1300 Hospital Dr #220
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
Mount Pleasant, SC 29464
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Struggling with Knee or Shoulder Pain that won't improve?
From serious sports injuries causing tissue damage to bone issues and stiffness that comes with age, living with pain is, well, a pain. But it's more than that - it's a stressful, often upsetting way to get through your day, month, and year. Have you ever tried to get out of bed with sore, stiff knees? Most folks would rather just get back in bed. Think you might try exercising with plantar fasciitis? Don't plan on running far or doing cardio for very long. Torn rotator cuff? Without proper treatment, your life might not ever be the same.
Living with pain and the inevitable issues that come with age can seriously affect your wellbeing and happiness. Sure, you could wake up every morning and rely on addicting medications to help you move. Or, you could risk further injury and damage with invasive surgeries that require long periods of recovery and downtime. But those can't be the only two options for treatment, can they?
Fortunately, a new, natural, non-invasive treatment for pain is revolutionizing the medical industry and transforming people's lives. It's giving athletes, average folks, and people of a certain age a reason to be hopeful. It's called Softwave therapy, and unlike many fly-by-night medications and sketchy treatments, it's backed by science and provided by Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine.
If you're barely making it through the day suffering from chronic pain, this FDA-approved drug-free treatment may be for you. Softwave therapy has already been used by thousands of people around the country living with issues like shoulder pain, knee pain, and plantar fasciitis. You could be next.
Though its popularity has only grown in recent years, Softwave therapy - also known as shockwave therapy - has been around for years. In fact, the first systematic study into the benefits of shockwave therapy took place way back in 1950. So, what is Softwave therapy?
Softwave therapy is a method of treatment that works incredibly well for mobility rehab, pain relief, and full-body recovery, usually from chronic pain or injuries. Softwave therapy uses a device emitting low-energy soundwaves that target a patient's injured area. These low-intensity waves boost blood flow and kickstart your body's natural healing processes, relieving long-term pain and helping your body to heal a wide range of injuries and conditions.
The main targets in the body include bones, tendons, and other soft tissues, which are encouraged to regenerate and repair via the shockwaves. Often, shockwave therapy is used in conjunction with other non-invasive treatments like chiropractic care, which we offer at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. The results are often incredible, leaving patients wondering why they never tried Softwave therapy before.
Softwave therapy works especially well for:
Better Blood Flow
Collagen Stimulation
Reducing Inflammation
Kickstarting cell growth and healing factors
Breaking down build-ups of calcium
With FDA clearance, little-to-no side effects, and quick application time, Softwave therapy is a welcome alternative for people suffering from pain. Who wants to spend weeks or months recovering from a surgery that might not even work? Likewise, who would want to become dependent on over-the-counter or, even worse, prescription pain meds? Living a life of addiction is a road nobody wants to go down.
Softwave therapy represents a revolution in non-invasive pain treatment; best of all, it's highly effective. Independent studies prove that shockwave therapy helps with pain. 65-91% of patients using shockwave therapy experienced real-deal improvements in damaged muscle and bone tissue, solving their mobility problems and drastically reducing pain. It almost sounds too good to be true, but as many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine will tell you - it isn't.
Book AppointmentSome of the most common conditions that Softwave therapy treats include:
When you get up in the morning and go to the bathroom to brush your teeth, do you notice a stabbing, sharp pain near your heel? Does the pain go away once you have a chance to walk around? If so, you could have plantar fasciitis. According to the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, this painful condition is quite common. About two million people suffer from plantar fasciitis every year, and almost 10% of all people will experience the condition at least once in their life.
This common foot issue happens when the plantar fascia - a fan-shaped tissue near your heel - gets inflamed. The plantar fascia is a thick strip of connective tissue that links your toes to your heel bone, helping to preserve the arch of your foot. When this band is strained, it causes intensely sharp pain, usually in the morning when you wake up and plant your feet on the floor.
Most folks ignore plantar fasciitis because the pain eventually goes away throughout the day. However, if left untreated, plantar fasciitis can lead to weakness and chronic pain, which may affect daily walking.
