Ocean Athletes Night

Mex1 on Sullivan's Island recently hosted Ocean Athletes Night on Thursday, May 30th. It was co-sponsored by Charleston Ocean Athletes, Force Kite & Wake, Cabrinha, and Pacifico. It was a fun evening with a big turnout of the local surf, wind, paddle, and foil community. We enjoyed Mex1's food and drink, watched local & global action films, talked story, and reveled in the camaraderie.

The community - that's what it's all about. We may have differences amongst us in terms of opinions, belief systems, and life experiences but one thing we share in common is our love of being out on the water. Charleston Ocean Athletes celebrates you. Ride everything. Ride anything.

I heard some great comments and feedback on the event such as "It was great seeing everyone", "It was awesome to have the community together like that", and "I am inspired to get out in the water after watching the films." That's why we put on this event.

Speaking of films, the local films that premiered at this event were a big hit. Here they are...

This new one from yours truly, Charleston Ocean Athletes:

Guiding Light Drones (Syd Meyer) premiered an exciting new kiteboarding short film:

In addition, we showed this little teaser of a new project that Charleston Ocean Athletes and Guiding Light Drones are working on together. Syd of Guiding Light Drones did a great job of filming and editing this teaser clip for a local womens' specific kiteboarding short film we're working on. Stay tuned for the premiere date announcement!

Force Kite & Wake also premiered a new short film of local kiteboarding and prone surf foiling:

And...we also showed this Charleston Ocean Athletes short film that premiered last year:

What a great evening! A big thank you to Mex1 and the other sponsors!

Follow Charleston Ocean Athletes and Mex1 on Instagram for future Ocean Athletes Night events.

How Did The December 17th Nor'easter Affect The Breach Inlet Sandbars?

I last documented the Sullivan's Island and Breach Inlet sandbars on November 29th, 2023. Right after that on December 17th, a fierce nor'easter storm walloped our coast. Isle of Palms famously (or perhaps, infamously) lost a ton of sand from the south side. Approximately 20 ocean front homes' swimming pools were washed out and damaged beyond repair. Many wooden walkways and stairs were washed away into Breach Inlet. There were more minor storms since then that took even more sand away. You've probably seen the excavators and bulldozers working overtime from the Breach Inlet parking lot on Isle of Palms.

All that lost sand? Not surprisingly, it's in Breach Inlet and off Sullivan's Island. Many of our local Charleston Ocean Athletes play in these waters, so hopefully the following documented changes help give everyone an idea of where the sandbars are. This affects where and how we launch and where to play given the tide conditions. Boaters will also find this information helpful.

I wanted to document the sandbar changes but wanted to wait a bit closer to spring. I finally went back out with my drone on Thursday, March 14th at dead low tide.

Following are the results. The comparison photos are at dead low tide November 29th, 2023 and March 14th, 2024. As always, the changes are fascinating.

Station 28.5

Station 29

Breach Inlet

Isle of Palms side of Breach Inlet

Sullivan's Island from Station 27 to the harbor

Following are more photos and videos of dead low tide on Thursday, March 14th, 2024

wide view of Breach Inlet

slightly pulled in view of Breach Inlet

Station 28.5 and south towards the harbor

Station 28.5

Station 29 & Station 30

Isle of Palms side of Breach Inlet

outside Breach Inlet looking towards Isle of Palms

View of outside of Breach Inlet looking east (next photo to the one above)

view looking south from Breach Inlet - sandbars on right are just outside Station 28 area

Videos

Sullivan's Island Sandbar Changes

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...

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

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

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