Charleston FYI

Menu

water

Featured

Best Ways to Celebrate the 4th of July in Charleston

Featured Image: Patriots Point

With Independence Day right around the corner, there’s no better place to be than Charleston on this treasured American holiday. With its rich history, growing restaurant scene, and endless beaches to chose from, Charleston has plenty of options for celebrating our country’s birthday. Here are the best ways to make the most out of 4th of July in Charleston.

On the Beach

For a real Charleston 4th of July, head out to the beach, something which Charleston has plenty of options for. Folly Beach, Isle of Palms, and Sullivan’s Island, you take your pick but all are beautiful stretches of sand where you can spend the day in the sun, sand, and sea. Cap it all off with fireworks from your beach chair and soak in the celebration.

On Land

There are tons of options to celebrate the 4th of July in and around the City of Charleston, whether going to some of the city’s many celebrations or just going to a park to watch the fireworks, you almost can’t go wrong.

The Charleston RiverDogs – What is more American than spending the 4th of July at a baseball game? Come see Charleston’s very own minor league baseball team play America’s Pastime and enjoy a stunning fireworks show at the end of the game!

Uncle Sam Jam – Located at the foot of Charleston’s famous Ravenel Bridge, the Uncle Sam Jam is a fantastic way to get the most out of your 4th of July. Enjoy a live band and an unbeatable view of the harbor and the several fireworks displays that will light up the Charleston sky.

4th of July Festival – The City of North Charleston hosts a FREE event at the Riverfront Park from 3:00 – 9:45. Enjoy musical guests, food trucks, free children’s entertainment, and the very largest fireworks show in the Lowcountry.

On the Water

Charleston is regarded as one of the most beautiful and highly sought after cities in the world, but the best view of the Holy City is from the water. If you don’t own a boat, there’s good news; you can choose from one of the many harbor cruises.

July 4th Dinner Cruise – Enjoy a four-course meal with a view of the Harbor. SpiritLine Cruises is offering a three-hour dinner cruise including a four-course meal, live entertainment, and a guaranteed magnificent viewing point to watch the city’s best fireworks.

The Carolina Girl Yacht – Typically a wedding venue, the Carolina Girl Yacht is hosting a special event for Independence Day. This adult only three-hour cruise will take you for a sunset viewing and a Charleston harbor view of the firework show.

July 4th Family Picnic Cruise – This family-friendly cruise is perfect for any family looking for a fun night out on the 4th. Enjoy DJ, Ric Rush who will be providing the music while the Charleston Harber will provide the views of not just the city, but of the fireworks as well.

Featured

Innovative Solutions Will Protect Holy City From Sea Level Rise

Featured Image Credit: Wall Street Journal

Since Charleston’s founding in 1670, our city’s rich culture, thriving economy, and beautiful scenery have drawn millions of visitors from every corner of the world to our coast for generations. Still, today in 2018, Charleston is a vacation destination, and enjoys unprecedented levels of growth, as any resident is well aware.

With growth though comes growing pains, and there are many issues Charleston faces that we should address. One direct threat to the Holy City in both the short and long-term is sea level rise. Throughout the previous two decades in South Carolina, tidal flooding has increased by 300 percent, with the sea level rising 10 inches on our coast since 1950. If that doesn’t worry you, this should: the rate of sea level rise has tripled in the last 10 years alone, with the water rising an inch every two to three years.

At this point, it is obvious to all of us the risk sea level rise poses to our city. With flooding comes more difficult commutes, damage to our roads and bridges, and destruction of our world-class beaches. Ultimately, this negatively impacts the Charleston economy by hampering tourism and increasing costs and living expenses on Charlestonians through higher taxes to pay for emergency management and infrastructure repairs.

What is being done to combat this growing problem? Fortunately, at the national level, there is growing awareness in Congress from both Democrats and Republicans that the issue of rising sea levels must be addressed. For example, Republican Rep. Carlos Curbelo (FL-26) and Democrat Rep. Seth Moulton (MA-06) are working together to build bipartisan support for their new legislation, The Flood Protection Act.

In Charleston, our city and her citizens have taken the danger of sea level rise to heart. Since the 1980s, Charleston has implemented an effective flood mitigation system that drains floodwater into local rivers.

While the flood mitigation plan is a good first step, the problem of sea level rise is only going to get worse without further action. We must all encourage leaders like Sen. Tim Scott, Charleston Mayor John Tecklenburg, North Charleston Mayor Keith Summey, and State Senator Chip Campsen to make the issue of sea level rise a top priority, both at the national, state, and local levels. We need them to work together to find solutions that will keep Charleston a thriving and growing city for generations to come.

