Port Royal rebuilds in wake of Tropical Storm Helene. Boat ramp reopens. Boardwalk next

The Sands Beach boat landing in Port Royal, closed for months, has finally reopened to the public, Beaufort County announced Tuesday.

The ramp, one of Beaufort County’s most used, provides quick access to Battery Creek and the Beaufort River. It was closed for almost four months while undergoing repairs after extensive damage from Tropical Storm Helene in late September.

For more information, call Beaufort County Public Works at 843-255-2800.

More rebuilding remains in the wake of the powerful storm.

The surge of water ripped out a large section from the Henry Robinson Boardwalk along Battery Creek. Repairs have begun.

The cost of the project is about $200,000 but that amount also include improvements to the observation tower, which was not damaged by the storm.

In a third project at the popular Sands area, the town also is preparing for construction of a 150- to 200-foot-long timber bridge that will allow safe pedestrian and vehicle access to Sands Beach. High tides, which rise quickly, can trap visitors and also create large holes that can be difficult to navigate.

Karl Puckett

The Island Packet

843-256-3420

Karl Puckett covers the city of Beaufort, town of Port Royal and other communities north of the Broad River for The Beaufort Gazette and Island Packet. The Minnesota native also has worked at newspapers in his home state, Alaska, Wisconsin and Montana.