Posted on August 7, 2023
Hurricane Ian was devastating to the dunes along the Grand Strand wiping away some parts of the Myrtle Beach dune area entirely.
The emergency manager for the City of Myrtle Beach said it took a crew of about 10 people four months of working full-time Monday through Friday to complete all the repairs to the dunes.
They finished this week — just in time for the peak of hurricane season next month.
Myrtle Beach crews planted 96,248 sea oats and more than 72,186 panicgrass plants from Springmaid Pier all the way past 82nd Avenue North.
Last year, Ian wiped out many dunes like the one at 26th Avenue North.
Less than a year later, they’re back as if they’ve never left.
Dunes blowing in the wind.
A visitor from North Carolina says it’s shocking there were no dunes here just over a year ago, but he’s glad they’re here.
“It’s one of those protections almost like insurance. You don’t really think about it, but it’s here for your safety,” said Jai Coltrane, who was visiting from North Carolina.
Ray Cassidy has been the manager at Magnolia’s at 26th for 30 years.
The restaurant sits right across the street from the ocean, and after Ian, he was shocked by what he saw along the beach.
The manager at Magnolias at 26th Ave. is glad the dunes are back.
“I was heartbroken because I know how important the dunes are because like I say it keeps us a barrier from the ocean,” said Ray Cassidy, the manager of Magnolia’s at 26th.
Cassidy says it’s great to have the dunes back and ready to protect Myrtle Beach because they’re essential to keeping business thriving.
“Whenever the dunes break, the storms are bad enough and it washes the sand up and naturally does a lot of damage to the buildings but it also shuts the businesses down and that makes for a hard year for all the people that work in Myrtle Beach,” said Cassidy.
It’s not just the people, restaurants, and hotels they protect, but it’s also the thriving ecosystem and animals that live in the dunes.
“There’s a certain amount of local habitat that lives in that area that people don’t see. You got your hermit crabs and a lot of birds come and go out of there. I’ve actually seen a few foxes,” said Cassidy.
Crews also put up 48,125 linear feet of sand fence. Which is 2,410 panels.
People enjoy the ocean as the dunes sit ready to protect Myrtle Beach.
In addition to repairing the dunes, the emergency manager for the city of Myrtle Beach said they’re also stocking up on portable generators, chainsaws, and other tools that will help first responders if we have a hurricane.
