After finding 200 holes on beach, NC town adopts fines for using shovels in sand
One North Carolina island has become so alarmed by holes left in its beach that town officials have adopted guidelines covering everything from allowable depth to use of toy shovels.
Holes more than 12 inches deep can now result in a $50 fine, Oak Island town officials say.
Fines can also be levied if the digger uses something other than “toy shovels intended for use by children,” or if the hole is left unattended and unfilled after 6 p.m., according to a news release.
The new restrictions were adopted July 8 in response to what amounts to a plague of holes.
“Since the start of May 2025, the Oak Island Beach Safety Unit has responded to and filled in over 205 large, deep holes left unattended on the public beach areas,” town officials said.
“Often difficult to see when left unattended, and nearly impossible to see at night, these hazards regularly lead to damaged emergency equipment and severe injuries for people, pets, and wildlife walking along the beach.”
A cubic foot of sand can weigh more than 100 pounds and hole collapses have resulted in fatalities along beaches across the country, according to NPR.
In 2023, a 17-year-old was smothered in North Carolina when he dug into the side of a sand dune and it caved on top of him at Cape Hatteras National Seashore, McClatchy News reported.
“The weight of sand from a collapsed hole can immediately crush most children,” Oak Island officials said.
Citations for violating the new restrictions can be written by Beach Safety Unit officers and the Oak Island Police Department, the town says.
Oak Island is not the first North Carolina town or park to adopt guidelines for digging on beaches, with towns such as Carolina Beach adopting a fine of $100 for “holes, trenches or other depressions” that stretch more than 5 feet wide.
Oak Island is about a 160-mile drive southeast from Raleigh.
This story was originally published July 18, 2025 at 11:03 AM with the headline "After finding 200 holes on beach, NC town adopts fines for using shovels in sand."