News

Leatherback Sea Turtles Make An Appearance In South Carolina Waters!

Featured Image Credit: Jürgen Freund

The South Carolina Department of Natural Resources releases a warning to boaters to watch out for Leatherback turtles, the world’s largest turtles.

According to SCDNR, these turtles range from 800 to 1,300 pounds and six feet in shell length.

The endangered species aren’t typically found in shore waters but SCDNR says the turtles are tracking their food sources- causing them to appear in South Carolina waters.

It is mentioned that the Leatherbacks are typically found between their feeding grounds of Nova Scotia and tropical beaches. Just like the Leatherback turtles, the cannonball jellyfish have been spotted in South Carolina waters following their food sources.

If you spot these animals to be injured, dead, or near shore waters call 1-800-922-5431.

Learn from our source here.

What's Trending

high tide

High Tide And Hurricane Irma Hit Charleston Area At The Same Time

Featured Image Credit: Mic Smith, AP

While Hurricane Irma has been downgraded to a tropical storm, the storm is still striking at high tide in the Lowcountry. Already today there have been thousands left without power and multiple trees knocked down. The tide is expected to be between 10-12 feet today.

The record high tide is 12.52 feet in 1989. The most recent record high was 10.23 in 2016. There are many items to be concerned with when the tide is this high. As we know, Charleston floods during regular storms and some places flood during a normal high tide. The combination of both will result in a major salt water flood in downtown Charleston.

People should prepare for flooding today. The last flooding like this occurred during Hurricane Hugo. To compare to the most recent Charleston hurricane, Matthew, this tide will be a foot or two higher.

High TideThe wind will also be a concern today. The tropical storms wind field is over 415 miles wide. Storm surge warnings have been in effect and should be taken seriously. The storm will dump many inches of rain on the Charleston area. Flash Flood warnings have also been issued to several places around the area. Along with the wind and rain, this storm also is showing tornado threats. Many places have been under tornado watches and warnings.

There is expected to be better weather overnight and we are hoping to do away with the storm by Tuesday!

News

Bones Found Under Downtown Street After Water Line Rupture

Featured Image Credit: Michael Pronzato/ Post

Charleston is a city full of history and mystery. You never know what you’re going to come across in the Holy City. Where else would a water line rupture and bones be found? Authorities are investigating the scene where a water line ruptured at the intersection of Rutledge Avenue and Beaufain Street and bones were discovered. It hasn’t been determined if the bones are human or animal yet but are being further investigated. Police spokesman Charles Francis said that the Charleston County Coroner’s Office will determine the origin of the bones.

The leak affected about 20 buildings and shut down the street, but crews hope to have water back online and the road reopened by about 8 p.m. The director of distribution for Charleston Water System said a 12-inch water main broke, which is very common.

Charleston has changed a lot over the decades due to erosion, and the streets have been built on top of older streets. Underground Downtown Charleston is like a whole new city, with tunnels everywhere and what’s left of a very historical town. Finding bones and other historic relics is a very common thing in the city, with hidden treasures around every corner, or in this case water lines.

News

shem creek

What’s Lurking In The Waters Of Shem Creek?

Featured Image Credit: tourcharleston.com

Shem Creek is a must see when visiting Charleston with thousands of tourists stopping by during the summer months. With the freshest seafood in town and beautiful views of the creek, it is most definitely a popular stop.

The water is full of boats, kayakers, and paddle boarders all joining in on the fun atmosphere of Shem Creek, but before you think about taking a dip in the creek you might want to think twice.

According to Charleston Waterkeeper, Shem Creek is not suitable for swimming due to unsafe levels of fecal bacteria. That’s right people! Poop! Charleston Waterkeeper works to monitor bacteria levels around the Charleston Harbor, three located at Shem Creek.

shem creek

Image Credit: ABC News 4

The recent flood waters have caused runoff and discharges, including animal and human waste. One of the biggest indicators of water quality is rainfall. The more it rains, the worse the water quality is.

The risk of getting sick depends on where you swim and how much harmful bacteria is present. Traces of enterococcus bacteria have been found, indicating fecal contamination. Shem Creek has failed water quality test standards 24 percent of the time so far in 2017.

Charleston Waterkeeper discourages people from swimming in the creek and has started a petition to make state regulators reclassify the creek to get it cleaned up faster.

So if you are daring enough to brave the waters at Shem Creek, we suggest you shower directly after any water contact and keep it out of your eyes or mouth.