Quartz CountertopsNear Folly Beach, SC

The beautiful emerald-green waters off the coast of South Carolina draw millions of sun-loving beachgoers every year. But tourists aren’t the only visitors who flock to the beaches for sun and surf; sharks are drawn to the state’s estuaries, piers, and fishing holes, where schools of fish provide an endless buffet. But sharks tend to get a bad rap, thanks partly to the 1975 cult classic Jaws, whose unofficial tagline, “Don’t Go in the Water,” frightened swimmers out of the Atlantic Ocean for years. In reality, sharks rarely attack, with only a few species, like the great white, tiger, and bull shark, being territorial and aggressive.

According to the International Shark Attack File (ISAF) at the Florida Museum of Natural History, 36 “unprovoked” shark bites were in the US in 2023. An “unprovoked” shark bite occurs when a shark attacks a person in the ocean without being harassed by someone attempting to feed or touch a shark. South Carolina had two reported shark bites in 2023, ranking behind Florida and Hawaii.

Myrtle Beach

Myrtle Beach is a popular South Carolina vacation hotspot, with more than 17 million visitors attracted to its 60 miles of beautiful sandy beaches, famous boardwalk, vibrant nightlife, and Southern hospitality. The Myrtle Beach area is called the Grand Strand and comprises 14 communities along the South Carolina coast. It is known for frequent shark sightings, particularly during summer. Several species, including blacktip and spinner sharks, are common. On average, Myrtle Beach reports one to two shark attacks per year, resulting in minor injuries. On August 15, 2022, two people were bitten by sharks on the same day off the coastline of Myrtle Beach.

Still, given the millions of visitors to Myrtle Beach annually, the incidents are relatively rare. Most incidents occur from late spring to early fall, which mirrors the migratory patterns of sharks moving through the warm waters. Fishing attracts sharks closer to shore, especially near fishing piers where fish are being cleaned, or plenty of bait can be found. Sharks are more active during dawn and dusk, popular times for anglers looking to reel in the catch of the day.

Sea Pines Beach

Sea Pines Beach is at the very south tip of Hilton Head Island—a picturesque barrier island off the coast of South Carolina. The beach is part of a private 5,000-acre community with a resort, a marina, a forest preserve, and a PGA Tour golf community. There are plenty of activities for visitors at the Sea Pines Resort, including golf, tennis, water sports, and strolling along the five miles of sandy beaches. There is also no shortage of varied shark species roaming the waters off Hilton Head. During the summer, visitors may see blacktips, fine tooths, bonnetheads (a smaller hammerhead species found in shallow waters), and lemon sharks in the surf zone. In the winter, great white sharks may occasionally be spotted around the island.

The shallow waters around the Sea Pines Resort are an excellent place to see sharks, as the island's estuaries and marshes provide nurseries for various shark species. A few shark attacks have been reported over the years at Sea Pines Beach, but the chances of getting bitten are relatively low. In July 2024, sharks attacked two swimmers at Sea Pines.

Folly Beach

Known as Charleston’s Beach Town, Folly Beach exudes laid-back vibes. Most activities revolve around the water, with surfing, paddle boarding, and kayaking high on the list of outdoor water sports to enjoy. With its proximity to Charleston Harbor and the Atlantic Ocean's open waters, the beach is another prime spot for sharks, especially near the Folly Beach Pier. Hammerhead sharks and other shark species are often attracted to piers thanks to increased fishing activity around these areas. Hammerheads are also attracted to the shoreline by the presence of blacktips—a favored meal.

Visitors to Folly Beach shouldn’t let the presence of sharks keep them out of the salty sea as the chances of being attacked by a shark are low. Practical safety tips for avoiding sharks include avoiding swimming during dawn and dusk and during or after storms, as the weather can churn up bait fish, attracting these curious ocean dwellers. Birds diving and fish jumping are also tell-tale signs of a looming shark, so swimmers should be wary of going in the water if they see this behavior. Instead of swimming, visitors can look for shark teeth on the beach, where beachcombers may find teeth from lemon sharks, sand tiger sharks, bull sharks, and great white sharks.

