North Myrtle Beach Online.com - Your Online Connection to North Myrtle Beach

Harley week traffic down

Wed, 16 May 2012 16:40:04 -0500

May 15, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC - Sometimes it rains on your parade. And that is just what happened with this year’s Bike Week. When it rains at the start of the event, the impacts ripples through the rest of the week as Scott McElroy explained. “Bikers are mobile. If they don’t like the weather, they won’t wait it out. They pack up and leave. It’s been tough for business.”

McElroy knows of what he speaks. He’s worked for Harley for twenty-two years at the Surfside dealership.

He went on to say that the bikers came from all over – Rhode Island, Michigan, Ohio – but the rain is really causing a problem.

Larry Gastrich and his wife stopped at the BP station to get some gas and get out of the rain. They were from Cincinnati, Ohio and admitted to being first-timers to North Myrtle Beach. They came here at the invitation of his brother-in-law who offered his condo for their stay.

This was a slow day for the Gastriches. A damp trip to check out Murrell’s Inlet then back to North Myrtle Beach where they got rained out at the Harley dealership. A quick purchase of 50% off rain gear and they were on their way.

The Gastriches are not novice bikers. Gastrich said, “Last year we went to Sturgis and stayed in the badlands, toured Devil’s Tower, saw Mount Rushmore and, of course, went though the badlands each day. On that trip we were averaging 350 miles per day.”

Bonnie McBride and Ronald Lewis were visiting from Richmond VA and were here especially for bike week. Lewis is a long time visitor – eighteen years so he had a perspective he was anxious to share. “Bike week used to be so much larger but with what that Mayor in Myrtle Beach did, it is really down. We stay in Surfside – won’t stay in Myrtle.”

And showing his rebellious streak, Lewis said, “I wear my helmet everywhere I ride, except in Myrtle.”

The rain wasn’t going to drive them off. McBride said, “A little rain can’t keep a good biker down. We came in on Saturday and will stay through Saturday.

How likely are shark attacks in North Myrtle Beach

Tue, 15 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Jim Hulen, North Myrtle Beach Online.com

May 14, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – Every year, we update this article and provide the reader new information about this topic. The net is that someone is more likely to be struck by lightning (if you are in a lightning prone area) or bitten by an alligator (if you are around where they live) than bitten by a shark. The United States Lifeguard Association says the odds of a shark attack is 1 in 11.5 million and a fatality due to one is one in 264 million.- Editor

He is the expert, the go-to guy when it comes to shark attacks. George H. Burgess is the Coordinator of Museum Operations and Director of the Florida Program for Shark Research. Many things happen when lots of people interact with the creatures that live in our ocean waters. Some of them bite, and they are not all sharks; some of them sting. Describe the wound or send a picture to Burgess and he will determine whether it was a shark bite or something else.

Several times last year, Burgess was called upon to assess wounds incurred on SC beaches that were initially attributed to sharks. Only two incidences did Burgess call as shark bites. Both occurred in the Myrtle Beach/North Myrtle Beach area. One incident occurred near a fishing pier, which should always be avoided. Lots of fish guts and parts are thrown into the water from piers providing an attraction for sharks. The other occurred in pounding surf where a shark may have mistake the movements of humans for those of food fish.

Consolidating information about shark attacks was a project initiated by the U.S. Navy in 1958 as part of an effort to develop shark repellent. Currently, the data is maintained and updated by the Florida Museum of Natural History and consists of over 4,000 attack investigations over the 340 year period from 1670 to 2010. Growing population and recreational preferences for beach vacations have increased the number of shark attacks but the incidence of attacks per capita has basically stayed the same rare occurrence over decades.

According to the Florida Museum of Natural History data, half of the nation’s shark attacks occur in the state of Florida while the occurrence of South Carolina shark attacks are less than ten percent of that state’s.

Around thirty four shark attacks occurred in the last 12 years in South Carolina – none of which were fatal. Media reports tended to exaggerate minor incidences. For example, last year, headlines screamed that a shark had attacked a ten year old in Myrtle Beach. However, emergency workers described the boy as having a number of "small puncture wounds" to his calf and medical officials at the local hospital described the injury as a “small bite.”

The most recent fatal shark attacked recorded in South Carolina was in the far distant past – 1882. A shark killed Charles Chambers while he wading ashore from a capsized vessel in Mount Pleasant, South Carolina.