Some causes of plantar fasciitis include:
The short answer to this question is not really. Patients with plantar fasciitis will ice the affected area with little-to-no relief since they spend so much time on their feet. It's hard to rest an achy heel if you've got a job that requires you to be on your feet. Anti-inflammatory meds like Advil don't work all that well, either. They may provide temporary pain relief, but in terms of a long-term solution, taking these drugs will cause major side effects.
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When more conservative treatment options like ice and over-the-counter meds don't work, most doctors turn to ultra-expensive orthotics, steroid injections, or invasive surgery. For the average person, those options fail on all fronts, as they carry risks for side effects and may even cause the issue to worsen.
Instead of going under the knife or changing their daily routines, many people suffering from plantar fasciitis are turning to Softwave therapy for relief.
During a shockwave therapy session, our expert providers use a special probe to deliver pressure waves to inflamed tissue. These waves trigger natural healing processes causing new blood vessels to form. In turn, oxygen is supplied to the affected area, reducing inflammation and causing healthy cells to regenerate. Shockwave therapy also produces collagen, which is crucial for connective tissue health.
With just a few visits, many patients find long-term relief from plantar fasciitis without relying on strange drugs or harmful surgeries.
Living with knee pain is just miserable. From knee tendonitis to osteoarthritis, knee pain can prevent you from enjoying activities and affect your day-to-day life. Your knee is a joint comprised of cartilage, bone, ligaments, and fluids. Tendons and muscles within the knee help the joint move. When one of these crucial knee structures is hurt or compromised, it results in knee pain and long-lasting knee problems. This, in turn, leads to difficulty walking at best and debilitating knee issues at worse.
If you're an active person or somebody who plays sports often, you're probably all too familiar with knee pain - especially common conditions like patellar tendinopathy. Also called "jumpers knee," this issue happens at the patellar tendon, which is found on the front of the knee just under the knee cap. When living with this condition, most patients experience pain around the kneecap or lower down on the leg around the tibia.
In addition to injuries and issues like jumper's knee, everyday wear and tear will cause knee pain over time. With time, this knee pain can develop into arthritis. If your knees are swollen, painful, or stiff, you may have arthritis in your knees. Regardless of the kind of knee pain you're experiencing, treatment options have been limited to agonizing surgeries and addicting pain medications. But that all changes with shockwave therapy for knee pain in Pawley's Island, SC.
Though no two knee pain problems are exactly the same, shockwave therapy has been shown to be highly effective for knee pain. In fact, many patients at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine find relief after just one session. Many times, sessions can be completed in as little as 30 minutes. So if you want to find relief for knee pain on your lunch break, that's definitely possible.
As is the case with plantar fasciitis, Softwave therapy works by sending sound wave and low-energy impulses to the affected area of your knee. These pulses stimulate your body's healing factors, which can help regenerate and repair damaged tendons and tissues. Softwave therapy for knee pain is especially promising for people who have tried other treatments - like surgery and pain meds - with disappointing results.
Benefits include:
Several studies and reviews prove that Softwave therapy can be very beneficial for people suffering from knee pain problems like jumper's knee. A study involving 66 patients with knee pain found that they enjoyed a significant improvement in their reported pain levels with Softwave therapy. In fact, knee pain was reduced by nearly 50% after a single month. When combined with other regenerative and physical therapy treatments at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine, your days of living with knee pain are numbered.
Book AppointmentHere's a fact for you to consider: Every joint that you have in your body plays a part in your day-to-day life. But when we think of joint issues, we typically jump to knee issues. However, your knees aren't the only joints in your body to go through wear and tear. Your shoulders experience just as much, if not more, wear and tear than your knees. We put a strain on our shoulders just about every time we use or move our arms. Our shoulders play a pivotal part in living a normal life. When they begin to deteriorate over time due to age or overuse, it creates a litany of painful problems.
There are many causes of shoulder pain, like deterioration, inflammation, and trauma. Of the many painful shoulder conditions affecting Americans yearly, rotator cuff tendonitis and arthritis are very common. Also called calcific tendinitis, rotator cuff pain is caused by built-up calcium deposits on the shoulder's tendons, which connect your rotator cuff to nearby muscles and bones. This painful condition is usually linked to sports, like basketball and volleyball, or in professions requiring repetitive movements, like in the plumbing industry.
