Pressure Washing in Sullivan's Island, SC

SULLIVAN’S ISLAND, S.C. (WCSC) - Several Sullivan’s Island dog walkers and regulars are speaking up about their personal experiences with coyotes.

This comes a day after town officials reported five coyote-led attacks involving dogs within the month of August.

They say the wild animals has been approaching people, dogs and roaming open areas of the beach more often than usual.

The Jourdan family says they experienced a too-close encounter with a coyote over the weekend.

“They were out halfway to the water, from the dune, so middle of the beach. And they were attacked by coyotes,” Jourdan said.

Five-year-old Willie Nelson, the Jourdan family dog, was taken by two coyotes early Saturday morning while on a walk with a babysitter.

Jourdan says it happened in broad daylight and in the middle of the beach.

He adds the family was devastated by the loss of their “wonder dog.”

“I was trying to get closure for my family’s sake, for Willie, because we weren’t even there. Which was frustrating. I crawled on my belly for over four miles between stations 26 and 28,” Jourdan said.

The attack occurred at Station 27, a part of the beach several residents have called a “breeding ground” for coyote packs.

Officials with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources say the breed has been approaching people, dogs and roaming open areas of the beach more often.

They add that mid-summer and fall are peak active times for these animals, meaning it is when coyotes migrate to new spaces, feed and have young.

SCDNR officials say another reason for the increased interactions could be from them being opportunistic feeders, meaning they will be quick and take anything they need.

Others say they have been chased by coyotes in the past but escaped.

“We were walking in June when a coyote came out of the dunes and started chasing,” Sullivan’s regular Shelly Carson said. “I was able to chase it away, and it ran down the beach to chase a golden retriever.”

Now, they avoid the area altogether or take proactive measures to be able to walk safely.

“I’ve always known there are coyotes here,” Carson said. “Never seen one until this year. Really, March was the first time I had my first sighting and started carrying pepper spray on the beach. In June I started carrying a birdie alarm. And now I carry a stick with me too.”

Visitors are asking for help from officials to curb the problem.

“It’s close to our hearts, but the coyote system is unfortunately not something that is new, declining or lessened. Rather the opposite,” Jourdan said.

They ask for coyote population control, area management and listening to residential concerns.

Town officials say they do have systems in place to manage the problem, which include education, tracking, hazing and lethal control.

They ask anyone who experiences an encounter or sighting to report the problem immediately.

If you run into a coyote, you’re advised to react loudly, throw small sticks or cans or spray the animal with water.

For more information on coyotes along Sullivan’s Island, click here.

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SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — Sullivan's Island For All wants to make sure people know not only the beauty of the Maritime Forest, but also how it protects the community.

Karen Byko, the president of Sullivan's Island For All, says the forest is more than just a home for wildlife.

Read more: Lowcountry law enforcement helps those in need at Seacoast Church

"The trees here are protecting us, so we need to protect them," she said. "The Maritime Forest provides a vegetative wall between the ocean and the homeowners, so that as storm surge comes in from the ocean, they provide that wall to protect us from that water. It's critically important that we preserve these trees to protect the island from that kind of destructive erosion."

Byko says there are some threats to this forest, such as the illegal cutting of the trees.

"We have people frequently who come out here and cut into public land trust, trees, and vegetation they do not own and they don't have a right to do," she said. "This land is protected for all of us to be able to enjoy."

According to Byko, everyone should care about this issue. She advocates for the protection of these 195 acres.

"We live in a world where we know the effects of climate change are accelerating," Byko said. "We know these types of habitats are increasingly being destroyed and eroded. I just encourage everybody to come out here and know why we are fighting so hard to try to save this."

Byko also mentioned this forest is one of the last of its kind.

"There are very few places we can go to anymore that we can be in a wild space like this and be able to just enjoy it," Byko said. "If you look at maritime forests, you'll find there are very few that are left along the entire East Coast of the United States. This is one of the last few remaining Maritime Forests in the United States that's easily accessible to anybody."

"Anybody in Charleston can get in their car, drive over here, find a parking space, and enjoy the Maritime Forest," she said.

Giant swaths of sand were washed away on Charleston-area beaches as a result of this week’s nor’easter, officials reported. Folly Beach, the Isle of Palms, Sullivan’s Island and Kiawah Island — sites expected to be filled with tourists this summer — were especially hard hit.

Folly Beach’s sand dunes were pushed back as much as 20 feet. Kiawah Island reported up to 50 feet of erosion, with the highest erosion rates occurring around delicate Captain Sam’s Spit.

