Hurricane Erin pounded the North Carolina coast with strong waves and gusty winds as it began to move further out to sea Thursday.

As Hurricane Erin churned off the North Carolina coast this week, its powerful waves destroyed most of the remaining sea turtle nests on Emerald Isle, dealing a blow to what had been shaping up as a successful nesting season.

Hurricane Erin is entering the first stages of a post-tropical transition as it continues to move away from the eastern coast of the United States.

Hurricane Erin brought storm surges and tropical storm conditions to parts of North Carolina and Virginia as it passed along the U.S. East Coast before moving away