The National Shark Research Consortium identifies several factors that contribute to the rate of shark attacks including beach topography, wave action, and density of food sources.

Researchers find that most attacks occur in near shore waters, typically inshore of a sandbar or between sandbars where sharks feed and can become trapped at low tide. Rivers or streams entering the Atlantic Ocean create sandbars. As the nearest rivers are 50 miles or more north or south of the city, sandbars are rare near the North Myrtle Beach shoreline.
There is, however, one exception explained further in the article by a local public safety officer. Areas with steep drop offs are also likely attack sites. Sharks congregate there because their natural food items also congregate in these areas.

The high-energy waves of the Atlantic in Florida hurl smaller fish that sharks feed upon are not present in North Myrtle Beach. Oceanologists attribute the mild wave action to the long slopping ocean bottom that is only 12 foot deep a quarter of mile from the shoreline and, then, only drops to 30 feet 30 miles out.

Dense food sources also are not prevalent near North Myrtle Beach. The continental shelf, a rich source of food fish for sharks, is 50 miles out into the Atlantic Ocean from North Myrtle Beach unlike the east Florida Coast where it is sometimes within a mile of the shoreline.
Dr. Daniel C. Abel, Assistant Professor, Marine Science at Coastal Carolina also added some additional factors that make shark attacks in this area less likely than in Florida – water temperature, population concentrations and migratory habits.

“The Carolina coasts house the lesser aggressive sharks like the sandbar and bonnethead sharks. While it is true that the more aggressive Tiger and Bull sharks migrate into this area, their population density is higher in Florida than in the Coastal Carolinas.”
Dr. Abel is a marine biologist. His research focuses on understanding the ecology of sharks and rays along the S.C. coast.

Sharks migratory patterns are to move from cold water to warm water. In the western Atlantic, bull sharks migrate north along the coast of the U.S. during summer, swimming as far north as Massachusetts, and then return to tropical climates when the coastal waters cool. Tiger sharks also undergo similar seasonal migrations.

According to NOAA, this area has seven months with ocean water temperatures under 70 degrees Fahrenheit, while Miami, Florida maintains an ocean water temperature above that year round. This results in less time for sharks to be in our waters and more time required for sharks to return to our area from warmer waters.

Seventeen year veteran, North Myrtle Beach Public Safety Beach Officer, David Capps said, “I can remember a few incidences that made the news.”
He described two of them.

“A surfer was in the water floating on his board, when a small eighteen inch shark clamped on his toe. He killed it and got his picture holding the shark in the North Myrtle Beach Times.”

The second incidence he described was really caused by foolish behavior on several people’s part.

Officer Capps continued, “A tiger shark was feeding on a school of bait fish in waist-deep water – creating a commotion. People actually waded out to get their picture taken petting the shark! The shark got confused and nipped people while trying to feed on the bait fish.”
Officer Capps cautioned, “There is one point where sharks congregate. Where drop-offs occur, bait fish congregate and so do sharks. A drop-off occurs where the Cherry Grove marsh enters the Atlantic at Hog inlet. At low tide, not knowing about the drop off, people are tempted to walk across the inlet to Watie’s Island. At low tide the drop is about 19 feet.”

So relax, understand shark behavior, where they congregate and, definitely, don’t pet them.

As Dr. Abel said, “The risks we all take on a daily basis makes the risk of a shark attack insignificant.”

If you are still concerned about shark attacks, choose to vacation in North Myrtle Beach instead of Florida.

USBA Hosts Sneaker/Shoe Drive

Sun, 13 May 2012 10:27:50 -0500

May 13, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC-The United States Basketball Association (USBA), North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce, North Myrtle Beach Parks and Recreation Department and North Strand Helping Hand are partnering to collect gently used sneakers and shoes. The program was initiated by the USBA to give back to the North Myrtle Beach community for their warm hospitality extended during the three-week long event championship event USBA hold from June 26 through July 21.

North Strand Helping Hand, a United Way of Horry County agency, will oversee the distribution of the shoes to members of the community who are in need.

“We are thrilled to have this opportunity to partner with the USBA and the other local agencies to collect gently used sneakers and shoes for our neighbors in need,” said Margaret Owens, executive director of North Strand Helping Hand.

