Murrells Inlet, South Carolina

Creek Talk -

Georgetown County is taking its first steps toward creating “engineered beaches” that would qualify for federal and state disaster aid — and updating a beachfront management plan that hasn’t changed since 1992.

Here’s what’s up for consideration this week: https://coastalobserver.com/county-includes-renourishment-funds-in-budget/

Sometimes you design a project without thinking about the consequences. This seems to be one of those times.

Alabama Legislature awards final passage to "Save Our Bay" ban on Mobile Bay mud dumping The Alabama Legislature awarded final passage on Tuesday to the “Save Our Bay” bill that bans the environmentally unsound practice of “mud dumping” in Mobile Ba

A major dredging project in Murrells Inlet is still in limbo. Local officials are now turning to Washington for help.

Read more on a project that will dredge silt from over 16 miles of creeks and channels in Murrells Inlet: https://coastalobserver.com/officials-push-for-decision-on-inlet-dredging-project/

🌊 Calling all Murrells Inlet residents and visitors! 🌊

We want to hear from YOU! Please take a few minutes to complete the Our Marsh Counts Community Survey and help shape the future of sustainability in our beautiful inlet.

Complete the survey here ➡ bit.ly/OMCMurrellsInletSurvey

Your feedback on litter, plastic waste, and sustainability will guide local efforts to keep Murrells Inlet clean and thriving for everyone.

✅ The survey is quick, confidential, and open to anyone 18 or older.

✅ Whether you live here, work here, or just love to visit, your voice matters!

Let’s work together to protect our marsh and make a difference—one response at a time!

SC’s most popular saltwater sport fish ‘being loved to death.’ New limits coming?

Our estuary is being saturated with unnecessary plastics too.

POLL: Beaufort becomes first city in SC to ban balloon releases Beaufort has become the first city in South Carolina to ban balloon releases.

We need this to protect our salt marshes too!

A long-awaited wetlands ordinance will establish a minimum 35-foot “undisturbed” buffer between wetlands, water bodies and development. That increases to 50 feet when the wetlands are adjacent to a river or tributary and 100 feet when the wetlands adjoin a conservation area, such as a state park or wildlife refuge.

Read the rest about the Georgetown County Planning Commission’s draft ordinance at https://coastalobserver.com/county-drafts-plan-to-protect-wetlands/.

🐋 🚨 The first baby North Atlantic right whale calf of the season has been spotted! 💙

Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute's aerial survey team located Champagne (catalog #3904) and her calf east of Atlantic Beach, South Carolina on November 28, 2025. This is the first aerial sighting of a mom and calf right whale pair in the Southeast US for the 2025-2026 season. Champagne is 17 years old and this is her 2nd documented calf. Her first calf, named Wall-E, was born in 2021.

According to the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog, curated by the New England Aquarium, Champagne was born in 2009 to mother Spindle ( #1204). Spindle, is the most prolific right whale in the known population, given birth to 10 calves, and counting!

North Atlantic right whales are one of the most critically endangered species with an estimated population of 384 whales remaining. These large baleen whales migrate annually between their feeding grounds off the coast of Canada and New England and their calving grounds off the Southeast coast from the Carolinas to Florida in the winter. They are threatened by vessel strikes and entanglements with commercial fishing gear, but they have seen a small upward trend in population estimates in recent years thanks to conservation efforts and protections for these endangered animals. Only 11 calves were born last season but as many as 20 have been born in other recent years.

Photo Credit: Clearwater Marine Aquarium Research Institute, taken under NOAA permit #26919. Funded by the United States Army Corps of Engineers.