# Sticky  North Jetty Beach Access In Garden City



## jameswebstersc

Went there a few weeks ago and was unable to gain access. Sent an email to Georgetown County Park and Recreation and this is what I got... I have been going there for the past 2 years and I have never or seen anyone get hurt at the access. Build back up again????? guess this means that we won't have access for years. What do you guys think?

Renee M Church <[email protected]>
9:55 AM (2 minutes ago)

to me 
Mr. Webster, I received your voice mail regarding the beach access located on S. Waccamaw Drive and I have inquired about the access being blocked. I was informed that the access was blocked by Georgetown County due to the severe erosion at the base of the staircase which could be a danger to anyone using the access. It will remain closed until the sand builds back up again. I hope this clears up the matter for you.

.
Renee' M. Church
Administrative Assistant
Georgetown County
Parks & Recreation
Telephone: 843-545-3532
Facsimile: 843-545-3396


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## beady

seems like a easy way for them to reply, however that sand will never build back up without human assistance....I thought that was the
purpose of those big ass rocks at the bottom of the steps...


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## rabbitdog2

Seems to me that the people who own the beach front houses beyond the access like having their own private beach. Just saying


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## surfmom

rabbitdog2 said:


> Seems to me that the people who own the beach front houses beyond the access like having their own private beach. Just saying


lol we know that first hand dont we ?


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## piscesman

You could write the lady back and ask her what if one of those houses had an erosion problem?? Would they be able to build the sand backup?? Would the people have to move out of those houses because of the hazards??? Didn't think so. I asked the same question about 2 months ago. CAN YOU SPELL POLITICIANS???? If I had the time I would climb over that access and go fishing. Bring a kayak on shore From the South Side jetty And go fishing. If people come to confront you get your camera out and start filming. Send to secure website in case you need it for proof. 
Kim


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## jameswebstersc

piscesman said:


> You could write the lady back and ask her what if one of those houses had an erosion problem?? Would they be able to build the sand backup?? Would the people have to move out of those houses because of the hazards??? Didn't think so. I asked the same question about 2 months ago. CAN YOU SPELL POLITICIANS???? If I had the time I would climb over that access and go fishing. Bring a kayak on shore From the South Side jetty And go fishing. If people come to confront you get your camera out and start filming. Send to secure website in case you need it for proof.
> Kim


I sent her another email yesterday, but I have not heard back from her. It's a shame that they closed the access. One of my favorite fishing spots.


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## Garth?

perhaps posting the email address of the person we need to contact would help us all send some letters. I know i like to fish at the jetties, but i don't enjoy going over the sea walls.


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## jameswebstersc

[email protected]


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## BubbaHoTep

I'm going to sticky this, because it is relevant to several of our forum folks who like to fish that stretch of beach and who have used (and hopefully will soon be able to continue to use) that access.



piscesman said:


> . . . .Would the people have to move out of those houses because of the hazards??? Didn't think so. . . .


Uhm. That could very well be the case at some point if something's not done about that erosion. I remember when you could walk all the way to the point on high tide with plenty of room. That is not the case now. It is literally a shifting strip of sand.

I'm curious as to how much that stretch of beach has receded over the past say twenty years, and I'd be interested to hear from someone who is a "local" who's been there a good while (skink, beady, or others) who'd probably hear more from locals or maybe even be a tad more observant of the overall deal and its progression than those of us who only get a chance to visit more infrequently. I'm betting things won't look the same there in ten or fifteen years (e.g., North Topsail, NC - Link - one of many similar articles - note: these were second row homes ten years ago and city has cut off utilities now). There's a lot for sale oceanfront in Inlet Pointe right now, but I'll bet the newer building codes are insane.

I'm not defending the politicians on this one, but if that access is indeed unsafe and somebody is injured and the county knew the situation and didn't try to remedy it, the liability issue would be tremendous. 