Isle of Palms

Eighteen miles from Charleston, the relaxing South Carolina barrier Isle of Palms is a much-loved destination for both locals and tourists. It has abundant marine life, including loggerhead sea turtles, dolphins, herons, pelicans, osprey, and sharks. The waters surrounding the picturesque Isle of Palms are home to several species of sharks, including blacktip, bonnethead, and bull sharks.

Blacktip sharks, a typical coastal species, are often spotted inshore near the beach during the summer months of May to September, as shark activity increases due to migration and breeding patterns. While these sharks are frequently mistaken for more dangerous species, they are not highly dangerous to humans as they are timid. In May 2023, a swimmer was bitten by what was thought to be a 4-5 foot juvenile tiger shark on Isle of Palms.

Hunting Island

Near historic Beaufort, Hunting Island is a popular beach and part of South Carolina’s most-visited state park. More than one million tourists visit the park every year, drawn to the nearly 5 miles of soft white sand on the Atlantic Ocean side of the island. On the other side of the island, a salt marsh lagoon contains a unique ecosystem where dolphins, tiger sharks, shrimp, crabs, and certain turtle species are found, with osprey and eagles soaring overhead.

The beach has experienced numerous shark sightings, especially near its estuary areas, thanks to its rich ecosystem, which makes it an attractive feeding area for sharks. As for the shark species on Hunting Island beach, visitors may encounter blacktips, finetooths, bonnetheads, spinner sharks, or lemon sharks, which can generally be seen feeding on small bait fish, such as mullet and menhaden, which are common in the surf zone. There have been several shark attacks off the beach on Hunting Island over the past 10 years, but none recently.

Summary

South Carolina is certainly a top shark hotspot in the US, along with Hawaii, California, North Carolina, and Florida, where New Smyrna Beach, ranked as the most shark-infested area in the world, is called the “Shark Bite Capital of the World.” According to the Florida Museum of Natural History ISAF, the odds of being attacked by a shark are 1 in 11.5 million. There were 36 shark attacks in the US, of which two were fatal—one in California and the other in Hawaii. The Palmetto State had two reported shark bites in 2023, but while shark sightings and encounters occasionally make headlines, understanding their habits and habitats ensures both visitors and these ocean dwellers can safely enjoy even the five most shark-infested beaches in South Carolina.

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Debbie Howlett November 30 2024 in Places

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|Updated: Nov. 13, 2024 at 6:20 PM EST

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Folly Beach is taking precautions to protect the dunes and birds that contribute to the island’s habitat and integrity.

Folly Beach Leaders approved updates to the Dune Management Plan, which protects the dunes that protect the island at the edge of the beach and serve as a critical habitat. Coastal Consultant Nicole Elko wrote part of the plan and calls Folly Beach home.

“The dune management plan is really one of many city plans that helps to address climate change and sea level rise, and this one in particular, really helps the city fulfill the requirements of the federal renourishment agreement,” Elko says.

The dune management plan provides checkpoints and projects to make sure the dunes are not eroding. As a part of the plan, the city is finishing installing protective wooden fences that trap and retain sand on the dunes during the windy winter. Come spring of 2025, teams will plant grasses on the dunes to help root them into the environment.

“Some of the goals are to monitor, restore and protect the dunes. And under each of those goals, we have action items, for example, under monitoring, we measure the beach and dune annually. So we’re looking at the vegetation, how much the dune has grown, if it’s gotten taller, if it has eroded. And these types of metrics help us plan for future renourishments,” Elko says.

Elko says aside from being an aesthetic addition, the dunes serve the island in a lot of ways.

“A wide beach is great, but you need the elevation of the dune to kind of act as a levy against storm surge and protect the community. Then the dunes also provide habitat for nesting sea turtles, for shore birds. Then the final element is, sort of the aesthetic,” Elko says.

Concerning the wildlife and birds, Folly Beach City Council also approved promoting ‘Lights Out Nights’ and asking residents and businesses to turn off non-essential lights at night during critical bird migratory periods in the spring and fall.

Jen Tyrrell is an ornithologist who works with the Audubon Society and lives on James Island. She is working with leaders to raise more awareness about light pollution interfering with bird migration.

“Most songbirds migrate at night to avoid daytime predators, and when they migrate at night, they use celestial cues and stars and polarized light to navigate. And so when they’re flying through the night and buildings are lit up and there’s a lot of reflection from the ground, they get disoriented, and they can run into buildings and structures,” Tyrrell says.

