Chimney Sweep in Folly Beach, SC

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCSC) - Early-morning heavy rainfall on Saturday on Folly Beach caused flooding and road closures.

“It was really coming down this morning. We were on the way to surf this morning and they canceled our surf class and the yoga sessions we were going to go to,” Kieran O’Riley said.

“Me and my brother woke up early this morning to go surf and we walked downstairs and, on the bottom, where we keep our surfboards, they’re floating in the water,” Walk Jackson said.

Residential streets between Eighth and Third Streets were closed due to the flooding.

“There’s all this massive water in front of these homes where people can’t even get into their driveways, can’t get up to their stairs. It’s been two to three feet in areas,” Shea Cannon said.

Center Street between Ashley and Arctic Avenues also experienced heavy flooding and the intersection was closed this morning, but is now reopened.

“We ended up walking through mid-calf-length water to get to Rita’s.” Laura Lagrone said.

The Sand Dollar Social Club, a Folly Beach restaurant, was fully flooded and had to postpone opening.

“It was all the way up to here, probably up to my waist. People were walking in it knee-deep.” Dondre Williams said.

Sand Dollar says despite the flooding, the city is moving toward fixing the drainage system and flood risk in the area.

“I’m tired of walking with my surfboard a mile and a half to get to the spot. So hopefully the drainage on the roads is a little better.” Walker Jackson said.

The city of Folly Beach has now started the Folly Beach Center Street Stormwater Improvement Project.

The goal is to improve drainage and reduce current flooding in the area, as well as increase the capacity of the stormwater system.

“Hopefully, Charleston and Folly Beach can all come together and work on solutions to the flooding,” O’Riley said.

CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - As Labor Day weekend approaches, many are making plans to enjoy the water, but experts are urging caution, as swimming may not be safe in some areas.

Charleston Waterkeeper is a Lowcountry nonprofit that’s monitored bacteria levels in area waterways for 12 years. It says it is not recommended to swim in popular spots like Shem Creek, James Island Creek, or even some stretches of Folly Beach because of the elevated levels of harmful bacteria.

Last weekend, parts of the Lowcountry saw more than 10 inches of rain in just 48 hours. The First Alert Weather team reported that Downtown Charleston recorded 10.21 inches in two days. Mount Pleasant saw even more with over a foot of rain, while James and Johns Islands saw close to a foot. The average rainfall for the entire month of August in these areas is just under 7 inches.

That heavy rain led to widespread flooding, with the high water closing many roads Friday and Saturday. However, the concern does not stop once the water recedes.

Cheryl Carmack Smith, program director at Charleston Waterkeeper, said storms like these wash pollutants into local waterways, including bacteria that can pose a health risk.

“Oh man, it’s not good,” Smith said. “When we get that much rain, we definitely see a huge impact on our waterways. Rainwater brings polluted stormwater into our waterways and that carries all sorts of pollutants into it, including bacteria that can be harmful to your health. So, we are expecting to see elevated levels this week after the huge storms this past weekend.”

Even before the recent rainfall, Charleston Waterkeeper reported that more than half of the 20 sites it tested already had dangerously high bacteria levels. Smith said she expects this week’s test results to show even more contamination.

Smith said one of the major examples of these contaminated waterways is Filbin Creek.

“Filbin Creek has had elevated levels of bacteria for as long as we’ve been monitoring it… We’ve even had our volunteers have reactions to the water just from grabbing water samples out of it,” she said.

While swimming at these sites is still technically allowed, Smith stressed the importance of understanding the risks. Bacteria can enter the body through the eyes, nose, ears or open wounds and can lead to rashes or more serious infections. Children, seniors and those with weakened immune systems are especially vulnerable.

“We don’t want to alarm you, but we want you to have the information at your fingertips so you can make an informed choice,” Smith said.

To find out which waterways are safest this weekend, visit or check the Swim Guide app.

When you are walking along the beach, you may see some signs saying, “please, keep off dunes.” These dunes are a key to protecting coastal communities from disastrous flooding. (WCIV)

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCIV) — When you are walking along the beach, you may see some signs saying, “please, keep off dunes.” These dunes are a key to protecting coastal communities from disastrous flooding.