Some common symptoms of shoulder pain and rotator cuff tendinitis include:
Though strengthening exercises and some medications provide temporary relief for shoulder pain, they're not meant as long-term solutions. Luckily, Softwave therapy for rotator cuff pain in Pawley's Island, SC, can help.
Shockwave therapy has been shown to work wonders for shoulder pain. Low-intensity shockwaves break up calcium deposits and jumpstart your body's healing processes, stimulating blood flow and healthy cell growth. Shockwave treatment is especially effective for long-term shoulder pain since it releases stem cells, sends growth factors to the affected area, and boosts capillary production. Shockwave therapy has also been shown to break down scar tissue and eliminate trigger points, all of which decrease shoulder pain. This relief is most often long-lasting, unlike other treatments like medications and injections.
Many studies support the efficacy of Softwave therapy for shoulder conditions like rotator cuff pain and calcific tendonitis of the shoulder. In a study of 84 patients living with long-term rotator cuff tendonitis, participants in the treatment group saw a significant decrease in the intensity of their shoulder pain. Another study related to shockwave therapy for calcific tendonitis found that 86.6% of patients experienced fewer calcifications.
If you're having to live with rotator cuff pain or another type of shoulder issue, choosing Softwave therapy may be your best course of action.
Book AppointmentWhether you're sick of living with intense heel pain from plantar fasciitis, the mobility issues associated with knee pain, or the day-to-day struggles of rotator cuff degeneration, you'll find hope at Elite Healthcare Physical Medicine. Unlike some medical clinics, our team of doctors and specialists focus on an integrative, multidisciplinary approach to healing. Instead of relying on addictive medications and invasive surgeries, we prefer to address the underlying causes that our patients face.
We combine several all-natural pain relief therapies so that your shoulder pain, knee pain, joint pain, and foot pain go away for good. We resolve pain by using healing treatments that restore function and improve mobility for the long term. Our state-of-the-art regenerative medicine treatments, used hand-in-hand with proven chiropractic techniques, will stimulate your body's healing power from within. If your pain is related to muscles, nerves, and bones, our doctors can help you overcome discomfort, injury, or medical conditions affecting these systems.
If you've been unable to resolve your pain or have become dependent on painkillers to cope, Softwave therapy may be the natural solution you need. It all starts with a quick call to our office, so we can begin to understand your needs. When you come for your first visit, our doctors will find the personalized treatment you need so that you can manage your pain in a non-invasive and drug-free environment manner.
Book AppointmentPAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE/CNN) - The owner of dog lost three years ago in the Myrtle Beach area will finally be reunited with his pet thanks to a Pawleys Island rescue group and social media.Roscoe was brought in to the All4Paws Animal Rescue on Pawley’s Island after someone found him near Highway 17 with an injured leg.Rescue spokesperson Peyton Kennedy says they typically do not take in strays, but she felt like something was different about Roscoe.“He had a chip, so I immediately called the chip company 2...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE/CNN) - The owner of dog lost three years ago in the Myrtle Beach area will finally be reunited with his pet thanks to a Pawleys Island rescue group and social media.
Roscoe was brought in to the All4Paws Animal Rescue on Pawley’s Island after someone found him near Highway 17 with an injured leg.
Rescue spokesperson Peyton Kennedy says they typically do not take in strays, but she felt like something was different about Roscoe.
“He had a chip, so I immediately called the chip company 24 Hour Pet Watch and they gave me all the info I needed,” Kennedy says. “And I called the phone number and the phone number was disconnected. So I was like oh no it’s a lost cause.”
On top of that, the address registered was in West Virginia.
As a last resort, Peyton went on social media to help find Roscoe’s home.
“In my heart, I was like, ‘You know what? I’m just going to post it to Facebook. I’m not going to put the name of the dog, the gender, nothing.’ And two hours later, someone commented, Oh my gosh, that’s Roscoe. That’s my dog missing from West Virginia.’ I was like, ‘What?’ And they were like, ‘He’s been missing for three years.’”