Folly Beach will participate in campaigns to encourage conscious light usage during the upcoming migration times between March and May, and August through October.

“60% of birds that hit a structure like that will die, even if they get up and fly away. You think it was just stunned, but most of them will die within a few days. So it’s very important for their population. And about a billion birds a year will die from building collisions and window collisions. So it’s a huge problem,” Tyrrell says.

Tyrrell says she has seen it herself at Folly Beach City Hall and has plans to petition Charleston to participate in the program before the spring migration. The program asks people to take actions similar to sea turtle protections, and while the birds in question are not endangered as the sea turtles are, Tyrrell says they deserve the same protection from light pollution.

“If you’re looking to reduce your outdoor lighting at home, think about how you need your lighting, or what’s the purpose of your lighting. Is it for safety, using motion sensors? Use it only when needed, and then also have it pointed downwards so it’s not reflecting into the sky causing glare,” Tyrrell says.

Folly Beach leaders like Public Works Director, Eric Lutz, say these are year-round considerations the town looks at to protect the integrity of the island for the people and animals who live there year-round and for all visitors.

“It’s important out here, we try to protect all of our habitat, and we have lights out for turtles, but we realize it’s extra important to cover the birds as they’re migrating. And the dunes are starting to build up now, with the sand fencing that went in, all that will help build and restore the dunes and keep them healthy for habitat,” Lutz says.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

|Updated: Nov. 6, 2024 at 7:45 PM EST

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Folly Beach hopes to curb a growing need for “cost-friendly” livability by expanding access to workforce housing, but they need opinions to push them forward.

Leaders are asking the public to weigh in on ideas to bring diverse housing options closer to city limits. The idea was first introduced in July when planning commission board members discussed creating affordable long-term rental spaces.

Folly Beach has seen an increase in July long-term rentals after a cap was placed in 2023 on short-term rental options.

“It’s getting to be a bit more expensive to live on Folly Beach, and that’s starting to impact our public safety, our service workers, who are having to move further out and find places they can afford to live in,” Councilmember Chris Bizzell says.

Sarah Piscatelli has worked on Folly Beach for more than a year. She admires the character of the beachfront and its local hospitality.

“I used to live on James Island, made a shorter commute. Since we now own a house in Goose Creek, so a longer commute,” Piscatelli says. “It is so rewarding to work somewhere and commute somewhere that is so beautiful.”

Coworkers and surrounding businesses share a similar experience. The restaurants, cafes and shops lining Center Street say peak tourism season gives them the business and the energy they need, but staffing can be difficult to maintain, despite the potential of higher pay.

Local residents add attainable housing is “no doubt, a need,” but would like to see how it would be done. City officials have confirmed there is not a lot of space in city limits for development.

“I know locals are super passionate about the community we have and are obtaining. I feel like any sort of additional housing, anything built besides whatever is being done already is excessive,” Piscatelli says.

The city aims to have a formal plan by February 2025 that includes details of cost, timeline, location and design. Between that time, leaders expect to hold public hearings and meetings to dispute options.

“We won’t be building high-rises, we can’t build high-rises because we don’t have room. The avenues we want to build through planning commission may look very different than they do in other places,” Zoning Administrator, Jenna Stephens, says. “Planning commission is about to send out a survey we hope business workers will answer, to know how far they live, how far they commute, how much they pay, are they looking for housing on Folly Beach and would they benefit from some sort of help.”

Bizzell says this is the time for “creative solutions,” as it can be difficult to gauge an “affordable” definition for housing. He adds the average single family home could cost anywhere between $3,000 and $4,000 a month.

To submit public comment on this project, you can contact the city of Folly Beach here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCBD) – Toby’s Spooktacular Sweep, a Halloween celebration, returns for its third year at Folly Beach this year.

The annual beach sweep events kicks off Halloween early on Oct. 27. Participants are encouraged to wear Halloween costumes while they pick up litter along one of the six stations. The family-friendly event will provide Halloween temporary tattoos, slap wristbands, and stickers.

Vanessa Oltmann, founder of Toby’s Spooktacular Sweep, said why she organizes this event around the holiday.

“I decided we need to have fun, so what wouldn’t be better than to do a costume sweep, a spectacular – spooktacular for everyone,” Oltmann said.