Dunes act as a natural buffer against storms and erosion, absorbing wave energy and reducing flooding. As a community, it's important to help keeping these barriers healthy, especially after weather events, to prevent any damages.

The City of Folly Beach is doing just that, working with Elko Coastal Consulting to protect the dunes so they in turn can protect us.

“If a hurricane is approaching Folly, we want all of that wave energy and surge breaking on the sandbar and out on the beach base not up on our infrastructure,” Nicole Elko, the President of Elko Coastal Consulting, explained.

"The dunes are giving us the elevation needed to hold off the hurricane surge, almost like a natural seawall to protect the community," she continued.

After storms, these barriers can be weakened and cause future damage to inland communities, which is why the City of Folly Beach has a proactive plan.

"Over the course of about 2015 to 2018, we had a lot of hurricanes just hitting us back to back in the Lowcountry and that resulted in a lot of dune erosion here on Folly Beach," Elko said.

The city then made it a priority to restore and manage the dunes.

“That prompted the initial Dune Management Plan in 2018," she continued. "We were looking at things like how to increase the elevation for improved storm protection and how to benefit the ecosystem for turtle nesting and other environmental factors.”

Especially with Hurricane Erin offshore of the east coast, that coastal impact stays top of mind. "We are preparing for them out here on the beachfront," Elko said.

“We are expecting about four feet of storm surge on top of our usual high tide this evening and tomorrow evening in particular," she continued. "So, we'll be looking for impacts to the dunes.”

Elko said the dunes are in really good condition, and the community can help keep them that way.

"The community can help by obeying the regulations, staying off the dunes," she said. " It doesn't take much foot traffic to create a little indentation in the dune, and that's where the storm surge will really take hold, and it will get funneled into the community.”

Their plans continue to help the dunes to increase in elevation naturally through improving access, raising walkovers to go over the dunes instead of through them, planting vegetation, and adding sand fencing. "We have a project right now getting ready to start at the Washout to install fencing and vegetation after Hurricane Erin," Elko added.

A photo ofFolly Beach as the waves rise from Hurricane Erin offshore. Aug.18, 2025. (WCIV)

FOLLY BEACH, S.C. (WCIV) — Though Charleston won't see the direct impact from Hurricane Erin, the waters off the coast aren't smooth sailing.

At Folly Beach, people enjoyed the sunny Monday. But the waters may turn a bit more aggressive by Tuesday, with the major Hurricane Erin forecasted to turn north, passing between the Outer Banks and Bermuda.

“I just want to mention to everybody, as we go through this entire week, beach hazards are going to be a problem," said Brian Haines, the National Weather Service Charleston’s meteorologist in charge.

Hazards include high surf and rip currents, coastal flooding, and beach erosion. And with this strong storm, the ocean can be a dangerous place – even over 500 miles away.

“When we talk about these bigger waves, it makes disorientation really easy," Haines said. "Swimming gets exponentially harder, and then as rip currents form along the coast, it becomes that much stronger because that wave energy is that much larger with this system.”

Rip currents can make the ocean a dangerous place, even for advanced swimmers.

“These are going to be really dangerous days just because we are not normally used to that here," Haines said. "And when you hop into that water, I think if you're not ready, it might catch you off guard. We definitely don't want that. We want people to stay safe this week.”

Experienced surfers in the area acknowledge the risk. The water conditions will remain top of mind if they choose to go out and hunt the waves.

Surfer Chris is from California and has been surfing since he was 13 years old.

“Erin is coming in as a hurricane, and it's bringing in a tropical swell, which is good for experienced surfers," Chris said. "But if you're not experienced, then it's a little dangerous because once you get up to five to eight and even eight to 12, it is more likely than not that you could possibly drown if you're not experienced.”

They say to be prepared before coming out to surf. There is now an app, Surfline, that allows riders to check the status of the waves before heading out to sea.

"We try to assess it even before we get the boards out of the truck," said Jay, another surfer on the beach. "We literally looked at the water first to see if it was even worth it or not. But even doing that, don't go set out to surf and definitely fall under your means. Don't try to do anything crazy.”

Another tip is to never surf alone, especially in these conditions.

