Termite Lawyer in Isle of Palms, SC

The clear float of a Man-o-war jellyfish rests on the sand after it was left stranded high and dry by the high tide. (Photo: National Park Service/Nathaniel Pinson)

LOWCOUNTRY, S.C. (WCIV) — If you've been for a stroll along some Lowcountry beaches in recent weeks, you may have come across a few jellyfish washed up on shore. Most of the jellyfish you see in South Carolina are harmless, but some should be left alone.

Officials with the Lowcountry's local beach communities want locals and visitors alike to know what to look out for when heading out into the ocean.

The Charleston area starts to see a larger amount of Cannonball jellyfish in the spring, which are the most common jelly in South Carolina -and least venomous.

“Cannonballs are largely harmless to humans and they're a favorite food of leatherback sea turtles," Erin Weeks with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources explained. "Typically, when cannonballs appear, we know leatherbacks are not far behind. Like other jellies, cannonballs are poor swimmers that follow where ocean currents push them; thus, they often wash ashore, especially after offshore storms.”

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Jellyfish glide through the currents and end up washing up on shore. Some are more notorious than others.

Portuguese man o’ wars look like jellyfish, but they are actually just a relative, are bit more complex, and can be more harmful.

“Portuguese man o' wars are less frequently seen in the warmer months but merit greater caution," Weeks said. "These animals are easily distinguished by a bright blue, inflated 'float' that rests on the surface of the water, and they should be avoided both on the beach and in the water. Man o' wars can trail long tentacles that cause a very painful sting.”

Man o' wars tend to drift through the Gulf Stream up to the waters off the coast of the Palmetto State.

To prevent getting stung, avoid touching washed up Man o’ wars, as they are still venomous. If you are stung seek medical help immediately.

For more information on jellyfish from the SCDNR, click here.

Officials said reporting sightings of jellyfish help prevent stings. To report a jellyfish sighting contact the Folly Beach Fire Department at 843-588-2433 on Folly Beach, the Sullivan's Island Fire Department at 843-883-9944 on Sullivan's Island, or the Isle of Palms Fire Department at 843-886-4410 on Isle of Palms.

Set in the marshes between Mount Pleasant and Isle of Palms, Little Goat Island is a small undeveloped patch of land. Countless visitors to the popular IOP tourism town pass right over the island each summer as they fight the crowds on the connector bridge on their way to the beach.

Sandwiched between two heavily populated communities, Little Goat Island is one of the last undeveloped sea islands in the Lowcountry and a "time capsule" that still looks much as it did a century ago, according to the Lowcountry Land Trust. Now it's permanently protected from any future development thanks to a donated conservation easement, the nonprofit announced March 31.

“Undeveloped islands like this are increasingly rare,” Natalie Olson, the sea islands program director at Lowcountry Land Trust, wrote in a press release announcing the acquisition. "By preserving this land, we are ensuring that both wildlife and future generations can experience its natural beauty. This conservation effort also helps protect the delicate coastal ecosystem and support biodiversity and climate resilience.”

Little Goat Island is 28 acres of upland habitat surrounded by nearly 400 acres of salt marshes, according to the Land Trust. As a relatively undisturbed salt marsh habitat, the island provides critical refuge for Lowcountry oysters, birds, aquatic species and native plants. No goats graze on Little Goat Island.

"We're so excited to be able to preserve Little Goat Island in perpetuity,” Kim Chesson, who owns the island with her husband, wrote in a statement. “My parents lived across from this island for over 20 years, and now we have a house that overlooks it. We love that it will stay undeveloped for our family and for our Isle of Palms neighbors to enjoy!"

The donation of the Little Goat Island conservation easement expands a growing corridor of conserved land along Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms, according to the Land Trust. That includes Gold Bug Island, Sullivan's Island Beach and parts of Goat Island — a separate piece of land northeast of Little Goat Island.

ISLE OF PALMS, S.C. (WCSC) - A new plan would build a temporary buffer between at-risk homes and nature-driven erosion, heightened by storm surges and changing tides along the beachfront.

Shoal management projects happen every five to 10 years, when a shoal or forms across the shoreline and creates stronger erosion because of the location of breaking water. While the movement of the sandbar is slow, the impact can accelerate problems and risks for homes.

