” he said.

Whitney’s family doesn’t leave the house to do much, so they weren’t in a hurry to drive around.

“We have always cooked in,” Whitney said. “We did that long before COVID, every meal in the house. We do not need anything from the store. We got lots of ice. We cooked out. We have lanterns, gas stoves.” 

But in the end, for Hodnick, this tropical storm newbie, it was a night to remember, 

“It was a lot more than I thought, the wind, the rain, everything,” Hodnick said. “It’s the flooding. It’s crazy, it’s something new for me to see.” 

All these people stayed in homes on South Shore Drive in Rodanthe, and at the end of the street, there is a dead end with a phenomenon forced by the grip of mother nature. 

Christine Witenski was staying next to an open lot, but it wasn’t an open lot Wednesday. There was a house there until it was moved 50 yards inland to escape Mother Nature’s grasp.  She took two pictures of what the house looked like.  

Witenski is in awe of what transpired before her eyes.

“The house was over here, and then they had to move it back due to the storm,” Witenski said. “That is what the head construction guy said. … They took it off the wood, and had it on the wheel and just pulled it back.”

But this is not the first house to be moved on the street. 

It seems to be a street of relocated homes. 

There are four homes, including the one Witenski is staying in, that has been moved.  

There are two others we are told could be moved soon or possibly face a watery grave. 

“What did I think of the engineering feat of it all,” Witenski said. “I have never seen it before, and I just thought it was incredible how they did it, and they did it in the matter of two hours. That was the feat of it. The moving of it and it was such a heavy house.”