The Isle of Palms recorded beach erosion without providing specific measurements.

“We had a little bit of a buffer going into this thing that there’s really not much buffer left anywhere,” said Eric Lutz, director of public works on Folly Beach in discussing the tons of sand lost there.

He added that without the sand dunes that were there, damage on the island would have been worse.

Dunes offer protection from flooding and are meant to be “sacrificial,” he said.

“They’re doing what they’re supposed to do, but it is pretty catastrophic to the naked eye when you walk on the beach and see it,” Lutz added.

‘Greater than anticipated’

On Sullivan’s Island, a nearly 10-foot tide and churning waves battered the dunes and covered Thompson Park, the historic site of a Revolutionary War battle, washing away sand. Officials closed access to the park as a result.

“The dunes were beat up pretty bad by the high tide and the wave action, so we saw a loss of the dune in many areas on the beach,” Sullivan’s Island Town Administrator Andy Benke said.

As of the afternoon on Dec. 19, several roads on Sullivan’s Island remained flooded with standing water. The town’s stormwater infrastructure was overwhelmed by the heavy rainfall, Benke said, and it could take up to three days for the water in the streets to completely drain away.

COLUMBIA — Though it can sound counterintuitive at first, U.S. Forest Service specialists are going to set parts of South Carolina forests aflame to reduce the threat of fires.

Prescribed burns will be conducted throughout Francis Marion and Sumter National Forests over the next six months, officials with the U.S. Department of Agriculture said Feb. 8. The goal is to remove excess vegetation and dead wood from the natural habitat of plants and animals, which left unchecked could enable wildfires to spread wider, quicker and longer.

“Applying prescribed fire on the land at the right place, at the right time, under the right conditions, benefits the land,” U.S. Forest Service spokeswoman Pamela Baltimore said, adding that prescribed burning is “a critical management tool to improve plant and animal habitat and the resiliency of forest landscapes to withstand drought, insects and disease.”

Smoke is likely to appear in various parts of the forests while officials conduct the burns and could spread to nearby communities. Motorists are asked to use their low beams if they notice smoke on the road.

Forest Service fire specialists are planning prescribed burns on 50,000 acres in the Francis Marion National Forest in Charleston and Berkeley counties. Call the district office in Huger at 843-336-2200.

Burns are prescribed for 55,000 acres in Sumter National Forest, broken up into three ranger districts.

The first district’s fire specialists plans to conduct burns on 10,000 acres in Oconee County. Rangers with the second district will conduct burns on 20,000 acres in Chester, Fairfield, Laurens, Newberry and Union counties. The third district covers 25,000 acres across Edgefield, McCormick, Saluda, Abbeville and Greenville counties.

SULLIVAN'S ISLAND, S.C. (WCIV) — People across the nation made a splash along the coast this new year.

Here in the Lowcountry, Dunleavy's Pub on Sullivan's Island hosted its 29th annual New Year's Day Polar Plunge. Plungers dove into 2024 and in the process, helped raise nearly $17,000 for South Carolina Special Olympics.

Read more: Murray-mania: Bill Murray look-alikes dive into Folly Beach for annual polar plunge

"This is one of my favorite parts," Special Olympics athlete Kylie MacFarland said. "I mean, everybody's donating, everybody's helping out and, and Sue's been here all helping out, so it's been a great day today."

It was a cold way to ring in the new year, all with a special cause in mind. The streets of Sullivan's Island were packed with polar plungers ready to make that big splash.

"It was like I expected," Emma Grace Funderburk said. "Very cold, but then once I got further out and just the longer I stayed in there, the better it got."

Dunleavy's Pub has been pairing with Special Olympics South Carolina since 2003. All fundraising from the annual New Year's Day event goes directly to the organization, allowing them to support the state's over 30,000 athletes.

"It goes directly for athletes like Kylie to participate, to pay for their uniforms, to pay for their transportation, their lodging, facilities, everything that goes on for them," Executive Director for Special Olympics South Carolina Sue Maner said.

The group sold t-shirts and hats, or people could choose to sponsor athletes ahead of their upcoming seasons.

For some locals, this Sullivan's Island Polar Plunge is a tradition they can't pass up.

Read more: MPPD's Polar Plunge scheduled for Feb. 18 at the Windjammer

"My husband and I think this was year 15 and this was our girls first time," Cameron Liebetrau said.

For others, 2024 was year one, but most likely, not the last time they hit the beach on the first of the year.

"This was a good start," Jason Phillips said. "Doing something we hadn't ever done and them getting ready to go back to school, so you know, what better way to do it."

