New island forms off North Carolina coast

An island that appeared to be little more than a “bump” in April has grown to span a mile across and three football fields wide off the coast of North Carolina, according to multiple reports.

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The island near the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse has been dubbed "Shelly Island," so-named because it's a prime location to find seashells, visitor Janice Regan told The Virginian-Pilot.

“Isn’t it crazy?” Regan asked the newspaper. “It was just a little bump in April.”

The island formed off Cape Point, “a constantly changing spit of land of about 100 acres,” according to The Virginian-Pilot.

Tourist Chad Koczera noticed the sandbar while searching for shells during a vacation with his fiancée, according to CNN. He realized that he couldn't get to the island by foot, so he sent up his drone and photographed it.

Officials warned that despite the island’s picturesque beauty, it can be incredibly dangerous to reach. The Hatteras Island Rescue Squad said last week that it had to rescue five people from the island after the tide rose, surrounding them with quickly moving waters and stranding them.

“It becomes (inaccessible) as the tide begins to come in and the current rips through the channel at a dangerous speed,” officials said. “We highly recommend that visitors and residents do not attempt to wade or swim to the island.”

Cox Media Group