The turnout for the event has been impactful to the coastal community by keeping areas within the beach clean.

“We’ve had over 300 volunteers over the past two years and we’ve collected close to 2300 pieces of debris,” Oltmann said.

Toby the Turtle and the City of Folly Beach host the sweep, while they continue to have a partnership with the South Carolina Aquarium.

“The aquarium provides all the supplies and the necessary equipment for us to be able to collect data” Oltmann said. “Which is very important in this world for us to know what kind of debris is in the ocean or on the earth, because everything that’s out there on the ground ends up in the ocean. And we want to protect wildlife, domestic life, marine life, and human life so that all affects us.”

Surrounding the beach sweep, one of the major concerns is plastics. Oltmann said anything that ends up in the ocean or in our waterways, eventually ends up in our bodily systems.

“This data actually helps us to be able to go to the city or any politicians to say look, we have an issue. What can we do to resolve the problem, the founder said. “This is why the sweeps are so important, they make the public aware of what’s here.”

The beach sweep is from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. with the costume contest to follow at 4 p.m. along with treats at the participating restaurants. For those who wish to participate, must sign up to receive a wristband and free parking.

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - The City of Folly Beach has been working on developing a plan in hopes of reducing car accidents and creating safer roads for pedestrians and drivers.

In April, the City approved a contract to develop this Safety Action Plan and leaders have been working on taking the necessary steps to create the most beneficial plan possible ever since.

Some steps they are taking to develop this plan include meeting with community members and stakeholders to get a sense of what improvements should be prioritized. They are also gathering data and audits about the roads, speed limits, and incident locations in the city.

Their hope is to collect all this information, create the Safety Action Plan based on it and then implement those plans.

The city has gathered crash statistics and data regarding pedestrians in the area so they can look at what improvements are needed as part of this comprehensive plan. Thursday evening the city is hosting a public meeting to present this data to the community and gather feedback on what safety improvements they would like to see.

The city is looking to narrow down the necessary projects and problem areas. For example, there have been several pedestrian incidents near Center Street, so that may be a project area they choose to prioritize.

Katie Zimmerman is the executive director of Charleston Moves, an organization that works toward building a safer and more accessible community for pedestrians and cyclists.

She says she anticipates this plan will take a year to complete before they can take action, but she shared how important this process is for community members to express their feedback.

“The best thing from the community is just to continue to participate in the process and make sure folks are letting the planners know what they’ve experienced, and also what their ideas are for safety improvements and where,” Zimmerman says. “You know, most of us are not engineers, but we certainly have experienced the situation in the community, not just Folly Beach, but throughout the county. It’s pretty dangerous for those of us who are biking and walking.”

Zimmerman says that pedestrian safety is a major issue across not just the Lowcountry, but throughout South Carolina.

Many other cities and municipalities have chosen to also develop Safety Action Plans and Zimmerman hopes those can help bring more of these changes to the Lowcountry and encourage a connected, safe environment for pedestrians.

Zimmerman says that, to bring these plans to fruition, the council must implement certain policies aimed at eliminating pedestrian fatalities and develop the plan so they can qualify for federal funding for the actual installation of these projects. Those also help them to better leverage future project plans.

One of these policies is a “Target Zero Plan,” which would set a goal to get the number of traffic fatalities down to zero by a certain year.

Zimmerman says pedestrians, and human beings in general, need to be the top priority.

“Everywhere pedestrians should be No. 1 in transportation planning,” she says. “Human beings are the most vulnerable, especially when they’re not in a car and obviously cars are now being built to be safer for people in the cars and not as safe for people who are outside of the cars, so we have a situation on our hands. South Carolina is a dangerous place for vulnerable road users.”

To Zimmerman, intersections, bridges and paths should be designed so well that it is safe enough for an 8-year-old to cross it, and she hopes that is what comes of the Safety Action Plan.

Thursday evening, the City of Folly Beach will be hosting its last scheduled informational drop-in session to gather community feedback on the development of the Safety Action Plan.

The meeting will be from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. and will take place at the Folly Beach Community Center located at 55 Center Street. The meeting is open for anyone to come and provide their input.

More information on the meeting as well as some of the crash data that will be presented can be found here.

Copyright 2024 WCSC. All rights reserved.