I don't know this first-hand, but I'd say flood insurance in Inlet Pointe on any new real estate sale is a no-go (would have to go FEMA), given some of the full moon high tides, and a wind rider on a H/O policy being pretty much nonexistent east of 17 unless it's grandfathered in. I'm certainly not defending the resident "prickery" of what some folks might have encountered, but then again, I have no clue what I'd be like if I had $1m+ to put into something and know if something happens, I'd have to eat it. I might be a tad "territorial" as well. BTW, that is a problem I wish I had. 

I'd also be curious to know to what extent those groins have maybe kept it from getting worse than it is oceanside.

Again, I'm going to sticky this. Good, relevant information.


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## RjTheMetalhead




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## RjTheMetalhead




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## RjTheMetalhead




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## GC Since73

Thanks for posting RJ. I walked out there in March and it wasn't any worse than that. I think it was 4 years ago, may be 5, that I took a picture of my daughters standing on the groin at this spot. The sand then was dead even with the top of it. By the next year it was higher than my head to the top of the groin. If I can find the picture I will post it. Until that sea wall falls we will be cut off from a public beach. I think I will contact Georgetown.


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## GC Since73

Here is the picture I was referring to. The picture of my daughters standing on the groin was taken in August of 2011. This is the one at the access point where the golf cart parking was. The picture of me with the drum is from May of 2013 but the amount of sand missing is about the same. I don't see how those houses can stand another big storm. When the sea wall is gone we will be back in business.


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## RjTheMetalhead

Every time I go it looks different, I only go about 5-6 times a year mostly in the fall an early winter. 
In storm season the tidal pool between the groins gets very very deep from what I've seen


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## The Skink

I learned to surf fish on that beach. there were just a few of us that fished there. Woody Joye, Mr Tindal, Greg Eaton, The Reynolds family and me. That would be around 1978. The first house when you got onto the beach is where the eighth house now stands. There were only 5 homes on the ocean front. 

We would park along the road in front of the guard house. I got to be good friends with the man and lady that lived in a blue, multi level house next to the beach access. They owned a print shop in Surfside beach. They would let me and Woody park in their driveway and we repaid them with pompano. The path to the beach was cut through a 20-30 foot sand dune. When you walked the beach, you could not see the homes. Hurricane Hugo flattened the dunes and they never returned.

We never knew that there was a concrete seawall at the beach access. It was buried under the dunes. We knew the groins were there, Back then they were wood, but we only occasionally saw the tops of them after a storm. At high tide, the beach was almost as wide as the groins are long. There was a pretty serious drop off in the water too. Going out in the water 50 feet in the water was generally too deep to touch the bottom. The sand bar that is currently created by the groins was present back then also. 

The jetty was generally buried in sand also. Until Hugo, we never realized how far the jetty went back onto the beach. If you climb up on the rocks, there is a rock that has concrete poured over it. It has two holes drilled into it. Those holes held a sign that warned of underwater obstruction and submerged rock. I happen to know the man that salvaged that sign. We could walk the sand right up to that sign and lean our fishing rods against it. 

As I understand it, Neal Ammonds poured the rocks at the beach access ILLEGALLY. I find it disgusting that our access has been cut off because of an illegal act of an idiot. I think he should be responsible for fixing the beach access. I have begun a bombardment of the county in protest of the closing. We as taxpayers own the beaches, and if you think about it, we pay extra for our fishing license and that gives us more right to be there. I have been fishing that stretch of beach for way too long for a couple of rocks to keep me off of it. I am finishing a letter to send to all of the county employees and to Gov. Haley in protest of a beach closing.


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## The Skink

here is my message to Georgetown county and their response

-----Original Message----- 

Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 7:36 AM 
To: Renee M Church 
Subject: Beach Access closing in Garden City 

I don't understand why the beach access in front of the guard house at inlet 
point has been closed. We have been enjoying and fishing that stretch of beach 
since 1977. I heard that it was because of the rocks at the base of the steps. 
Those rocks have been exposed for several years and it never bothered anyone. 
Now suddenly its an issue. We as residents of South Carolina own our beautiful 
beaches and not having access to the jetty area is unacceptable to us. 


