Extensive damage from Tropical Storm Helene closes popular boat landing in Port Royal
Damage along the Port Royal waterfront from Tropical Storm Helene in late September continues to mount.
Beaufort County announced it was closing the popular boat landing at Sands Beach until further notice due to extensive damage from the tropical storm, which hit the area on Sept. 27.
Port Royal Town Manager Van Willis said the boat landing has actually been closed since immediately following Helene but Beaufort County made the announcement late Thursday afternoon, just as Milton, another tropical storm, was moving past the area. But Helene caused the damage to the boat landing, it said, not Milton.
The boat launch, one of the most popular in northern Beaufort County, is owned by the town of Port Royal but maintained by Beaufort County.
The boat launch is located between Sands Beach and the Henry Robinson Boardwalk. The entire public access, which is located on Battery Creek, was hard hit by storm surge during the earlier tropical storm.
A section of the boardwalk, which is owned and maintained by the town, was washed away during Helene and the town has put out a request for proposals to fix the boardwalk, Willis said.
Meanwhile, the Beaufort County Public Works Department is now working with marine contractors to assess the extent of the damage to the boat landing and repair work will begin as soon as possible, the county said.
To locate an alternative County boat landing, public water access, bluffs, and piers, check beaufortcountysc.gov or call 843-255-2800.