Rachel Day, the one who commented on the post, says Roscoe belongs to her brother, Calvin, but got lost when they were in Myrtle Beach in September of 2020.
“They were inseparable. Everywhere they went together,” Day says. “It was heartbreaking. And he just continued to continuously try and find the dog. He would call me and say can you look on this page on Facebook, can you do this, can you look for him. And I helped, but I could never find anything.”
When Kennedy contacted the chip company, it emailed Calvin to let him know his dog had been found.
In disbelief, he asked his sister to check social media to see if anyone posted about him.
“I was surprised, pleasantly surprised, to find out that he was still around,” she said. “We had talked about it and I said, ‘I’m surprised he’s alive.’”
The two are now waiting to be reunited.
“He said, ‘I never thought I was going to see him again,’” Day says.
All4Paws also treated Roscoe for his leg injury at no charge.
Copyright 2023 WPDE/CNN. All rights reserved.
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — The workshop where Thomas Williams spends countless hours sculpting one-of-a-kind pieces of art has pieces of wood laying dormant in a pile.“I let the wood speak to me and every stick I touch I’m telling you it’s prayed for. Now I ain't gonna tell you it’ll open the red sea but I can tell you all of my sticks are blessed," explained Mr. Williams.In Pawleys Island, he’s known as the ‘Stick Man’ well, because he sells sticks. Not just any sticks th...
PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — The workshop where Thomas Williams spends countless hours sculpting one-of-a-kind pieces of art has pieces of wood laying dormant in a pile.
“I let the wood speak to me and every stick I touch I’m telling you it’s prayed for. Now I ain't gonna tell you it’ll open the red sea but I can tell you all of my sticks are blessed," explained Mr. Williams.
In Pawleys Island, he’s known as the ‘Stick Man’ well, because he sells sticks. Not just any sticks though, they're custom hand-carved walking sticks made from quality wood he finds in the forest.
“You’re just like, 'oh my gosh this man is a special man' and his carvings are just so unique. It’s an old tradition the way he carves them and he hand selects each stick, there's not much of that anymore where people are making things by hand," said Michelle Volk, Owner of Carolina Nature Nook.
For the past 30 years, those driving Ocean Highway would see Mr. Williams selling his sticks on the side of the road to provide for his family of 14, so you could imagine the concern residents had when they didn’t see him for days.
“When he went missing at his stand, I went, 'gosh I have to check on him' and it turns out he was still at MUSC. I called his personal phone and he was in the burn center the day that I called," said Tom Bishop, a friend of Thomas Williams.
Williams was burning debris in his yard to keep mosquitos away, and as he added more lighter fluid to the pile, he tripped and fell sending flames up the entire right side of his body.
“I thought it wasn’t gonna go boom boom and it went boom and boom and burnt me all the way from here to down here," said Williams.
His injuries were so severe, he spent weeks in the hospital and had multiple surgeries.
All of which kept him from doing what he does best, making sticks.
“It’s killing me because I’m an active person and doing something," said Williams.
When Tom Bishop learned of the accident, he knew he had to help.
“I’m not that good with technology but my wife told me about a website called neighborhood and that’s how all of this got started. I started a GoFundMe for him," explained Bishop.
The fundraiser quickly met its goal of $6,000 but the community didn’t stop there.
Michelle Volk is the owner of the Carolina Nature Nook in the Hammock Shops Village.
When she saw the GoFundMe, she remembered an offer she made Williams years ago.
“If you ever want to leave them in our shop and people like them, we’ll sell them for you. We don’t want commission or anything, he’s a great guy and I’d be honored to have his products in my shop honestly because people know him and it helps us too," explained Volk.
Williams agreed, giving the shop 10 sticks that would quickly sell out.
“I didn’t know that much people loved me and I’m thanking god every day because let me tell you," said Williams.
It will be months before Williams can go back to work so he’s grateful for everything the Pawleys Island community has done to support him and his family.
“That’s Mr. Williams, he’s just a quality guy and I love checking up on him and I love seeing him out there. He’s part of the community, it’s part of what makes this area what it is," said Bishop.