There are other beach accesses near that area but the groins do not allow us to 
get to the jetty. 

As I understand it, those rocks were put there illegally. Why isn't the person 
that dumped them fined, and forced to fix the problem. 

We love that stretch of beach and are very upset with this occurrence. My 
position as a manager of a fishing and hunting store gives me access to a large 
number of outdoorsmen and we are spreading the word about this closing. We are 
also sending mail to Gov Haley. 


I look forward to hearing a response from Georgetown County 

Thank You 
Steve Chanilo 



response
Mr. Chanilo, 

The closure of this access is temporary. Staff are monitoring the situation and 
seeking potential solutions daily. As you know conditions on the beaches change 
drastically - often hourly. The current situation at this location was due to a 
recent tropical storm event. When the access was closed it was due to safety 
concerns due to storm erosion causing a significant drop off at the end of the 
access to the beach. 

It is our plan to reopen this access as soon as it can be used safely. 

Beth Goodale 

-----Original Message----- 
From: Renee M Church 
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 12:08 PM 
To: Beth Goodale 
Cc: Paul Battaglino 
Subject: FW: Beach Access closing in Garden City 



-----Original Message----- 
From: [email protected] [[email protected]] 
Sent: Thursday, June 04, 2015 7:36 AM 
To: Renee M Church 
Subject: Beach Access closing in Garden City 

I don't understand why the beach access in front of the guard house at inlet 
point has been closed. We have been enjoying and fishing that stretch of beach 
since 1977. I heard that it was because of the rocks at the base of the steps. 
Those rocks have been exposed for several years and it never bothered anyone. 
Now suddenly its an issue. We as residents of South Carolina own our beautiful 
beaches and not having access to the jetty area is unacceptable to us. 


There are other beach accesses near that area but the groins do not allow us to 
get to the jetty. 

As I understand it, those rocks were put there illegally. Why isn't the person 
that dumped them fined, and forced to fix the problem. 

We love that stretch of beach and are very upset with this occurrence. My 
position as a manager of a fishing and hunting store gives me access to a large 
number of outdoorsmen and we are spreading the word about this closing. We are 
also sending mail to Gov Haley. 


I look forward to hearing a response from Georgetown County 

Thank You 
Steve Chanilo


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## rabbitdog2

Thanks Steve for pressing this isue


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## jameswebstersc

Thanks Steve and to all of the other people fighting to get out access back.


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## GC Since73

A couple of years ago the guard at the shack was watching me fish. He told me that the guy who owns the first several houses on the beach front had the rocks dumped. He said he actually moved the sign so the dump truck could get there. Not sure if that is the guy you mentioned or not Steve.


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## The Skink

same guy. he owns the Sea Mist Resort in MB


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## The Skink

The first 2 houses beyond the seawall have been condemned until further notice. The power meters have been removed to prevent fire in case of collapse. I'm sure the next 3 homes to the south are in danger of being disconnected too. That is a shame but it doesn't merit closing the access. 
A good friend fished in that area a couple days ago. he had to lift his cart over the concrete groins to get there. I did notice that the sand between the homes and the seawall seems to have sunk. Especially the last house. could be that the water is undermining the seawall and washing it out.


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## RjTheMetalhead

Neil Ammonds is dead now.
He died in 2009.....


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## beady

Nice letter Steve, and if they get enough as you say bombarded then they will take action
I did not notice they took away the meters for safety, have to look next time down there.......


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## The Skink

I just heard....THE STEPS ARE FIXED!


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## jameswebstersc

Awesome!!!! Once again, thanks to everyone that called/emailed to get this issue resolved


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## rabbitdog2

Man that's great news!!!!