The USBA will donate gently used sneakers and shoes collected during its regional and state tournaments prior to coming to North Myrtle Beach. The North Myrtle Beach community is also encouraged to clean out their closets and donate any unneeded or unloved sneakers and shoes, both children and adults, to this worthy cause at the following drop off locations -- The North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce office at 1521 Highway 17 South, Tropicasual Furniture at 3610 Highway 17 South and Anderson Brothers Bank at 1799 Highway 17. The sneakers and shoes can be dropped off during the businesses’ hours any time between May 14 and June 15.

The shoes will be distributed at the J. Bryan Floyd Community Center on Possum Trot Road in North Myrtle Beach on one day each of the three weeks during the United States Basketball Association National Championships in June and July. North Strand Helping Hand will set the criteria for eligibility for receiving shoes and they will distribute them by appointment only.

NSHH is a United Way agency and is funded by 10 North Strand area churches. For more information about NSHH or this event, please call 843-399-0862 or the North Myrtle Beach Chamber of Commerce at 843-281-2662.

The United States Basketball Association (USBA) will hold a series of events in North Myrtle Beach this year. The Boys and Girls Shore Court Shootout will be held May 25 through May 27 and the USBA South Carolina Boys and Girls Championships will be held June 1 – 3rd. USBA National Championships will return to North Myrtle Beach June 26-30 for Girls, Grades 3-12; July 9-14 for Boys, Grades 8-12; Boys, Grades 3, July 18-21 and Boys, Grades 4-7 July 16-21.

An economic analysis conducted by Coastal Carolina University showed that the three-week USBA National Championship events brought in over 250 teams, their coaches, support people and families and generated around $6 million in economic benefit for the area

Seventh Annual Mayfest draws crowds

Sat, 12 May 2012 18:26:31 -0500

May 13, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – Along Main Street in North Myrtle Beach, a mild 75 degrees and a light breeze made cruising between the vendor stands and the two concert stages at each end very pleasant. Although Mayfest takes place at the start of the bike season, this is clearly a family event featuring bargain shopping, mouthwatering eats, festive music, community groups looking for members, political candidates looking for votes and kiddie attractions.

This year the festival is the day before Mother’s Day. Families were here from out of town to show Mom a good time. They came to the festival partly to shop for her special gift. The arts and craft vendors were the place to find one-of-a-kind gift for Mom that won’t be in the local department store, including unusual jewelry, glasswork, clothing, hand thrown pottery, artwork, cards, purses and woodwork.

One of the best examples of a one-of-a-kind gift for Mom that we found was at the IYQ booth. Arlene Cyrus is retired Air Force and recently decided to develop jewelry and other accessories around a phrase her daughter used to say at age two: “ Mommy I like you” or “I Y Q.”

You can’t help to smile when she explains which is also why her business slogan is “fun things to make friends smile.” It’s a family affair with husband Bill making the scarves on a handmade loom. She hand makes the greeting cards and designs the jewelry.

“This is our first major festive and business is really wonderful,” said Cyrus. “Mother’s Day is absolutely, absolutely helping out, because we all like our Moms. Plus we are having a Mother’s Day special on ribbons, scarves and jewelry, buy any one and we’ll give $5 off.” For more information visit IYQ online.

Ann Polston and her husband have been doing festivals for the past five years. Polston said, “North Myrtle Beach really knows how to bring in a crowd. We do three of their festivals each year – this one, the Irish-Italian Festival and the Saint Patrick’s Day. We do not have a store we do festivals and shows and have an online store. Mayfest is a very successful event for us although it seems a little down this year.”

Polston’s booth featured a wide array of unusual wine caddies.For more information on her unique products go online.

The main street restaurants and shops were open for business and we took a few minutes to drop into a couple to see what they had to say about Mayfest.

Locals will recognize the name – Bryan Stenger. Stenger works at the International Café and his call was that Mayfest was good for everyone. Locals and tourists enjoyed the music, arts and crafts and the vendors enjoyed the large crowds and the city got more tax money. Asked to assess the impact on business at the café, Stenger said, “Sales are going to run 150 to 200 percent over a typical May Saturday. Mayfest is good for us.”

Our next call was at Beach Memories and there we talked to Jean Bunting. Bunting has been with Beach Memories for six years and has seen the impact on the business almost from the first Mayfest. Bunting said, “I would guess that Mayfest revenues are two and a half times other Saturdays with the gain being evenly split between tourists and locals. Locals come to hear the music and to shop.”

