Home Care In Pawleys Island, SC

Pawleys Island, S.C. - The family of 38-year-old Chase Childers have launched a fundraising campaign after he recently drowned while saving a family who were struggling in a rip tide at a Pawleys Island beach. So far, the GoFundMe campaign has raised more than $128,000.

According to investigators, Childers swam out to save a family of five, but despite managing to save them, he could not escape the current himself. His body was found shortly after authorities arrived at the scene.

Following Childers’ death, the Pawleys Island Town Council held a meeting to discuss both short and long term solutions to mitigate future risks. Local officials say that while there were no hazardous surf warnings issued by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) at the time of his death, the sand bar in the area can create strong rip currents. In fact, law enforcement report that there have been five drownings in the same area, all within the last 26 months.

“The Town urges caution when entering the water at any time and alertness of the ocean’s currents, particularly during high surf. While Pawleys Island beaches are consistently rated as some of the best on the entire East Coast, we would like them to be known as the safest as well. We regret the recent drownings and Town Council will investigate all means available to mitigate the risk of future occurrences, including efforts to educate visitors on the dangers of rip currents.” Said Pawleys Island Mayor, Brian Henry.

In terms of short term solutions, the council proposed increased signage in the area as well as in nearby property rentals to educate vacationers about rip tides. They're also considering adding more flotation devices at public beaches in the event of an emergency rescue.

Long term solutions consisted of potentially coordinating with future pier developers to implement a localized recovery operation such as docking rescue jet skis.

Where Southern charm meets beautiful natural surroundings and rich history, you’ll find South Carolina’s Lowcountry. Among beloved vacation destinations like Hilton Head, Beaufort, and Bluffton, the Lowcountry is home to several smaller towns that don’t get as much attention but are just as worthy of a visit. South Carolina’s Sea Islands, located just off the coast of the mainland, are exactly the types of under-the-radar beach towns that make the perfect getaway. On Edisto Island, pronounced ED-IS-TOE (kind of like Eddie's Toe), you won’t find any high-rise condos or hotels, chain restaurants, or neon signs. Instead, you’ll discover uncrowded beaches, scenic tidal creeks and rivers, and charming beach houses and rentals that are suitable and affordable for any group size. Just 42 miles from bustling Charleston, time has a way of slowing down on Edisto Island. As you cruise the 14-mile-long Edisto Island National Scenic Byway on the way into town, you’ll find yourself taking one big exhale. By the time you make it onto the island, any worries will be long gone. Here are the best things to do on Edisto Island.

You may be tempted to spend your entire day on the beach at Edisto Beach State Park, and we wouldn’t blame you. The better thing to do is spend a day relaxing on the serene shoreline, then come back the following day to discover everything else the park has to offer. Wander along trails that take you through hammock islands, maritime forests, and eventually to the Environmental Learning Center. While there, take time to learn about the island’s history and the types of flora and fauna that call it home. If you're keen to stay even longer, you can book a campsite or cabin, and spend the night.

This zoo and education center focused solely on reptiles was the vision of brothers Ted and Heyward Clamp, who translated 50 years of snake hunting and adventure into the state’s first serpentarium in 1999. Home to incredible indoor and outdoor exhibits of alligators, turtles, lizards, and of course, snakes, a visit to this attraction is a one-of-a-kind experience.

Officially called the Botany Bay Heritage Preserve and Wildlife Management Area, this more than 4,600-acre tract of land is the most historically and ecologically significant property on the island. Formerly privately owned and the site of two plantations, the land is now managed by the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources. Visitors can experience Botany Bay’s gorgeous natural ecosystems that include maritime forests, salt marsh, tidal creeks, freshwater ponds, and hammock islands. If you visit, be sure to spend time on the beach, where the elements have bleached fallen trees bone-white, creating a striking sight to see.