If you'd like to purchase any of Mr. Williams' work, you can visit the Carolina Nature Nook at 10880 Ocean Hwy, Pawleys Island, SC 29585.
GEORGETOWN — Residents of a traditionally African American community near Pawleys Island are taking Georgetown County to court for the second time in three months over the county council’s approval of housing on the site of a never-developed technology park.The lawsuit surrounds approval of a development in Parkersville, west of U.S. 17 between Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island, that includes a commercial and residential mix with 90 housing units, 27 of them to be rented below market rate.In addition to the mixed ...
GEORGETOWN — Residents of a traditionally African American community near Pawleys Island are taking Georgetown County to court for the second time in three months over the county council’s approval of housing on the site of a never-developed technology park.
The lawsuit surrounds approval of a development in Parkersville, west of U.S. 17 between Litchfield Beach and Pawleys Island, that includes a commercial and residential mix with 90 housing units, 27 of them to be rented below market rate.
In addition to the mixed land use, the council voted Nov. 8 to reclassify the Petigru Drive parcel as high-density residential instead of commercial.
The lawsuit alleges the zoning change approved by the council violates state law because it does not comply with the county’s comprehensive plan. It further alleges conflicts of interest by three county councilmembers who voted in the project’s favor.
Seven Parkersville-area residents and the Parkersville Planning and Development Alliance, Keep It Green and Preserve Murrells Inlet filed the lawsuit against Georgetown County and the Alliance for Economic Development for Georgetown County.
A small, heavily tree-lined neighborhood of about two square miles, Parkersville has become the recipient of “undesirable county land use decisions, commercial encroachment, predatory development of heirs’ property, and gentrification” as the Waccamaw Neck has developed, the lawsuit argues.
The plaintiffs are asking the court to declare that planned development districts in the county, like the one preceding the Parkersville development, should revert to their original zoning if construction does not start within two years. The technology park was originally zoned for forest agriculture, according to the lawsuit.
“The common denominator is that the comprehensive plan is just that, it’s the plan that’s supposed to be followed,” said Cynthia Ranck Person, executive director and chief legal counsel of Keep It Green, a nonprofit law firm based out of Pawleys Island. “And the zoning and land use decisions are supposed to be in compliance with the comprehensive plan. And they simply aren’t.”
Georgetown County spokeswoman Jackie Broach said the county does not comment on ongoing litigation.
Maya Morant, the county’s marketing director for economic development, did not respond to a request for comment.
The Alliance for Economic Development for Georgetown County has been a nonprofit separate from the county since about 2016, Broach said, though Council Chairman Louis Morant and Councilman Raymond Newton serve on both the county council and the Alliance’s board.
The development’s parcel was purchased by the Alliance in 2016. Morant and Newton each voted in favor of the project on Nov. 8, though both denied the transaction could benefit them economically.
The lawsuit also states that now-former Councilman Steve Goggans had a conflict of interest in voting on the project, as he was the architect for the technology park that never came to fruition.
Like Morant and Newton, Goggans voted in favor of the project Nov. 8.
The lawsuit is the third filed against the county by Keep It Green since January 2022. Person and members of her firm’s advisory council have made frequent appearances in recent county meetings at which housing in Parkersville has been on the agenda.
Another of Keep It Green’s two suits also involves a housing development in Parkersville. That lawsuit, filed in October, seeks to nullify the council’s approval of site plans for two townhouse developments.
The plaintiffs in that case, seven of them Parkersville residents, seek a mandate for county zoning ordinances to conform to the county’s comprehensive plan.
The county is also facing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court over a failed 2021 rezoning request for affordable housing near Wedgefield Plantation. The plaintiffs in that case, which include the South Carolina and Georgetown County chapters of the NAACP, allege that “racism and classism” played a role in the request’s denial.
Was your New Year resolution this year to prioritize your health, promote healthier habits or include certain fitness aspects into your current lifestyle?Although the state of South Carolina has a vast variety of health-focused smoothie spots and eateries, some stood out to a certain publication.Whether you are actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle or are a fruit fanatic looking for the next best smoothie, Best Things South Carolina ranked the e...
Was your New Year resolution this year to prioritize your health, promote healthier habits or include certain fitness aspects into your current lifestyle?
