King Tide Occurs April 19-20

Posted on April 18, 2019 by

banner weather alert

Another round of King Tides will occur on April 19 – 20, 2019. To learn more about King Tides, click here to read a previous post from Tidelines.

It is important to be aware of when King Tides occur as well as the events that may make the tides even higher.  Rain before and during high tides can saturate the ground as well as cause an issue with drains.  When there is significant wind off the ocean, such as gale force winds, the problem can be made worse. According to the weather forecast, there is a chance of showers and thunderstorms on Friday, April 19, 2019.

Remember: Don’t attempt to drive through deep water.  Not only may it damage your car, but the road/bridge foundation may be compromised.

Remember, be prepared; stay safe.

–Tidelines Editors

 

 

Posted in Weather

SIB Movie Matinee: Opposable Chums – April 23

Posted on April 18, 2019 by

For SIB’s third movie matinee, we will be presenting Opposable Chums: Guts & Glory at the World Series of Birding, a 2008 documentary/comedy 64 minutes in length.

As described on Amazon: “The World Series of Birding features more than 70 teams competing to identify the most bird species in 24 hours. It’s equal parts scavenger hunt, science expedition, and endurance test. Opposable Chums, as seen on PBS, features renowned birders David Sibley, Kenn Kaufman, and Pete Dunne. Taking you along for the raucous ride, Opposable Chums may well be the very first nature documentary comedy.”

  • The contest goes from midnight to midnight.
  • The playing field is the state of New Jersey.
  • Any vehicle except aircraft may be used.
  • All birds counted must be alive and unrestrained.
  • Teams may begin the event anywhere in the state, and follow any route they devise.
  • But each team must cross the Finish Line by midnight.

Sign Up Today!

To watch several “Opposable Chums” trailers, click here.

SIB will provide the popcorn and snacks! You can bring pillows to make the chairs more comfy and BYOB. Please sign up to join us for this fun afternoon where you will learn more about the wacky world of birding!

Tuesday April 23, 2019 5:00 pm – 6:30 pm

Location: Osprey 1, Lake House

Max: 25

Cost: None for members; $5 donation for guests

-Submitted by Seabrook Island Birders

Posted in SIB

Do you know…? Caring for the Beach

Posted on April 18, 2019 by

The Town of Seabrook Island, the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources oversee management of our beautiful beaches. As the spring and summer seasons begin, this summary of the rules and regulations regarding how you are required to care for our beaches will be helpful. Remember: The Town’s Beach Patrol issues warnings and citations for infractions of Town ordinances pertaining to the beach.

Stay off the sand dunes. No people, other than those specifically authorized by the Town and the Department of Natural Resources, or dogs may walk on sand dunes. Also, vegetation, such as sea oats, may not be removed from the sand dunes. The dunes are protected because that is where the loggerhead turtles lay their eggs in the soft sand and where endangered/threatened bird species make their nests.

No littering. All trash, paper, bottles, cans, dog excrement, and other litter must be removed from the beach before the end of the day. If you see trash on the beach, please take a few minutes to pick it up. Trash is dangerous for wildlife and can pollute our waters. Balloons on strings are especially dangerous for the turtles. Please leave the beach in a beautiful and clean condition, ready for the next person or family.

Don’t leave things on the beach. Unless the Town has granted special permission in writing, all personal property (tents, tent frames, chairs, umbrellas, clothing, coolers, toys or other beach equipment) left unattended on the beach after sunset is considered abandoned and will be disposed of.

Restore the beach after digging or constructing. Anyone digging a hole or building a castle on the beach must level the sand surface to its natural condition before leaving the beach. Our loggerhead turtles can get trapped in the holes and beach walkers could trip and fall, so please fill in and restore the beach before you leave it.

No fires. No grills, cookers, or any heating devices using fire are allowed on the beach. Building or maintaining a fire or open flame is permitted only above the high water mark and when advance permission has been granted in writing by the Seabrook Island Property Owners Association. (Permits may be obtained by submitting an application via the SIPOA website.)

No motorized watercraft. Launching or landing of motorized watercraft on our beaches is prohibited. Negligent operation of any vessel or watercraft on or near our beaches is also prohibited.

No motorized vehicles.  Motorized vehicles may not be operated on the beach except as authorized by the Town.

No chumming.  No chopped or ground fish bait is permitted on or within 600 feet of the beach. This does not affect or prohibit the baiting of crab traps or the placement of natural bait upon a hook and line.

Fishing is allowed on the beach but a saltwater fishing license is required for ages 16 and above.  Licenses may be obtained at Seacoast Sports and Outfitters (843-768-8486) at Freshfields Village or Bohicket Marina (8430768-1280). Please do not fish near sunbathers.

–Tidelines Editors

Posted in SIPOA, Town of SBI

BIFMC Community Pillar Profile: Dr. Marta Hampton

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

“I became a doctor to help those who are sick, so that they may smile again and move on with their lives.”