Annette Doody from Dallas, Texas was in visiting for a week with friends from Canada that stay here for three or four months. “Mayfest helped us decide on the timing. Our friends told us what a great event is was so that is how we set our plans.

Locals Tyron and Suvette McCray with Marcus and Maria in the strollers were first time Mayfest festival-goers. They live in Myrtle Beach. Tyron McCray said, “We decided to come after seeing it advertised. I am a Coastal RTA bus driver and saw signs everywhere. We thought it would be fun for us and the kids.”

The City of North Myrtle Beach budgeted around $90,000 for Mayfest 2012. Did taxpayers get their monies worth? A small sampling of locals, tourists, vendors and main street vendors say yes. The festival is a good thing for all.

City changes waste collection schedule

Sat, 12 May 2012 10:41:44 -0500

May 12, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – For the City, PIO Patrick Dowling announced that beginning June 4, the City of North Myrtle Beach will implement substantial changes to its residential solid waste collection program for all customers.

Customers will receive curbside collection service for all materials – household trash, recycling and yard waste – on the same day each week. Also, the day of service will be based on customer location within one of four
new collection routes. All customers will experience a change in their service day.

The new collection routes— Beachfront, North, Central, and South— were developed to improve customer service to residents and visitors, and to minimize the City’s cost for fuel, equipment and labor.

 The Beachfront Route will be serviced on Monday for trash, recycling and yard waste. Seasonally, this route will also be serviced a second time for collection of household trash on Friday.

 The North Route will be serviced on Tuesday for trash, recycling and yard waste.

 The Central Route will be serviced on Wednesday for trash, recycling and yard waste.

 The South Route will be serviced on Thursday for trash, recycling and yard waste.

Beachfront Route
Monday – Collection for Household Trash, Recycling & Yard Waste. Place it all at curbside on this day.
Friday – Second collection for Household Trash Only. Place only household trash at Curbside on this day.

 Windy Hill section from 48th Avenue South to 33rd Avenue South and from South Ocean Boulevard to Surf Street/Dunes Street.

 Crescent Beach section from 28th Avenue South to 11th Avenue South and from South Ocean Boulevard to Holly Drive.

 Ocean Drive section from 11th Avenue South to 20th Avenue North and from South Ocean Boulevard/North Ocean Boulevard to Hillside Drive.

 Cherry Grove Section from 20th Avenue North to Sea Mountain Highway and from North Ocean Boulevard to Duffy Street.

 Cherry Grove Section from Sea Mountain Highway to 63rd Avenue North and from North Ocean Boulevard to the Cherry Grove Marsh.

North Route
Tuesday – Collection for Household Trash, Recycling, & Yard Waste. Place it all at curbside on this day.

 Ocean Drive section from 11th Avenue North/Vereen Drive to 20th Avenue North and from the Intracoastal Waterway to Hillside Drive.

 Cherry Grove section from 20th Avenue North to Sea Mountain Highway and from the Intracoastal Waterway to Duffy Street.

 Cherry Grove Section from Sea Mountain Highway to the end of Little River Neck Road and from the Intracoastal Waterway to the Cherry Grove Marsh

Central Route
Wednesday – Collection for Household Trash, Recycling & Yard Waste. Place it all at curbside on this day.

 Crescent Beach section from 28th Avenue South to 11th Avenue South and from Highway 17 to Holly Drive.

 Ocean Drive Section from 11th Avenue South to 11th Avenue North and from Highway 17 to Hillside Drive.

 Ocean Drive Section from Edge Parkway to Vereen Drive and from the Intracoastal Waterway to Highway 17.

South Route
Thursday – Collection for Household Trash, Recycling & Yard Waste. Place it all at curbside on this day.

 Barefoot Resort from the Intracoastal Waterway to Water Tower Road.

 Windy Hill section from 48th Avenue South to 33rd Avenue South and from Highway 17 to Surf Street/Dunes Street.

 Windy Hill section from Briarcliff Commons Boulevard to 33rd Avenue South and from the Intracoastal Waterway to Highway 17.

 Crescent Beach and Ocean Drive section from 33rd Avenue South to Edge Parkway and from the Intracoastal Waterway to Highway 17.

Customers with questions concerning these changes may call (843) 280-5500. A copy of this news release and accompanying map are also available online at www.NMB.us. To go directly to the map click here.

