Curfew in place, boats moored: Beaufort awaits Hurricane Matthew’s arrival

A steady rain, heavy at times, moved into Beaufort by early Friday afternoon.

With it came warmer air — an early sign of Hurricane Matthew's approach.

There were other signs, too, that the Category 3 storm was on its way.

Four bucket trucks from Lewis Tree Service sat in the parking lot of the Quality Inn on Boundary Street. They will be joined by more Saturday, according to Sean Peck, the inn's general manager.

The tree service has booked at least six rooms, he said. South Carolina Electric and Gas has booked even more — 70, according to Peck. Both SCE&G and the tree service will be staying through Monday night, he said.

And with them come caterers, who are on their way now — they’ll be staying four nights beginning Friday.

The inn will become a staging area, Peck said.

Earlier in the afternoon his colleague, Jonathan Sullivan, was on Bay Street moving some patio furniture at a property he manages.

“This city’s doing everything it can to get ready for people and tourist to come back in,” he said.

As rain soaked his T-shirt, Sullivan’s father nodded his agreement.

“Just a bump in the road,” the elder Sullivan said — he’s lived in Savannah since 1947 and has weathered his share of storms.

Along Bay Street more businesses had been boarded up.

White masking tape made an “X” across a front window of Lily and Lou’s Children’s Boutique. Over the “X” was some purple tape, in the shape of a cross. “We Will Be Closed Thru Sunday Due To Hurricane,” a sign on the business’ door said.

Across town at Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office, first responders readied for the storm.

“We’ve got Sheriff’s Office (personnel), South Carolina Highway Patrol, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, National Guard,” sheriff’s office spokesperson Capt. Bob Bromage said. “We’ve got a full contingent of personnel.”

Despite rumors of looting in the county, there has not been any, according to Bromage.

“We’re monitoring the storm,” he said, “but weather permitting, we stay out there as long as it’s safe so we can respond to our citizens’ needs.”

A lot of people had evacuated early, he said, but there’s still “a substantial amount who’ve stayed behind.”

In the hallway on the first floor of the sheriff’s office, deputies walked the hallways and talked about what they were seeing and hearing.

One mentioned 500 cases of water that had just been unloaded, by hand, in the rain at a local shelter. “Three pallets” of MREs — Meals Ready to Eat — were taken to the same location.

There was some pooling of water in the streets in certain parts of downtown, and more boats had been moored out in open water away from the docks at the Beaufort Downtown Marina.

With a curfew in effect for Friday and Saturday night, the city awaits Matthew’s arrival.

“The curfew will be strictly enforced,” Bromage said.

“Arrest is a last resort. If need be, people will be arrested.”

People should stay indoors and stay away from windows, he said.

This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 3:01 PM with the headline "Curfew in place, boats moored: Beaufort awaits Hurricane Matthew’s arrival."