Sea Pines residents might have trouble accessing the beach after Irma

Nineteen boardwalks and beach paths in Sea Pines are temporarily closed following damage and flooding from Tropical Storm Irma, according to a release from Sea Pines’ Community Services Associates, an organization that provides services to residents.

“We do have some beach walks that are still holding standing water,” Amanda Sutcliffe-Jones, director of communications for CSA, said Thursday. “So although the boardwalk may not be damaged, the beach walk that takes you there may be flooded.”

CSA is working with a contractor to make temporary repairs where possible, the release said.

Sutcliffe-Jones said the affected beach paths and boardwalks are managed by CSA, but there could be other damaged ones in Sea Pines that are overseen by timeshare companies.

Scott Liggett, the town’s director of public facilities and chief engineer, said previously the worst of Irma’s damage to beaches is a two-mile stretch on South Beach, which had already taken a hit from Hurricane Matthew last October. About 20 to 30 feet of beach was wiped away from Irma, he said.

Dunes have been breached across the island, he said. It is unknown how many cubic yards of sand have been lost, but Liggett said Thursday the town is working on surveying the area.

Town manager Steve Riley said the town is slowly inspecting the island, including boardwalks and beach paths. He urged people to be careful, though beaches reopened to the public on Wednesday.

This story was originally published September 14, 2017 at 2:44 PM with the headline "Sea Pines residents might have trouble accessing the beach after Irma."