Coastal lifestyle turns costly as sinkhole threatens homes in Sunset Beach

SUNSET BEACH, NC (WWAY-TV) — The potentially heavy rains, high winds and rough surf coming this weekend could make a massive sinkhole which has taken over a backyard in Sunset Beach even worse.

Jacki and David Hegidus have lived at the Sea Trail Golf Course for nearly a decade. Jacki said they came here for a coastal lifestyle and got something else.

“We moved here for the beach feel, we love our neighbors, our neighbors are great,” Jacki said, “and the atmosphere was wonderful.”

The couple said the sinkhole opened after Hurricane Helene last year.

“It would get bad with each rain, heavy rain storms we would have, we would see new little sinkholes popping up appear here and there and over time they would increase,” Jacki said.

They claim the sinkhole was caused by collapsed storm water pipes under the ground. The couple said they were unaware of the drainage system under their yard when they moved in.

“We filled it in a few times until a neighbor close by told us that had a storm water drainage system that ran through our yards,” Jacki said.

The couple said the pipes are owned privately by the Sea Trail golf course, which was renovated last year including its drainage system. The couple added: the golf course redirected the water 3 weeks ago but left behind the damage in their yard.

The drains also run under neighboring homes.  Chet Hayes said he’s starting to see a sinkhole form in his backyard too.

“I saw Jacki’s house and I thought ‘oh’ I knew immediately what was happening,” Hayes said. “So I took the end of a rake and poked it and it went down about five feet.”

WWAY reached out to the golf course for comment and we have not heard back. The couple is considering potentially suing the golf course for damages, hoping to regain they backyard they’ve lost.