Sandbars 3/3

Sullivan's Island Sandbar Changes

Mac
Dec 3, 2023
3 min read

I last documented the Sullivan's Island sandbars at dead low tide via drone video/photography back in April of this year. You can review that here.

How is this relevant to Charleston Ocean Athletes? As I mentioned last time, the waters off Sullivan's Island have been a watermen's/waterwomen's playground for a long time. And those who've paid attention over the years know the sandbars here (and any barrier island for that matter) are always changing, which in turn is always changing the experience when playing on the water out there.

I went back out on November 29th and documented it again at dead low tide. The changes after just seven months are remarkable. The following are comparison photos from April 2023 (top) and November 2023 (bottom).

This is obvious to say but I should point out that it will look different again in another 6-7 months. Can't wait to document it all again in the spring of 2024 and see those changes. Always so fascinating!

Looking directly at Station 28.5

You can see the water area in front of Station 28.5 transitioned from a hammerhead shape to a birdhead shape. Interestingly, I walked by Station 28.5 at high tide on a different day and couldn't walk by the path and those trees just to the south of the path without getting my feet wet.

South of Station 28.5, looking towards the lighthouse

Wow, big change here. That big sandbar got smaller and joined the beach (shorter walk to the water). The former canal/cut of water that's used to have some depth to it has thinned out and is now just dry to ankle deep at low tide.

Looking at Station 28.5 (at left) north just past Station 30 (that rock jetty line in the sand about 1/4 from the right is Station 30)

Another big change here. That massive sandbar in front of Station 29 is gone. Its still a big sandbar there, just smaller than it was. It's still pretty shallow just outside that sandbar as you can see from the shoaling whitewater and color.

A closer look at Station 30

Notice how more sand is covering the rock jetty at Station 30. Looks like the high water mark at Station 30 is lower now too.

Breach Inlet

Again, notice the sandbar to the left in front of Station 30 has gotten smaller (but still shallow water there). The sandbars' shapes on the right of the inlet, on the Isle of Palms side, have also changed...looking smaller too.

Breach Inlet sandbars on Isle of Palms side

There is some difference in the camera angle with this photo, but you can still see the differences in the sandbars shapes and smaller size.

Here are a few VIDEOS. This first one is a pan left to right of the Breach Inlet outer bars --> Station 30 --> Station 28.5 --> Lighthouse...

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/e512df_be6d680892c44a2eac72c178649d917f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This video is a 360 degree view from outside the sandbars...

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/e512df_fc2b7e1a56164c10b889e17cbb9f0758/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This video is a pan right to left of Breach Inlet...

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/e512df_80c8b41c437d47208867f8f660cc6649/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Here are some MORE PHOTOS of the Sullivan's Island sandbars at dead low tide on November 29, 2023...

A wider view of the sandbars on the Isle of Palms side of Breach Inlet

Breach Inlet - notice its still shallow under that water just off the smaller Station 30 sandbar.

A slightly wider view & different angle of Breach Inlet

A bit wider view of Station 28.5 to Breach Inlet

An even wider view from a little further out

wider view of Station 29 (right), Station 28.5 and to the south

A tighter view of the area of water that opens up into the ocean from Station 28.5 (just out of view to the right)

same angle, wider view from further out

Looking towards the Lighthouse and southern end of Sullivan's Island

Stono River Inlet & South Folly Beach Sandbars

Mac
Jun 5, 2023
2 min read

The last post showing an aerial view of the Sullivan's Island and Breach Inlet sandbars at low tide was very popular with the ocean athlete and boating communities. It gives a snapshot of what the sandbars looked like in April 2023 and it will be interesting to see how they change over time, as sandbars often do around here. Someone requested I provide the same for the sandbars around the Stono River Inlet and south Folly Beach. Great idea! So here you go...

The following aerial drone video and photos were captured on May 30, 2023 at dead low tide.

The first clip in this video below is the view from the east tip of Kiawah Island looking east towards south Folly Beach. It begins by flying east over Bird Key. The second clip is the view from the ocean side of south Folly Beach looking inland, and moving from east to west.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Si3DGn-0QEs

Above: This is the view looking south from south Folly Beach. The upper right hand corner is the eastern tip of Kiawah Island.

Below: Kiawah Island at top and Bird Key in the middle right of the photo.

The following 6 photos are a 180 degree view from west to east.

Above: Looking east at the south tip of Folly Beach

Above & below : Another view looking west from south Folly Beach at Kiawah Island and Bird Key

Above: Looking towards northwest where the Folly River meets the Stono River. At left is the north tip of Bird Key.

Above: Snake Island and the Folly River between Bird Key and the south tip of Folly Beach

Above: Looking towards the east at Folly River and the south tip of Folly Beach

Above: Looking at Snake Island at the top of the photo. At right is the very southern tip of Folly Beach.

Above: the view from the southern tip of Folly Beach looking towards Bird Key, Kiawah Island, and the Stono River at top of the photo.

Above: Looking south - the eastern tip of Kiawah Island and the southern tip of Bird Key at upper right of the photo.

Above: Looking south, at top of photo is Bird Key and Kiawah Island

Above: waves outside of the inlet between the southern tip of Folly Beach and Bird Key

Sullivan's Island Sandbars

Mac
May 18, 2023
2 min read

The waters off Sullivan's Island have been a watermen's/waterwomen's playground for a long time. And those who've paid attention over the years know the sandbars off the beach are always changing, which in turn is always changing the experience when playing out there in the ocean.

On April 20th, I captured some aerial drone video and photos of these sandbars in their current state on that day at dead low tide. There has been a lot of interest from the local ocean athlete and boating community on where the sandbars are located and how they look, so I'm posting it here for everyone to review...and to refer back to. Because by this Fall and certainly by next year, I'm sure it will look different. By how much? We'll see...but I'll try to document it in this same fashion once or twice each year. It will be fun and interesting to see the changes over time.

The following 2 minute video has 3 scenes:

1) 360 degree view of all the sandbars (starting with view towards the lighthouse)

2) left (south) to right (north) view of the main sandbar along the beach (from oceanside, looking towards the beach)

3) view of Station 28.5 to Station 30 area (from oceanside, looking towards the beach)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=afY5zCsedfI

This first photo is looking directly towards Station 28.5 from outside the sandbar. The next several following photos are in sequential order from left to right in 360 degree view.