Did Matthew splinter Sea Pines lighthouse?

Photos of Harbour Town Lighthouse post-Matthew show visible cracks to Hilton Head’s best-known landmark.

But the markings are not hurricane-related, said Mary Doyle of the Sea Pines Resort.

Just days before Matthew swept into Beaufort County, workers sanded, caulked and prepped the lighthouse for re-painting — and, in the process, caused some cracks to the outside.

When Gov. Nikki Haley called for coastal communities to evacuate, the painting project was temporarily abandoned, Doyle said.

And when residents returned, many assumed the iconic lighthouse was one of the many buildings in Sea Pines to sustain damage.

“It was just horrible timing,” Doyle said.

The lighthouse, which was last painted in 2008, has been inspected and sustained no structural damage, she reported.

Painting will resume Monday.

The 320-year-old Liberty Oak, also located in Harbour Town Marina, also weathered Matthew well.

The tree lost a few small branches, but showed no signs of cracks, splits or movement, according to a Thursday letter from Mullane Tree Consultants that Sea Pines Resort posted on its Facebook page.

“The Liberty Oak has lived through several hurricanes I would think and once again the tree has won,” the letter read.

Sea Pines Resort also reported Thursday that its golf courses, including Harbour Town Golf Links, will reopen sometime in November.

This story was originally published October 20, 2016 at 4:30 PM with the headline "Did Matthew splinter Sea Pines lighthouse?."