Jimmy Buffett Goes Surfing in Hurricane-Fueled Waves: 'I Ain't Afraid of Dying'

Jimmy Buffett says 'I ain't afraid of dying' after surfing in South Carolina as Hurricane Florence hits the area

Photo: Jimmy Buffett/Instagram

As Hurricane Florence started to batter the North Carolina coast, Jimmy Buffett decided there was no better time than the present to go surfing.

On Wednesday, the 71-year-old musician hit the waves on Folly Beach, South Carolina near Charleston despite many others were fleeing the area.

“I ain’t afraid of dying I got no need to explain. I feel like going surfing in this hurricane,” the Margaritaville restaurant founder captioned an Instagram photo of himself posing alongside his surfboard.

While Buffett was enjoying the storm swell and not evacuating, he warned others not to do the same. “On a serious note– respect mother nature, please be safe and listen to your local authorities,” Buffett added.

Both North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper and South Carolina Henry McMaster have urged residents to take Hurricane Florence seriously and evacuate.

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“We have been saying every day for almost a week that this is a historic storm and we are worried about two things. One is the ocean surge, which will contribute to river flooding, and the historic rainfall that we are about to have,” Governor Copper explained.

As of now, Hurricane Florence is a category 2 storm with wind gusts as high as 106 mph, according to the Weather Channel.

The storm is expected to attack both the Carolinas and water levels are already rising on the western side of Pamlico Sound in North Carolina.

RELATED VIDEO: Hurricane Florence Weakened but Still Expected to Be Devastating as Some Refuse to Evacuate

Flooding has also been reported in New Bern, North Carolina.

Extreme rainfall will continue throughout the weekend only to let up early next week, the Weather Channel reports.

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In preparation, a number of shelters have opened across the state.

In addition to Buffett, the cast of Southern Charm will also be affected by the storm. Unlike Buffett, the Bravo stars are getting out of dodge.

“I hope everyone and their loved ones keep an eye on the storm’s activities and stay safe,” cast member Austen Kroll previously told PEOPLE.

“South Carolina, and Charleston specifically, is no stranger to hurricane season. I’m hoping that the damage they are predicting from Hurricane Florence’s landfall is not as devastating as expected.”

However, Patricia Altschul is staying behind.

“Batten down the hatches,” the socialite wrote on Twitter. “House on lockdown…. shutters wired over plywood, generator inspected, pool water lowered, cars in parking garage, supplies bought, pets accounted for. Bring it on.”