Interested persons may visit the website and look under “New & Noteworthy” on the homepage for these items.

Treat Mom special

Fri, 11 May 2012 13:02:53 -0500

May 11, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – To all of you that have been hiding under a rock, this Sunday, May 13th is Mother’s Day. In the North Strand, many restaurants and other venues are adding a little something extra to their standard fair. Check these out.

North Beach Plantation is offering two s options either a Mother's Day Brunch Buffet at Events from 10 am to 2 pm - for reservations call (843) 282-7100; or Mother's Day Dinner at 21 Main at North Beach serving the full A la Carte Menu, featuring exquisite specials - for reservations call (843) 315-3000 or visit 21 Main. The North Beach Plantation complex is located off 48th Avenue South in North Myrtle Beach.

Horry Restaurant is presenting - "A mother DESERVES a complimentary dessert" - The restaurant is opening on Sunday May 13th for Mother's Day. Lunch and dinner will be served from 11am - 8pm. Mothers will receive a dessert of their choice after the meal! The restaurant is located at 1155 Hwy 9 East, Longs, SC (only 7 miles from Ocean Drive in North Myrtle Beach). For more info call (843) 399 - 6293.

The Brentwood Restaurant & Wine Bistro is presenting a Mother's Day Brunch and Dinner with free roses for all moms. Reservations are recommended at 843-249-2601. The Brentwood is located at 4269 Luck Avenue in Little River, SC. To view the Mother’s Day menu check it out here.

THE PARSON'S TABLE RESTAURANT will be open Mother's Day, 5/13/12 from 1-6 pm serving our regular menu. Receive a complimentary rose and dessert for each mom. Please call for reservations (843)249-3702, www.parsonstable.com

Put A Song In Her Heart Mother's Day Singing Telegrams - from Elvis Impersonator King Shazaam. Jumpsuit costuming, background music, signed picture, 3 songs of your choice for Mom! We deliver to homes, retirement communities, businesses and restaurants. Give Mom a SPECIAL MOTHER’S DAY!! Call (843) 424-9124 today and if you are a member of the North Myrtle Beach Chamber receive a discount!

Papi's Texican Grill at 4310 McCorsley Ave., Little River is offering Mammas a free "Slap Yo Mamma" Margarita with the purchase of an entree. Call (843) 281-9000 for more information.

House of Blues – Mother’s Day Special Praise the Lord and pass the biscuits! Come to the House of Blues and experience our popular Sunday Gospel Brunch, featuring live music with Gospel trio *GLORY* and an amazing buffet to feed the body and the soul! No tickets are required for this event....it is first come first serve and is continuous from 9am - 2pm. / ADULTS: $19.95 / Kids 7-12: $9.95 / Under 6: FREE! For more information go to their web site. The House of Blues is located in Barefoot Landing at 4640 Highway 17 S, in North Myrtle Beach.

South Carolina qualifier at Black Bear

Thu, 10 May 2012 12:44:46 -0500

By Jim Hulen, North Myrtle Beach Online.com

May 10, 2012 North Myrtle Beach, SC – The Optimist sponsored SC Junior Golf tournament will again return to the Black Bear Golf Club June 9-10th, 2012. This event is one of over 50 qualifiers held throughout the U.S. and Canada with over 5,000 golfers ages 10 – 18 participating. Last year, sixteen boys and four girls under the age of 19 played 36 rounds at Black Bear competing to advance to the Optimist International Junior Golf Championship.

This year’s qualifiers at Black Bear will join over 600 other young people from over 30 countries for the 2012 championship tournament at the PGA National Resort and Spa in Palm Beach, Florida July 19 – 29th, 2012.

Maria Strickland, President of the North Myrtle Beach Optimist Club is also the State Chair for the Junior Golf qualifier. Strickland said, “The tournament’s name recognizes Clinton Norris, a North Myrtle Beach native and founding member of the North Myrtle Beach Optimist Club. Registration is now open for boys and girls ages 10 to 18 in the SC Optimist Jr. Golf Clinton Norris Memorial Qualifier. Deadline for registration is June 1, 2012. Those interested should contact me at 843-602- 4207 or by email at marias@abbank.com.”

Interested parties can also register and pay the $150 entry fee online.

Strickland added, “We still have sponsorship opportunities available, priced from $100 to $500. Those wishing to be a sponsor should contact me.”

