Camping cancellations increase at Hunting Island as worries about COVID-19 grow
Hunting Island State Park is open and operating under its regular hours, but has seen more cancellations of camping reservations as the number of COVID-19 cases increases in South Carolina, park manager J.W. Weatherford said Thursday.
Cancellations were up about 15% Wednesday and Thursday compared to the same dates last year, Weatherford said. Hunting Island takes reservations for campsites, a cabin, and day-use picnic areas.
Hunting Island has been issuing refunds on those cancellations, which isn’t automatic unless the area is under evacuation for a hurricane, he said.
Staff is also working to deep clean all seven of the park’s bathrooms every day rather than once a week.
As spring break season approaches and colleges cancel classes, Weatherford says rangers are expecting more visitors to the park.
The sand pumping that began in early February on the park’s beaches as part of the large renourishment project will conclude Friday and equipment will start being removed from the area Saturday.
“It’s like a whole new beach,” Weatherford said, adding that before the sand pumping project, the water would reach the trees in some places, covering the entire beach. At high tide now, he said there’s about 200 yards of beach.