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## jlove1974

awesome news. I should be down there this weekend


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## CodyV7Mc

How crowded would the north side of the jetty be this Saturday? And how hard would it be to get a cart from the beach access at the guard shack to the jetty? We normally haul from HBSP to the jetty so walking isn't really a problem. Just wondering about the groins.


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## SmoothLures

CodyV7Mc said:


> How crowded would the north side of the jetty be this Saturday? And how hard would it be to get a cart from the beach access at the guard shack to the jetty? We normally haul from HBSP to the jetty so walking isn't really a problem. Just wondering about the groins.


I've never seen it crowded. The houses are Saturday - Saturday rentals so Saturday mornings the beach is usually deserted. At the guard shack, it's just a walk down to the jetty. No groins to go over if you go down the last public access.


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## CodyV7Mc

Gotcha. So go down the last beach access by the guard shack and hang a right.


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## rabbitdog2

The steps are fixed. I fished there the week after the 4th of July. No problem with access


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## asktheweatherman

Hi All,

Been following this thread for a while. I will be down in Surfside next week and was hoping to fish the northside jetty. Can anyone provide me with information on where to park and exact walking instructions (beach or road) to the jetty.

Thanks for all you did to get this open.

We've had issues like this in VA past years. Getting groups of fishermen/women to send letters almost always works.

Regards,

Mike


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## rabbitdog2

A few public parking places on the right about 1/4 mi before the road ends. I think it's Dolphin Ave. Park and walk back to the guard shack. Beach access is right before the guard shack. You can walk beach all the way to the jetty. DO NOT BE THERE ON HIGH TIDE.


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## RjTheMetalhead

I went two weeks ago and left at high tide. Beach was built up good


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## asktheweatherman

Just talked to Bruce at the guard shack...He said the same as you...THANKS!!

Do not be there??? do you mean do not go too far out on the jetty before high tide. Looks like it gets cutoff.

Does the beach disappear at high tide? no access back???

Thanks


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## rabbitdog2

There will be no beach at high tide. You could be walking in 2 to 3 ft of water for a 1/2 mile. Been there done that. Not fun pulling a fishing cart.


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## JFord56

Glad to hear it's open again. Use to fish there years ago. Nice spot. I remember it back before the guard house.


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## rabbitdog2

Beach access is closed again. Went by Sunday it is blocked off and the rocks are pilled up at the bottom of the steps.


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## The Skink

rabbitdog2 said:


> Beach access is closed again. Went by Sunday it is blocked off and the rocks are pilled up at the bottom of the steps.


I had to lift the cart over the fence and walk the seawall. They wont keep me from the jetty.


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## SmoothLures

Anyone know the conditions of the steps and flooding during high tide lately?


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## davidt2169

It is now 2017, what is the current status of this? I will be down in a few weeks and people have told me that the north jetty is a good spot for fishing. Any info is much appreciated, such as where is entry and where would one park?


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## chrisp1981

I have not been down thee since the hurricane last year so not sure if the access is all messed up or not. I wont fish the surf till the water warms up in a couple of months, I fish only the march areas this time of year.
There is one public access parking spot. I forget the name of the road, its on the right and one of the last streets before the guard station. You can either park and walk to the guard station where there is access down to the water or where you park a little down the road to the left is a public access point to walk down to the water. Again I do not know the condition on the access points since the hurricane


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## jameswebstersc

chrisp1981 said:


> I have not been down thee since the hurricane last year so not sure if the access is all messed up or not. I wont fish the surf till the water warms up in a couple of months, I fish only the march areas this time of year.
> There is one public access parking spot. I forget the name of the road, its on the right and one of the last streets before the guard station. You can either park and walk to the guard station where there is access down to the water or where you park a little down the road to the left is a public access point to walk down to the water. Again I do not know the condition on the access points since the hurricane


Dolphin is the street on the right. The access looks very rough. I'm not for sure if it will be opened this year. I went by 2 weeks ago and it was a stack of debts.


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