-Dr. Marta Hampton,
Barrier Island Free Medical Clinic (BIFMC) Volunteer

When it comes to volunteer organizations, there is often that one person who is known to be a quiet powerhouse, often working diligently behind the scenes; and she would rather keep it that way. Dr. Marta Hampton is such a person. For her, there is no such thing as “charity,” for the very act of helping others is as basic as breathing; a byproduct of living in a community where some have less, but are all deserving.

While humility and dedication are her natural traits – and the very traits that make BIFMC a place of dignity and utmost professionalism – sometimes it is necessary to shine a light on the silent cogs that move the machine. The many who work daily with Dr. Marta Hampton at Barrier Islands Free Medical Clinic consider her as one of the BIFMC “Pillars,” as she embodies all that the Clinic stands for: a ceaseless and outstanding commitment to the underserved of the Barrier Islands and beyond. Continue reading →

Posted in Volunteer

Full Moon Bonfire Saturday, April 20 at Boardwalk 1

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

Full Moon Bonfire
Saturday, April 20, 2019
Sunset:  7:51 pm
Moonrise:   9:22 pm
High Tide (Rockville):  10:03 pm
~ Full Pink Moon ~

Add a bonfire on the beach to your Easter Weekend plans. The bonfire is a day after the Full Moon to avoid conflict with Good Friday. We will start the bonfire near sunset and will need to be out by 10:00. The bonfire will be between Boardwalk 1 and 2. People ask if bonfire will be held if it’s cold or rainy….if the weather is so cold (i.e. below 40) or rain is threatening, the bonfire will be cancelled as no one would be comfortable attending.

To keep things simple, each person brings what you want: food, drinks, chairs and a stick of firewood for a big bonfire. Nothing will be provided but a beautiful beach, a bonfire and, hopefully, a full moon.

Put these dates for the Full Moon Bonfires on your calendar:

Saturday, May 18, 2019
Monday, June 17, 2019
Tuesday, July 16, 2019

There’s always plenty of room on the beach for everyone, so invite a friend or bring your house guests.

Continue reading →

Posted in Nature

Easter Weekend at Freshfields Village

Posted on April 17, 2019 by

Freshfields LogoThis Easter Weekend, Freshfields Village celebrates spring with daily events throughout the weekend, including the first Music on the Green performance of the season, the annual Spring Festival and Sunday morning Easter service on the Village Green.

Sip & Stroll your way through the Village on Thursday, April 18 from 4:00 to 7:00 pm. Enjoy exclusive sales, promotions, tasty treats and of course sips in participating shops and restaurants. Visit our website for a full list of participating retailers.

A special spring edition of Music on the Green takes place Friday, April 19, 2019 with live music from 6:00 to 9:00 pm. Michel Jons Band will play a variety of hits that will have you dancing the night away to the sounds of Motown, classic favorites and Top 40 hits. The concert is family-friendly and free to attend. Guests are encouraged to bring their own chairs and blankets for a comfortable evening on the Village Green.

Easter at Freshfields SaveOn Saturday, April 20, 2019, Freshfields Village hosts its annual Spring Festival from 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Bring the kids for a variety of fun activities including a jump castle, inflatable slide, mechanical bull, face painting, balloon animals, spring-themed crafts and an interactive live band performance. The St. John’s Fire Department will host their “Spring into Safety” event, complete with fire engine tours, and fire safety tips. Don’t forget your camera to grab a family photo with the Easter Bunny, who will be hopping through the Village during the festival.

While the kids play, adults can browse art from the Seabrook Island Artists Guild, which will hold an art show and sale featuring local painters and photographers. Food vendors will serve cotton candy, kettle corn, popsicles, BBQ and more throughout the event.

Round out the weekend with an Easter Sunday service from the Church of Our Saviour on the Village Green at 9:30 am. The service will be casual, and guests are encouraged to bring their own blankets and chairs.

-Submitted by Ali Buendo

Posted in Freshfields

Traffic Alert: Backup on Maybank Highway at Riverland Terrace

Posted on April 16, 2019 by

Today at 10:40am a long back up on James Island at Maybank Highway and Riverland Terrace was reported.  You might want to travel off island in another direction.

–Tidelines Editors

Posted in Traffic

Spotlight on Rhiannon Schalaudek from SIPOA Staff

Posted on April 16, 2019 by

RhiannonIt is said that first impressions are lasting impressions. If so, we are very lucky to have Rhiannon Schalaudek as the receptionist at the SIPOA office on Landfall Way. Rhiannon is very likely to be the first SIPOA staff person new property owners meet upon arrival. Rhiannon came to us as a temporary employee in January 2018, was made permanent in May 2018, and has become a fixture in the office ever since. Rhiannon was recently promoted to the Finance and Human Resources Assistant position, but will continue to serve as receptionist for a while.

