Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune warned boaters and visitors to stay away from Browns Island and nearby waters because of the danger posed by unexploded ordnance and live-fire training exercises. The island, which sits between North Onslow Beach and Bear Island along the Atlantic Intracoastal Waterway, remains strictly off limits to civilians and military personnel alike.
Base officials said the restrictions cover Browns Island itself, nearby shorelines, surrounding waters, creeks and tributaries. They also said warning signs posted throughout the area must be obeyed, and that civilian watercraft must never beach or drop anchor on or near the posted restricted zones.
The warning matters because the hazards are not limited to one stretch of sand. Lt. Col. Jeffrey Cummings said the danger ranges from 500-pound air-delivered bombs to 25- and 40-millimeter high-explosive dual-purpose munitions, a reminder that the area remains tied to old ordnance as well as active training. Military police and the U.S. Coast Guard regularly patrol the area, and the restrictions are enforced under federal regulations outlined in 33 CFR 334.440.
Browns Island has long been associated with unexploded ordnance and live-fire training hazards, but the current warning extends that danger to the waterways boaters use every day. Cummings said the base wants to ensure the safety of the boating public, and the message leaves little room for interpretation: the island is not open, the water around it is not open, and the signs are not optional.
For boaters in the area today, the next step is simple. Stay clear of Browns Island and the posted waters, because the risk is real and the rules are being enforced.
