From fairway to freedom: Bluffton golf community rescues stranded manatee
What started as a routine Saturday round of golf at Crescent Pointe quickly turned into a wildlife rescue story the community won’t soon forget.
Two golfers, teeing off on Hole 9 on Nov. 22, spotted something no one expected to see beached along the shoreline: a manatee.
These gentle, elusive giants are no strangers to the shallow waterways of Beaufort County — but finding one stranded on a golf course is another story.
The golfers immediately called the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, setting off a coordinated response that soon included Crescent Pointe staff, local residents and the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office.
“I’ve never seen one other than at an aquarium, so this was a first for me and for the course,” said Crescent Pointe’s Director of Marketing, Dylan DeBellis, who helped lead on-site efforts.
Teeing off the rescue
As soon as the call came in, General Manager Ron Schiavone worked closely with the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office to secure the area and redirect golfers, so the distressed manatee could be given space.
From there, the sheriff’s office maintained direct communication with SCDNR while they consulted with Florida partners to determine the safest plan.
“It was a bit high stress — we weren’t sure if it was going to make it,” DeBellis said.
Under SCDNR’s guidance, Cpl. Dean Entrup with BCSO began relaying step-by-step instructions to keep the manatee stable: gently misting its skin, keeping it covered with damp towels and making sure it stayed warm enough — never too much water, and never too cold.
DeBellis and a Crescent Pointe community member sprang into action, shuttling back and forth and hauling buckets of water to hydrate the animal until a better solution could be created.
Brian Roller, Crescent Pointe’s director of agronomy, rushed out and tapped into a sprinkler head, rigging a hose, so the manatee could be safely and consistently misted.
Community members Tommy O’Donnell and Ryleigh Durham also stepped in to assist, carefully following SCDNR’s instructions and ensuring the manatee wasn’t disturbed more than necessary.
Thanks to hours of patient teamwork, the manatee remained stable long enough for the tide to return. As the water rose, the massive but gentle animal was finally able to move on its own and glide back into deeper water.
“All he needed was the tide to come in and help take him back out,” DeBellis said.
Authorities later searched nearby inlets and confirmed the manatee could no longer be located — indicating it successfully returned to open water.
Manatees in South Carolina
The rescue comes during the tail end of South Carolina’s manatee season.
These large marine mammals typically travel north from Florida in warmer months and can be spotted in Beaufort County between April and November, especially in sheltered areas like inlets and marinas.
By late fall and early winter, they begin their migration south, where the water stays above their survival threshold of 68 degrees. Seeing one in late November or December in South Carolina can be a sign of trouble, according to Kelly Lambert, SCDNR’s manatee response coordinator.
If you spot a manatee in South Carolina waters in late fall or early winter, contact the SCDNR hotline at 1-800-922-5431.
This story was originally published November 23, 2025 at 4:22 PM.
