Sullivan's Island & South IOP Sandbars - December 2025 Update

It's that time of year again. It's been a little over seven months since I last documented the sandbar changes at Sullivan's Island, Breach Inlet, and south Isle of Palms. Since we recently had king tides again, I flew the drone at a negative low tide to capture some new images.

For those new to seeing this, barrier island sandbars change over time. The sandbars around Breach Inlet are no exception, particularly with all the beach renourishment work that has been going on recently on both Sullivan's Island and Isle of Palms. The relevance to Charleston Ocean Athletes? This area is a big playground for the local ocean athletes and everything surf, wind, paddle, and foil related so it's useful to see where the sandbars are and how they have changed as that affects the waves, chop, and the way tides flow through that area. Hopefully this is also useful to the local boating community.

I last documented the changes in late April at dead low tide of -0.5'. I flew the drone again this past Thursday, December 4th at dead low tide of -0.3'. Not quite an exact comparison as I usually try to do, but close enough. It was unfortunately a cloudy day, so please excuse the poor lighting.

Below are some new comparison photos, then more December 2025 photos & video after that.

Breach Inlet - doesn't appear to be any big changes

Station 28.5 - again, no big changes here

Station 30 - that super shallow area in front of the beach now seems a little bit less so

Looking south towards Station 26 and beyond towards the lighthouse - shifting sandbars here for sure

Same as above, just a slightly different angle from further out

Breach Inlet Bridge & south IOP - a different shape closer to the beach and a large sandbar forming further out (top image, to the left)

Another view, looking north, that new large sandbar off south IOP

A few videos, then more photos...

360 degree view, starting in front of Station 29

Station 28.5 to Station 30

South Isle of Palms

Breach Inlet looking towards the bridge

A wider view of the Breach Inlet sandbar along north Sullivan's Island looking towards Isle of Palms

A wider view of Station 28.5

Bird's eye view of Station 28.5

Bird's eye view of the beach at Station 29 looking north towards the bridge

further out from Station 29 & 30, looking towards the bridge

close view of Station 31, looking south

A wider view of outer Breach Inlet, looking south

a closer look at the beach south of Station 28

south end of Isle of Palms

Slightly closer look at south end Isle of Palms

south end of Isle of Palms and Breach Inlet Bridge

Same as above, wider view

A slightly closer look at the south end Isle of Palms beach

south end of Isle of Palms, looking north towards the IOP Pier

Bird's eye view of south Isle of Palms, looking towards Sullivan's Island (note the brand new large sandbags stacked in front of the oceanfront homes here)

Same as above, a slightly different and wide angle looking south towards the outer sandbars