Isle of Palms Mayor Phillip Pounds said it has sprouted a hotspot for homes in the Wild Dunes resort area, located on the left end of the beach. The back-facing sides of those Beachwood East properties are covered in large sandbags, water crashing up to the stilts holding homes high.

“It’s about four or five houses, really like a fire hose coming out of the ocean, all directed right here,” Pounds said. “We are facilitating and moving that sand faster than nature might move it, we are going to harvest a decent amount of sand and pull it up right behind us to protect these houses.”

The shoal management project is meant to serve as an “interim” as the city prepares for a larger renourishment project being designed and permitted. This would be the first since 2018.

Unlike projects on two-thirds of the shoreline, this project is located on Wild Dunes property. The cost, close to $800,000, comes from their bidding.

Pounds estimates the shoal management portion to use between 120,000 and 130,000 cubic yards of sand, while the main renourishment would use more than a million.

Ted Caudill finds his peace as a local of 43 years while walking the beachfront, listening to chirping birds and crashing waves.

“It’s kind of an escape from life on days like this. To be retired and have the privilege to come here when it looks good. The beach restores the soul,” Caudill says.

He asks the beach be given the same consideration as other destination communities working to fuel the economic industry for the state of South Carolina.

“Whatever comes downtown that gets promoted, we don’t talk about the beaches and the life it has,” Caudill says. “It is a major draw to a lot of people and if we don’t do that, we lose the charm of where we live.”

The city hopes to kickstart the project this month.

It will pause at the end of May for turtle season until around September.

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MOUNT PLEASANT — The free beach shuttle to the Isle of Palms that CARTA operates will return for a fifth year.

Parking fees on Isle of Palms are going up for the first time in five years — now costing up to $25 during peak beach season — but beachgoers will still have a free way to get to the beach. CARTA's Beach Reach route starts from the Mount Pleasant Towne Centre to Ocean Boulevard — right outside the entrance of Isle of Palms County Park.

This year, the shuttle will be on a trolley bus the Berkeley-Charleston-Dorchester Council of Governments purchased in late 2024.

The shuttle route was first approved in 2021 after the state Department of Transportation told city officials to roll back plans eliminating free beach parking for nonresidents. CARTA's strategy to transport people from Towne Centre to Isle of Palms helps alleviate the parking issue.

The CARTA board unanimously voted at their March 19 meeting to continue the Beach Reach.

In 2024, Beach Reach carried 703 riders, a slight decrease from the 795 riders in 2023. CARTA board Chair Mike Seekings told The Post and Courier ridership can vary throughout the summer because of the weather.

He added he's glad to see the route return for "season five," and called it a natural choice for CARTA to implement the shuttle so people have free access to a beach.

"In today’s day and age, where parking is expensive the closer you get to the shoreline and getting to and from (the beach) can be a challenge, having someone drive you ... drop you right off at the entrance to the county park with the beach nothing but 100 yards away?" Seekings said. "It’s really a great resource for people."

CARTA board member Daniel Brownstein supports the Beach Reach, and has pushed for an additional stop to Sullivan’s Island for the past year.

"I think that’s the missing piece of the puzzle," Brownstein told The Post and Courier.

Brownstein said the route could be a circle, starting in Mount Pleasant Towne Centre to Isle of Palms then to Sullivan’s Island and back. He believes it would not only increase ridership but also solve parking challenges on Sullivan’s Island.

Seekings said he'd support a Sullivan's Island stop as long as the shuttle remains "as quick and easy as possible" for riders.

Isle of Palms wasn't always the only beach route for CARTA. According to Seekings, there was a route to Folly Beach several years ago but the ridership was lower than expected. Although it was a regular route and not just for summer months, the route was discontinued due to lack of success.

Seekings said the board will keep an eye on the situation and see if a shuttle to Folly Beach is viable in the future.

The Beach Reach will start on Memorial Day and run every weekend until Labor Day, running on both Memorial Day and Labor Day. The first trip on Saturdays is at 9:15 a.m. and last at 5:15 p.m., and the first trip on Sundays is at 9:40 a.m. and last at 5:40 p.m.