Rhiannon moved to the lowcountry after high school in Pennsylvania and never went back. She spent several years in retail management and time as an entrepreneur before settling down here at Seabrook Island. She lives on Johns Island with her daughter, Gabriella, and their three dogs, Zoey, Lila Bea and Pow Pow. Most of her free time is spent playing with Gabriella, swimming and biking around Trophy Lakes, and crafting and painting in their garage where they are covering the walls with murals.

Working as the receptionist, Rhiannon has become adept at pointing people in the right direction to help solve their problems, which requires an almost encyclopedic knowledge of how things work on Seabrook Island. She spends much of her day fielding questions and being the point person for property owners She does it all with a friendly and professional demeanor. We are, indeed, fortunate to have her.

-Rich Siegel, Tidelines Writer

Posted in SIPOA, Spotlight on Seabrookers

Town of Seabrook Island Website

Posted on April 16, 2019 by

Seabrook marsh

The Town of Seabrook Island has launched its renewed website. Be sure to visit it and keep abreast of all that is happening in our beautiful town. Click here.

–Tidelines Editors

(Image credit: townofseabrookisland.org)
Posted in Town of SBI

Seabrook is a One Gigabit Community

Posted on April 16, 2019 by

Comcast Tells SIPOA Long Range Planning Committee
“Seabrook is a One Gigabit Community”
April 9, 2019

At its regularly-scheduled open monthly meeting, the SIPOA Long Range Planning Committee met with two Comcast representatives. At the meeting it was reported that Seabrook Island Comcast subscribers now have the “same potential internet connectivity as any community they serve in the country”. The Comcast hybrid combination of fiber and coaxial cable coupled with new modem technology means Seabrook Island is now a “One Gigabit Community”.

A Gigabit Per Second (Gbps) is 1000 Mbps. The average Seabrook Island Comcast subscriber currently pays for a basic level of 100 – 150 Mbps (megabits per second) connectivity. As many Seabrook property owners and potential homebuyers move toward additional web-based devices and implementing “smart home” technologies, the availability of this enhanced connectivity could be an important competitive factor in decisions to remain on or relocate to Seabrook Island.

Of course, each Seabrook Island Comcast customer needs to realize that there are many factors that impact the actual speed achieved in anyone’s residence; including the capabilities of your devices, your modem, the number and type of devices used, etc. Another factor to consider is how much you are willing to pay Comcast each month for greater capacity or greater speed.

The Comcast representatives at the meeting were: James Bird (Community Account Manager for XFINITY Communities and Comcast Cable) and Michael Edwards (Technical Operations Manager Comcast Cable). Jim Bird is responsible for Charleston, Savannah and Augusta. One of his reports is Andy Gretton, the CAR (Community Account Representative, phone # 843-266-3217) for Seabrook Island. Mike Edwards has been at Charleston for a year running all technicians, including support, maintenance and service teams.

-Submitted by Dan Kortvelesey, Chair, Long Range Planning Committee

Posted in Tech

Citizen Dolphin Count – Volunteers Wanted for April 27 Event

Posted on April 15, 2019 by

The Lowcountry Marine Mammal Network is sponsoring an important Citizen Scientist event, asking the public to have some fun as they help LMMN count dolphins across the Lowcountry.

They are looking for volunteers to count dolphins from areas where LMMN scientists might never go, and they offer a specially designed Dolphin Count Mobile App that allows volunteers to count from any location.  Another option is to meet up with LMMN’s trained volunteers and researchers at one of 11 designated stations around the Lowcountry where the experts will answer questions about the dolphins and teach participants how to do the count.

LMMN hopes to enlist as many people as possible to participate in the count, which will take place between 9 am and 12 noon on April 27, and they hope the volunteers will be widely spread across the region—especially in those hard-to-reach places like people’s docks and our island’s beaches.  How about counting during your morning beach walk or hosting a counting party at your dock?!  All counting must be land-based—that is, not performed from boats.

The Dolphin Count is the concluding activity of a number of Dolphin Week events that range from yoga on the beach to screening of a documentary film, a painting event, and a sunset kayak paddling with a marine mammal scientist.

All details about Dolphin Week, the Dolphin Count and its Mobile App, and extensive information about dolphins in general are available at www.lowcountrymarinemammalnetwork.org.

–Tidelines Editor

Posted in Events, Nature

Kiawah River Farmstead Field Day – April 20 at Kiawah River

Posted on April 15, 2019 by

You are invited to join us at Kiawah River to shop exciting local vendors from around Charleston on Saturday, April 20, 2019 at Kiawah River from 1:00 to 5:00 pm. Gather your friends and family, bring your four-legged friends and join us outside for a fun and spirited afternoon celebrating Springtime in the Lowcountry!

Enjoy a little sunshine with local makers, farm animals, food trucks, live music, nature walks, a flower crown workshop and more.

-Submitted by Deane Bowers

Posted in Events, Festivals