Most of the tourists have left Ocracoke Island, and the surfers are watching closely as deadly rip currents lurk below the waves.

Hurricane Erin forced tourists to cut their vacations short on North Carolina’s Outer Banks even though the monster storm is expected to stay offshore after lashing part of the Caribbean with rain and wind on Monday.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring large waves, rough surf and life-threatening rip currents from Florida to Canada

Two more tropical systems trail Hurricane Erin, which is following a projected course that brushes past the East Coast without making landfall.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring massive waves and dangerous rip currents to areas along the East Coast. Here's which beaches are closed. Hurricane Erin's eyewall is now about 30 nautical miles, with hurricane-force-winds extending 80 miles from its eye.

Hurricane Erin is expected to bring massive waves and dangerous rip currents to areas along the East Coast. Here's which beaches are closed.

Hurricane Erin on Tuesday remained a major hurricane as headed north in the Atlantic prompting coastal advisories for Florida while the National Hurricane Center kept track of two tropical waves