Hurricane Sandy isn't expected to cause any type of major impact to our area, but we're still being warned to stay off the beach and out of the water this weekend.
Mike Guthinger with Myrtle Beach Police Beach Patrol says rip currents are the biggest things surfers, swimmers, and beachgoers need to be aware of.
"As the waves start to get bigger, the timing between the intervals gets shorter, theres a great potential threats for a rip current there," Guthinger said.
Horry County Emergency Management is operating at regular level but they do expect storm damage on the south end of the Grand Strand.
"We can expect to see some overwash along Garden City, especially additional beach erosion but outside of that the typical rain and wind I am not that concerned about," Emergency Management Director Randy Webster said.
Jonathan Poore was helping organize and sponsor Murrells Inlet 2020's first spear fishing tournament set to go Saturday morning. They were expecting about 80 participants.
"There were out of town guests coming to the inlet. Georgia, Florida North Carolina, and even inland that were coming just for this tournament and they were going to rent rooms, but everybody watches the weather and nobody wants to go out and get messed up," Poore said.
They're now planning to hold it next June.
"Everything was going, everything was gonna go, but then-boom-Sandy comes along and just changes everybody's plan," he said.
Beach patrol says they're pulling trashcans and other big objects that might blow away and cause damage off the beach. It's recommended that if you have have patio furniture and are near the coast, you'll want to bring that inside because of wind gusts. but officials say that's about it.
The Coast Guard also warns boaters to secure their boats for the weekend before the severe weather arrives. Adding additional mooring lines is highly recommended.
"Boaters should also ensure that any gear above the vessel's deck be properly stowed and secured. Loose gear or an unsecured boat could appear as a debris field and could trigger an unnecessary search by the Coast Guard," the Coast Guard said in a press release.
