State urges safe behavior on Masonboro Island during July 4th holiday

NEW HANOVER COUNTY, (WWAY) — Masonboro Island is a popular destination for boaters during the July 4th holiday, which is why the N.C. Department of Environmental Quality’s Division of Coastal Management and the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office are urging the public to act responsibly while they’re on the island.

Masonboro is a research reserve and dedicated state nature preserve. In preparation for the holiday, the state coastal agency and the sheriff’s office are working together to provide public safety resources and increase public awareness of responsible visitor behavior on the island.

“Our partnership with the New Hanover County Sheriff’s Office continues to keep visitors to Masonboro Island Reserve safe,” said Tancred Miller, director of the NC Division of Coastal Management. “Celebrate responsibly while enjoying Masonboro Island or any of North Carolina’s other Coastal Reserve or National Estuarine Research Reserve sites during the July Fourth holiday.”

The agencies reminds visitors not to attempt the dangerous swim across Masonboro Inlet and to make responsible decisions that limit the impact on natural resources, which includes packing up all your trash when you leave.