Eight souls rescued from wayward boat on Beaufort-area sea island. Are tides to blame?
Two vessels have run aground on Fripp and Hunting Islands in northern Beaufort County in July. One required a complicated Coast Guard rescue of 7 people and a dog — including two local rescue crew members. In the second case, a grounded sailboat remains on Hunting Island State Park.
The beached boats prompted a reminder from authorities for boaters to be mindful of coastal South Carolina’s huge tidal shifts, which can quickly turn smooth sailing into a shipwreck.
Lt. Cmdr. Carl Luxhoj, with Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, warned boaters of the unique conditions off the coast. “Due to the impressive range of tides in the Lowcountry region, we recommend all mariners check tides and currents before going out on the water.”
With one of the highest tidal ranges on the East Coast, and an average height of 8.5 feet between high and low tide, Beaufort County’s big tidal flow has been compared to a toilet with a powerful flush. But while that tidal power keeps area waters healthy and clean, it can also overwhelm uninitiated boaters.
Rescue effort needed
A rescue crew with Coast Guard Air Station Savannah responded to a vessel that ran aground on Fripp Island, just to the south of Hunting Island, on Sunday. Arriving in a MH-65 Dolphin helicopter, the crew hoisted five people and a dog from the 23-foot boat — in addition to two members from the Beaufort County Marine Rescue.
The local rescue unit had launched an airboat crew to assist the stranded boat, but the rescue boat’s engine quit upon their arrival.
The rescue turned out to be complex because it required so many trips, said Luxhoj. “Our crew did a great job of managing aircraft weight and power margin to conduct the hoists.”
This Fripp Island rescue had a happy ending, with crew members with the Beaufort County Marine Rescue recovering its airboat and the boat that ran aground. Those rescued were taken to Beaufort Executive Airport. No injuries were reported.
Boneyard beach claims another vessel
In the second case, a sailboat was reported July 12 on the south end of a popular stretch known as Little Hunting Island Boneyard Beach, at Hunting Island State Park, according to the South Carolina Department of Parks, Recreation and Tourism. The sailboat was still on its shores as of Thursday, surprising visitors and prompting some complaints about its intrusion on the beloved beach marked with gnarly dead trees done in by erosion at the barrier island 15 miles east of Beaufort.
“Now ... There’s something you don’t see everyday,” Joe Zieran said on Facebook. “Shipwrecked sailboat on boneyard beach, Hunting Island, SC. “I hope it can be recovered and returned to it’s rightful owners.”
Zieran encountered the beached sailboat while hiking on Boneyard Beach last Thursday and was quick to take photographs that he shared on social media. He estimates the vessel to be to 20 to 25 feet long.
Jessica LeNeve Lindler also saw the boat Saturday when several young adults appeared playing around on it and jumping into the ocean.
Sam Queen, a SCPRT spokesperson, said the boat went off course and washed ashore and got stuck. No injuries were reported. “We’ve been in communication with the owner and SC Department of Natural Resources to get it removed, which we hope happens soon,” Queen said.