Optimists have actively sponsored youth golf since 1978 and many recognizable names have participated. Phil Mickelson played in the Optimist Junior World Golf Championships in the 80s, winning the Boys 10 & Under division in 1980. Ernie Els, Davis Love III, Tiger Woods, Michelle McGann and Nancy Lopez are just a few others who competed in Optimist tournaments. Also, playing in this past April’s Masters were two past Optimist winners. Jonathan Byrd won in 1999 and Jason Day finished runner up in 2004.

The Championship is a true international event drawing young people to south Florida from throughout the world. Even at this early stage of registration, young people from Argentina, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Mexico, Peru, Thailand and Chile have signed up.

“This is a great opportunity for young people to strive to excel at the state, national and international level at something they love. Experiencing the vast diversity of cultures at the Championship is something that will give them a perspective not available to many people,” said Strickland.

Spraying for Mosquitoes Begins May 15

Wed, 09 May 2012 06:37:34 -0500

May 9, 2012 NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, SC — Pat Dowling, PUblic Affairs Officer provided this information. On May 15, the City of North Myrtle Beach will begin spraying for mosquitoes. The spraying season lasts until the first frost occurs. Spraying is accomplished one hourbefore or after sunset.

Route 1 is sprayed on Tuesday nights and consists of Windy Hill, Timber Ridge, Forest Drive to 15th Avenue South, Airport 24th to 33rd Avenue South, and Barefoot Resort & Gold west of the Intracoastal Waterway.

Route 2 is sprayed on Wednesday mornings and includes Barefoot RV Park, Barefoot landing, Parks and grounds ballfield, and Commons Boulevard.

Route 3 is sprayed Wednesday nights, and includes 15th Avenue South to 18th Avenue North, 13th Avenue North and Vereen’s Marina, Waterway mobile home park, Belle Park, Leather Leaf, Robbers Roost, Seaside Plantation, #0507 and #5318.

Route 4 is sprayed Thursday nights and includes 18th Avenue North to Little River Neck Road, Creekside, Myrtle Beach RV Resort, Foxfire Village, Tidewater, and Charleston Landing

Everything you need to know about North Myrtle Beach

Tue, 08 May 2012 18:00:15 -0500

If you want to book an accommodation, go to our accommodation guide, want to dine out, go to our restaurant guide, want to play golf, book it on line at our golf guide or need to find a business, they are all in our yellow pages. But if you want to know anything else, read on because visitors have questions; residents have questions. North Myrtle Beach Online.Com puts the answers in simple, easy to understand language.

Smoking
Yes, North Myrtle Beach does prohibit smoking – in some areas. The city’s non-smoking regulations are rather commonsense; smoking is not allowed in enclosed spaces where the public is invited. Therefore:

Smoking is not allowed in restaurants anymore but you can smoke in outdoor cafés if allowed by the operator. You can smoke along the streets and sidewalks but not inside stores or bars.

You can smoke in any rental facility (like a beach house for example) if allowed by the proprietor but only in your room in a hotel or inn as allowed by the operator. You cannot smoke in the common, public areas of hotels or inns.

There is one set of exceptions to the enclosed space framework and that is in public parks, ball parks, and the like. If you want to smoke, you have to go to a designated smoking area.

Good news for you smokers, there is no prohibition to smoking on the beach.

Golf Carts
You would think that once at the beach, a golf cart would get you anywhere you wanted to go. Well, they are fun and easy to drive but….. It’s not that simple.

If you bring your own cart, recognize that the State of South Carolina sees it as a road vehicle and it must be permitted – not licensed like a car, but permitted. It will cost you five bucks at the nearest DMV.

The operator of the cart must be licensed and, like when driving a car, must be at least 16 and have his or her license and registration with them.

As much as you would like to run out at night with the kids to the ice cream shop, you will have to take your car; a golf cart can be operated during daylight hours only. And, even if it is daytime, that shop better be within four miles of the registered address and you must be able to get to it by driving only on a secondary street with a speed limit of 35 mph or less or, again, you better take the car.

Beyond those broad boundaries, the city has put additional restriction on where golf carts can be driven. They are not allowed on Highway 17, 27th Avenue South, Ocean Boulevard and Sea Mountain Highway. However, golf carts may cross these roads to go from one secondary street to another and must cross at a crosswalk.

