15 months after Hurricane Matthew one of Hilton Head’s marinas reopens docks

Skull Creek Marina is one of many docks in Beaufort County that saw extensive damage during Hurricane Matthew causing a shortage of boat slips and “refugee boats” in the region.

On Monday, the Hilton Head Island marina will reopen a set of docks destroyed during the storm, manager Leon Moore said Friday.

One-third of the marina was destroyed during the October 2016 storm. Rebuilding the docks — which includes more than 50 boat slips — cost about $3 million.

A majority of the slips are already reserved as there is a high demand for spots in the region.

Palmetto Bay Marina along with Dataw Marina were both completely demolished from the storm and have not rebuilt.

Other marina’s sustained damage such as Harbour Town Marina but have reopened.

Boats continue to anchor in waterways, including Broad Creek, as slips they used to dock at have not been rebuilt.

“There are many refugee boats in the area,” Moore said. “They are moving around looking for a home.”

Many more were displaced including businesses catering to the region’s tourism industry.

This story was originally published January 19, 2018 at 3:58 PM with the headline "15 months after Hurricane Matthew one of Hilton Head’s marinas reopens docks."