Let’s start with something we all love about the beautiful Grand Strand -the ocean. When you take your dip into the Atlantic this year, keep an eye on the water depth. The general rule for lifeguards to enforce is that no swimmer should be beyond 50 yards from shore or in waters that are deeper than the swimmer’s shoulder level. Another tidbit about the water that we want you to be aware of – our piers are for walking or fishing, not for driving or jumping from. We have had instances in the past that didn’t end too well, so just don’t do it – save those jumps and dives for the pools.
Now on to the beach itself, and how we maintain the beauty of Myrtle Beach’s white sands. Littering is a problem everywhere, and unfortunately even the beach faces its struggles. To make it easy to keep the beaches clean, bright-blue trash cans have been placed at every avenue and beach entrance for visitors’ convenience. Guests who are caught leaving trash behind on the beach may face a fine, as well as have to spend part of their precious vacation time helping officials pick up litter from the beach – and nobody wants that!
You have probably noticed that part of what makes the Grand Strand beaches so stunning are the gorgeous sand dunes. What you might not know is that the sea grass and sea oats you see growing in those dunes are illegal to disturb or pick. As a matter of fact, you can be fined for disturbing any dunes or the vegetation in them. Even the fencing is protected. Our dunes are precious to our beaches, as they serve as a barrier against high surf during storms. This year, you may also notice lots of renourishment of the area dunes. That is because a lot were damaged or lost by Hurricane Matthew last year. Please help keep our beach beautiful by staying on the pathways and off of the dunes.
Vacation means letting your hair down, and for some that might mean a few cocktails. You will find clubs, restaurants and bars by the hundreds here for you to enjoy. What we want you to be aware of is that the possession or consumption of alcohol on the beach is prohibited. There are, however, many beachside restaurants – some even on the waterfront – where you can not only have a cocktail, but you can also put your feet up and be waited on.
One last tip that many people need to know prior to packing and planning is that within the City of Myrtle Beach, tents are banned from Memorial Day through Labor Day. Round umbrellas with a diameter of 7 feet, 6 inches or less are allowed, but they must be placed behind lifeguards’ line of sight so that these safety professionals can safely view the water in both directions. Making things easier on your packing, Myrtle Beach lifeguards have umbrellas for rent by the day or week. Not only do you not have to worry about packing your own, but you arrive to it set up every morning by 8 a.m. and never have to worry about taking it down, as that is done for you, as well.
We hope this partial list of summer 2017 beach rules is helpful. We want everyone to enjoy our beaches safely and leave with great memories of Myrtle Beach. If at any time you have questions about beach regulations, your friendly staff at Paradise Resort is always here to help. Happy vacation!