May Fishing Report

Mon, 07 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500

By Chris Carbone, Seacoast Anglers Association

May 7, 2012 LIttle River, SC - WOW! All of a sudden the fishing reports are coming in! Many of the fish that are caught are about a month early this year. May be due to the mild winter and other factors. According to some reports, the oxygen level near shore is higher this year than it has been in many years. The barometer for this may be the abundance of Jelly Ball jelly fish. They tend to stay further offshore when the oxygen level is low. So anglers will benefit no matter what is going on. But that is the natural influence on things.

The human influence is throwing the natural balance of the environment off kilter by closing and opening the fisheries nilly-willy with no regard to scientific data. Anglers are catching the so-called "endangered species" at an alarmingly high rate. Which says they are plentiful at this time. A better way of management, in my humble opinion, is to increase the size limit and return to the previous bag limit. Do this and the economy along the east coast will improve dramatically and the fishery will stay healthy. Well enough of that... here ya go...

The Jim Caudle Reef out of Little River Inlet has come alive! Anglers are catching everything from Flounder to small King Mackerel. Seabass, Sheepshead, Croaker are there in large numbers along with Spanish Mackerel and Atlantic Bonito. Motor out 3-miles offshore and enjoy the day.

Spanish Mackerel are here in force. They are usually there in the early morning and the late evening on changing tides. If you see bait in the area, try for the Spanish that are chasing them! Clark Spoons, and Gottcha! plugs are the lures of choice. For both Bonito and Spanish Mackerel, slow troll two or three lines out at 4-6 m.p.h. over structure, or where ever bait is showing, or birds are actively feeding.

Anglers have been getting their share of Red Drum and Spotted Seatrout in the back waters but now they will be coming out to the Little River Jetties and there will be some big ones there. Leadheads on plastic lures work well and as the water gets warmer, use live bait. Live shrimp works best and fast water increases your chances. Many anglers are using circle hooks for Reds though not necessary... your choice. Also try Sunset Beach area to Tubbs Inlet and the crossroads of Little River, ICW and Calabash River. Reports say anglers are catching them in that area in good numbers.

Sheepshead are tackled in big numbers out at the close reefs (Caudle Reef) if you can get away from the Black Seabass which are supposedly ‘overfished.’ You will catch them using shrimp, crabs, clams or barnacles. Sheepshead are great bait stealers so you have to hook ‘em before they bite!.

I still have no reports of Saltwater Catfish being landed lately. Very unusual.

Black Drum have been caught on the South Carolina side but have been under sized for the most part.

Some nice sized Flounder have been caught all along the ICW from Little River to Tubbs Inlet. I have many reports of several caught and many keepers among them. Some anglers drift until you find them and once you do, then anchor-up. The tackle used lately seems to be 15-20 lb. braid with a 20 lb. fluorocarbon leader attached to a ¾ .oz jig head. Use a ¾ .oz slide sinker above the leader, Carolina Rig style. Add a Berkeley Gulp! bait or similair lure to get them excited.

Whiting and Croakers are here and there along the shore and the piers. They will take a piece of cut bait off the bottom on light tackle. Some of the surf fishing guys tell me they are catching them with a few small Bluefish.

King Mackerel are offshore in 90 ft. of water but some are here near the beaches and over the local reefs as well. There are a number of King Mackerel rigs available and most are for dead bait like cigar minnows or ballyhoo which is what most anglers use. Check with your local tackle store to find out what to use. The King can be found at the 390/390, 410/510, Christina Ledge, the Jungle, Myrtle Beach Rock, the Sherman, and Little River Offshore Reef in South Carolina and at the reefs & rocks in North Carolina. Check your charts for structure and head out!

Be very careful what you put in the cooler concerning King Mackerel and Spanish Mackerel. The younger ones can look the same but there is different size limits for each. One of the fastest and easiest way to tell the difference is that the Spanish have a black spot on their forward dorsal fin and the Kings do not. Big fine if you get it wrong!

Bottom fishing offshore has opened for Vermillion Snapper (Beeliners) and Grouper. Along with them you can catch Triggerfish, White Grunt, Porgy (of various species), and Amberjack among others. Black Seabass opens on June 1st.

Check the limits on these fish as many of them change with the tides.....

Note, if you are targeting Sharks, particularly certain species, your boat needs to have a Federal Permit to put them in the cooler.

Stop Wishin’... Go Fishin.’