Although the state of South Carolina has a vast variety of health-focused smoothie spots and eateries, some stood out to a certain publication.
Whether you are actively pursuing a healthier lifestyle or are a fruit fanatic looking for the next best smoothie, Best Things South Carolina ranked the eight ‘best spots for smoothies in South Carolina.’
Here are the eight best smoothie locations in South Carolina, according to bestthingssc.com.
Health in Hand is located in Spartanburg at 201-A Wall Street with a second location recently opened last year in the Tyger River area. Open every day of the week, this smoothie spot is locally owned and operated in the downtown Spartanburg area since 2015 and “is Spartanburg’s go-to wellness cafe, serving organic acai bowls, smoothies, healthy food, green juice and more,” according to Health in Hand’s website.
The website even offers to create juice cleanses for your chosen amount of time for anyone new to beginning a cleanse or a juice cleanse professional. There are three options for you to choose from. As for their overall menu, “the first and only plant based restaurant in town” also serves a variety of juices, smoothies, bowls and food.
TReats Smoothie & Juice Bar, now called Sunset Slush of Travelers Rest with TReats Smoothies, can be found in Travelers Rest at 305 S Main Street. This location offers a variety of healthy, fruity smoothie options for you to choose from. If smoothies aren’t your thing, Italian ice options are also available. This smoothie spot is Travelers Rest’s first and only Smoothie & Juice Bar, according to the company’s Facebook page.
Fusion Smoothie & Juice Bar was founded in Summerville. This smoothie spot offered smoothies, juices, smoothie bowls, juice shots and a limited food menu. It is now reported to have closed and there was no response for comment, but Summerville has several smoothie locations such as Planet Smoothie and Tropical smoothie, which are chain locations, for smoothie lovers to choose from as well as several locations for health teas and shakes.
For those into health teas and shakes, locations such as 843 Nutrition, Holy City Nutrition, Recharge Nutrition and Pure Nutrition are all located in Summerville.
Kuka Juice can be found in Greenville at 580 Perry Avenue. This smoothie spot is “South Carolina’s finest cold-pressed juicery,” according to their website. Kuka Juice offers cold-pressed juices and plant-based food to help support your body and maximize your health. The name “Kuka” (Kuka Juice) comes from “Kukamama,” who is the Incan goddess of health and joy.
The smoothie company uses its name to promote its stance on healthy living and that “good nutrition fuels good health, and good health fuels joy.” Kuka Juice offers several juice cleanse options, juice shots, individual juices, smoothie bowls, smoothies, food options as well as a small market within their location.
Smooth can be found on Hilton Head Island at 11 Palmetto Bay Road in Suite 107A. This smoothie spot, which is on the south end of the island, offers a variety of smoothie options to choose from, such as acai bowls, bottles, smoothies, juices and juice shots.
“Fans flock to Smooth for three reasons: First, they feature the best-tasting smoothies on the island. Second, their prices are low enough to fit every budget. And most importantly, the staff here knows all things juices and can help you get the most benefits out of every drop. No matter what your ailments, you’ll find a juice that can make you feel good,” according to bestthingssc.com.
Anything Froz can be found in Pawleys Island at 13088 Ocean Highway Unit 2. This smoothie spot has an assortment of brightly colored and healthy acai bowls, smoothies, espresso, cold brew coffee, fresh organic juice and frozen yogurt. Anything Froz is open to the public Tuesday through Saturday from 9 a.m. until 4 p.m. Diners of the smoothie spot can stay up-to-date on anything related to Anything Froz on their Facebook or Instagram pages.
Johnny’s Garden can be found in Sumter at 504 Miller Road. This smoothie location has a variety of juice options, juice shots and fresh smoothies and claims to specialize in energy foods. They are open Monday through Saturday from 7 a.m. until 6 p.m. every day other than Saturdays when they close at 4 p.m.
“This boutique juice bar was inspired by a family illness that was cured by the powers of juicing. The family now shares the benefits of juices and smoothies with others, offering them all the best ingredients that will have them banishing bad foods for good,” described bestthingssc.com about Johnny’s Garden.
