While the loss of dunes to Hurricane Matthew may not have been desired, a surprise was revealed on North Beach–a long-buried bench at the end of the boardwalk, overlooking the beach. I had totally forgotten about the existence of this bench–built in the 80s/90s?–since lost under the dunes, until now–and how nice it is to have it back!
Which leads to some questions. Will this remain a feature of the beach? If not, why? If it does, can more of these be added at the other boardwalks (assuming high tide allows)?
We have already found this bench to be a wonderful place to take a break–before or after taking a stroll–and meet other residents. My wife and I would heartily encourage keeping this bench and adding more.
-Submitted by Bob Reddersen, Seabrook Island, SC
If one bench (the size of that just uncovered at BW#1), installed, cost $1000, each property owner on the island would contribute about .40cents/year per bench. $2000 installed, .80cents/year per bench. 6 benches would cost each of us about $5.00/year to maintain or even replace. That’s barely a 12 pack of soda in the grocery store to add and maintain or replace 6 benches every year.
I obviously don’t know that exact cost, but would love to see an accurate estimate to further evaluate. Seems little to ask of our tax dollars or POA dollars for such an aesthetic and functional feature.
As history has shown, the end of each boardwalk is not an ideal place to build bench structures due to the dynamic nature of our shoreline. While they are lovely when initially put in place, a bench structure requires continual maintenance in terms of both labor and materials and is ultimately destroyed by wave action or buried by dune development.
Arriving on Saturday after Thanksgiving and consenting to a 1.89 mile down and back walk on North Beach as soon as we arrived, I was extremely happy to see and to use that bench.
Oh yes, I remember it well! PLEASE let us keep our benches.