These quaint communities in South Carolina are a testament to the state's rich history.

When you think of South Carolina, you likely picture pastel-colored homes in Charleston or the Grand Strand's golden sandy beaches. But what if we told you there's more to the state beyond its big cities?

I spent the first 22 years of my life in the Palmetto State, and while I love revisiting Charleston, Greenville, and Columbia, South Carolina's small towns and secluded islands are well worth a stop, whether on a day trip or as your main destination. And don't worry — you'll find sweet tea, Southern hospitality, and a wide range of stunning landscapes all over the state. After all, our old license tags used to read: "Smiling faces, beautiful places."

We rounded up small towns in South Carolina with around 15,000 residents or less, excluding some slightly larger favorites like Hilton Head Island and Bluffton (which are worth visiting, too). So, whether you're looking for a mountain getaway or a beach vacation destination without the crowds, here are eight of the best small towns in South Carolina.

Sullivan's Island

A short drive from downtown Charleston, Sullivan's Island is one of the best beach towns in South Carolina. The 2.5-mile-long island is known for historic Fort Moultrie (with ties to the American Revolution and Civil War), a charming main drag, and pristine beaches unsullied by high-rise hotels or tourist traps. The appropriately named Middle Street — located in the center of the small island — is home to popular restaurants like Poe's Tavern (an Edgar Allen Poe-themed eatery with incredible burgers), Home Team BBQ, and The Obstinate Daughter.

Travelers Rest

The Upstate South Carolina region is dotted with lakes and rolling green hills in the shadow of the nearby Blue Ridge Mountains. Travelers Rest (or simply "TR") offers a dose of small-town living and outdoor adventure within 10 miles of the charming city of Greenville. Before you go hiking, kayaking, or mountain biking, fuel up at Tandem Creperie and Coffeehouse, and end your day with a pint at Swamp Rabbit Brewery. Less than 20 minutes outside of town, Hotel Domestique offers a taste of the Tuscan countryside in South Carolina with beautiful grounds and accommodations overlooking the rolling hills and mountains.

How to Take the Ultimate South Carolina Road Trip

Georgetown

South Carolina has plenty of lovely coastal small towns, including Georgetown, located between Charleston and Myrtle Beach. It's the third-oldest town in the state, so there's plenty of history to explore, plus local shops and restaurants on Front Street. Go for a stroll along the Harborwalk to admire views of the sparkling water, grab lunch on the patio of Georgetown Corner Tavern, and try the pralines at Sweeties Homemade Ice Cream and Sweets.

Edisto Beach

The small town of Edisto Beach on Edisto Island is great for a laid-back coastal vacation. One of South Carolina's Sea Islands, Edisto is situated between Hilton Head and Charleston, and has beautiful beaches, including picturesque Driftwood Beach. Visit the Edisto Island Museum to learn about the history and culture of the island's Gullah Geechee people, descendants of enslaved Africans who remained on the southeastern coast of the United States. You won't find many large hotels in the area, so opt for a rental and enjoy the serene atmosphere and seafood restaurants.

Kiawah Island

Another barrier island on the South Carolina coast, Kiawah offers seafront serenity with an upscale twist. The primarily privately owned island is home to Kiawah Island Golf Resort, known for its championship golf courses, and The Sanctuary, a beachfront luxury hotel. Nearby Freshfields Village offers shopping (with lots of resort wear to choose from) and a range of restaurants.

Newberry

Located in the state's Midlands region, between Greenville and South Carolina's capital city, Columbia, Newberry has a quintessential small-town feel. The well-preserved downtown area features an opera house, antique shops, locally owned restaurants, and more. Plus, it hosts festivals throughout the year, including the annual Oktoberfest, Christmas in Newberry, and Pork in the Park events.

Beaufort

Down in the Lowcountry on Port Royal Island, Beaufort is another historic coastal town. It dates back to 1711, making it South Carolina's second-oldest city after Charleston. You can experience history firsthand by learning about Gullah culture at historic sites or on a tour, visiting ruins and old homes, and more.

Daufuskie Island

Daufuskie Island, tucked between Savannah and Hilton Head on the coast, is the ultimate escape when you really want to get away from it all. Only accessible by boat, the island retains its small-town atmosphere. You'll find a handful of cafes and restaurants, local artisans' shops, and the Daufuskie Island Distillery, which offers a range of tasty spirits such as a delightful Kona coffee rum. Keep an eye out for local wildlife, including dolphins and turtles, along the sandy shoreline.