Fresh Vibes Juice Bar & Cafe can be found in Rock Hill at 1675 Ebenezer Road. This location is open on weekdays and offers cold-pressed juices, hot and iced drinks, pure juices, smoothie blends, meatless sandwich wraps and salads. They offer several vegan options including burgers, cheeses and more as well as healthy smoothies and drinks to choose from.
After hours of standing in the breaking surf, the end of Pawleys Pier settled with a shrug into the waves. Like a tired swimmer, it floated away. It was just after 1 p.m.The tattered American flag still snapped above the gazebo that had shaded generations of anglers.Howard Bond captured the scene on video. He was standing in the stairwell outside a friend’s condo at Pawleys Pier Village as Hurricane Ian struck last week.“I just happened to look up,” he said. “The waves were cresting against the bo...
After hours of standing in the breaking surf, the end of Pawleys Pier settled with a shrug into the waves. Like a tired swimmer, it floated away. It was just after 1 p.m.
The tattered American flag still snapped above the gazebo that had shaded generations of anglers.
Howard Bond captured the scene on video. He was standing in the stairwell outside a friend’s condo at Pawleys Pier Village as Hurricane Ian struck last week.
“I just happened to look up,” he said. “The waves were cresting against the bottom of the pier. It was getting hammered.”
Free of its pilings, the deck followed the contour of the ocean, “almost like a Mexican wave,” Bond said.
The 820-foot pier is now half its original length, said Ted Levering, the president of the homeowners association at Pawleys Pier Village.
“We’re all terribly sad,” he said. “To look out and see half a pier, it’s very depressing.”
As property owners clean up after the Category 1 storm that made landfall over North Island at the southern tip of the Waccamaw Neck, the pier will stand as a reminder of the storm surge that not only battered the beachfront, but filled the creeks and flooded homes from DeBordieu to Garden City.
The Pawleys Pier Village property owners are now at work on plans to rebuild. The structure was insured for $5.5 million. An insurance adjuster was scheduled to inspect it today.
The damaged pier provided the backdrop for a visit by Gov. Henry McMaster the day after the storm.
The pier was the third to jut from the beach at the north end of Pawleys Island. The first was opened in July 1954. It was destroyed by Hurricane Hazel three months later. The second pier was destroyed by Hurricane Hugo in September 1989.
Fran Oxner, whose family has owned a house south of the pier for generations, looked over the wreckage from Ian on Friday afternoon with a sense of déja vu.
The broken pilings, once 60 feet long, had taken out nearby walkways. After Hugo, they had destroyed houses, she recalled.
Eddie Wilder had watched the surf pound the pier through the midday high tide. He estimated the waves were over 20 feet high. They broke over the end of the pier, he said.
When his wife, Renee, told him that a dock was floating past their house, Wilder realized it was actually the pier.
Bond watched until the portion with the gazebo and flag pole capsized. He has a house on the southern tip of the island.
“There were big sections floating in front of our house Sunday,” he said.
Pilings washed up south of the public parking lot. Other sections remain in the surf zone. The town of Pawleys Island will have to remove the storm debris the beach, said Mayor Brian Henry. It’s unclear who is responsible from removing debris from the ocean, he said.
“That’s navigable water,” he said.
The Pawleys Pier Village association will have the remaining structure evaluated for safety, Levering said. It may remove some damaged wood from the end to prevent further damage from winter storms.
The evaluation will determine if the entire pier needs to be rebuilt, he added.
Since the pier was rebuilt in 1990, pilings and timbers have been replaced periodically. Cape Romain Contractors, which built the pier, has already been out to talk with the association about their options.
“We want the pier back. That’s the main thing,” Levering said.
Georgetown County Board of Education: First and third Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Beck Education Center. For details, go to gcsd.k12.sc.us. Georgetown County Council: Second and fourth Tuesdays, 5:30 p.m., Council Chambers, 129 Screven St., Georgetown. For details, go to georgetowncountysc.org. Pawleys Island Town Council: Second Mondays, 5 p.m. Town Hall, 323 Myrtle Ave. For details, go to townofpawleysisland.com. , .
(843) 936-6238