“We ended up surfing all the way over there, and we didn't even know it," Jay said, "so I had to walk a couple of blocks just to get back to our other boards.”

Even those who have surfed their entire lives are taking precautions if they get caught in the waves.

"So if you can find the flatter spots where they're not really breaking as hard, you can try to get in there, find some white water that's really pushing you and just paddle hard," said Luke, a surfer from Virginia Beach. "That's about it. You gotta get out.”

While Hurricane Erin challenges the waves near Charleston County, safety will remain a top priority for all near the water.

From Chincoteague's swimming ponies to Kemp's ridley sea turtle hatchlings on South Padre Island, Texas, witnessing wildlife in its natural state is an incredibly special experience. One of the most majestic creatures to glimpse in the wild are bottlenose dolphins, whose habitat touches nearly every coast of the United States, including the entirety of the Southeast.

There is nothing quite like the thrill of spotting a dorsal fin slicing through open water or watching a pod leap through the surf beside your boat. That’s what makes Folly Beach, South Carolina—just outside of Charleston—so special. It’s one of the best places in the South to see Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in the wild.

Why Folly Beach Waters Are A Dolphin Hotspot

Just 12 miles south of Charleston’s regality and refinement, Folly Beach trades cobblestone streets for sandy banks. Here, warm Atlantic currents weave through tidal rivers and salt marshes, creating a maze of shallow channels. These temperate, food-rich waters are a buffet for Atlantic bottlenose dolphins, drawing them in to chase down mullet, menhaden, and other small fish.

It’s not just the abundance of prey that keeps them here—it’s the variety of habitats. From open ocean shallows where dolphins surf the waves to quiet estuaries perfect for teaching calves to hunt, Folly offers an ideal year-round playground.

Strand Feeding: An Epic Dolphin-Spotting Experience

You don’t just have to scan the surf for a fleeting fin at Folly Beach. Here, the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins pulls off one of the most cinematic hunting moves in the animal kingdom: strand feeding. In a split second, they burst out of the water and onto the shore, momentarily beaching their bodies to trap fish against the sand before wriggling back into the waves with their catch.

It’s a blink-and-you'll-miss-it maneuver, seen in only a handful of places on earth. No David Attenborough documentary can prepare you for the thrill of witnessing the scene in person—but you’ll want your phone handy (for bragging rights and posterity) when it happens.

The Best Ways To See Dolphins At Folly Beach

Folly Beach’s waters are so rich with dolphin activity that there are multiple ways to get up close—always at a safe, respectful distance—to these incredible creatures

Dolphin Boat Tours: Guided boat trips run daily from March through November and cost about $40–$55 per person. They offer the best chance to spot Folly Beach’s resident Atlantic bottlenose dolphins—especially during peak strand feeding season from July to September. Operators like Flipper Finders run morning, afternoon, and sunset tours that explore tidal creeks, salt marshes, and open waterways, often stopping at historic Morris Island to hunt for seashells, fossils, and sand dollars.

Kayak or Paddleboard Tours: Adventurous travelers can swap the boat deck for a kayak or paddleboard and explore the quiet creeks and salt marshes behind Folly Beach, where calm waters make dolphin sightings more likely. Guided by local operators like Charleston SUP Safaris and Carolina Salt, these two-hour tours include gear, basic instruction, and the chance to see wildlife, starting around $55 per person. They’re beginner-friendly but still offer a thrill—especially if a curious dolphin surfaces nearby.

When To See Dolphins At Folly Beach

While the dolphins here are year-round residents, your best odds of seeing them—and especially of catching strand feeding—are from July through September. Early mornings and late afternoons tend to have calmer waters and less boat traffic, making for better viewing conditions. Weather and tides play a role, too; strand feeding is most often seen during low to mid-tide, when the shallows make hunting easier.

Make The Most Of Your Trip

You don’t need much for this adventure—just the basics for a day on the water: sunscreen, a hat, and sunglasses. A pair of binoculars can make dolphin spotting even more fun, and a good camera will help you capture those once-in-a-lifetime moments.

After your tour, linger at Folly Beach—shelling, sunning, or catching a few waves—or head back to Charleston to savor Lowcountry classics reimagined at world-class restaurants, stroll past storied mansions, and soak in the city’s rich history.