If you want to see Edisto Island the right way, ditch the car and its noisy engine and opt for the sweet nostalgia of traveling on two wheels. Bike rentals can be found at Edisto Essentials or Island Bikes and Outfitters. Once you’ve snagged a set of wheels, set out on the Edisto Island Bike Path, a five-mile, flat-terrain trail that takes you all over town. If you get tired along the way, there are plenty of shops and restaurants where you can take a quick pitstop to refuel or rest.

Explore The Island’s History

Edisto Island has always been home to someone. The island got its name in the 1500s thanks to the Edisto Native Americans, but it has seen many lives since then. Learn all about the many groups, from Native Americans to Spanish pirates to English settlers to wealthy cotton planters to enslaved people, who have lived on the island and influenced its development at the Edisto Island Museum. One of the museum’s permanent exhibits called “From Africa to Edisto Island: The Gullah Story” gives voice to the rich history of Gullah culture on the sea islands.

A former rice plantation, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service now protects this land that’s part of the larger 350,000-acre Ashepoo-Combahee-Edisto (ACE) Basin System, the largest undeveloped wetland ecosystem on the Atlantic Coast. Spend a day hiking or biking around the land that’s home to all kinds of wild species, from fish to migratory and resident birds to reptiles. Guests can also fish, hunt, and visit the Grove Plantation Manor, a late-Federal plantation-style home that’s on the National Register of Historical Places and now holds the refuge’s offices.

Go Shopping Around Town

You’ll find a few separate places to shop at one address here, which makes it an ideal place to spend an afternoon browsing. South Edisto Trading Co., also known as SET Co., offers branded T-shirts and apparel to commemorate your visit. At Sabal & Oak, find boutique clothing, accessories, and gifts. Edisto Surf Shop carries beach apparel like hats and tees.

Edisto Island may be small, but that doesn’t mean you’ll have to cross back over to the mainland to find everything you need for an outstanding weekend away. Any good beach trip requires an equally great beach read, and you can find the right novel to match your mood at the Edisto Island Bookstore, which has been a fixture on the island since 1989. Inside the quaint shop, search through shelves of used and new books in every genre. Just be sure to give the shop cat a little scratch under the chin before setting off.

With These Hands has promoted the arts in Edisto Beach for more than 30 years. The gallery showcases local and national art across a number of mediums, including pottery, glass, paintings, photography, jewelry, metal, fiber, and prints. Inside the colorful gallery and shop, you can find something perfect to accent your home, be it a framed oil painting of a South Carolina sunset or a handwoven sweetgrass basket to display on your dining table.

Not just a specialty store, but a community gathering space, Revel is known for bringing people together. Inside, you’ll find all kinds of gourmet food gifts from Bloody Mary mix to gourmet sea salt. You’ll also find a huge selection of gifts ranging from bath and body products to art to tableware. The real magic of Revel lies in its events. Stop by to hear live music on the porch, or come for Revel Reveal, where local artists have a chance to share their new work with the community.

Try The Local Cuisine

If you’re the kind of traveler who loves a local secret, then you’ll be right at home at Whaley’s, a former gas station that’s known for its top-notch seafood. Opened in 1948 (and one of the island’s oldest establishments), Whaley’s isn’t particularly fancy—except when it comes to the quality of the food. Order the crab cake or shrimp and grits. A tiki-style drink, listed on the menu as a “local libation,” is also a must.

If a meal with a view of the water sounds right up your alley, you’ve got two options: pack a picnic for the beach or head to Coot’s Bar & Grill. As the island’s only beachfront restaurant, you won’t find a better view than the one from the back deck of this casual eatery. Look out for live music and drink specials on most nights of the week.

The family behind George and Pink’s has been farming on Edisto Island for more than 50 years, which means their crops—and their business—have stood the test of time. Pull off Highway 174 onto the sandy Eddingsville Beach Road and you’ll find this produce paradise shaded under the arms of ancient oak trees. In the summer, you can pick up tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, okra, watermelon, peaches, and more. Each season brings a different selection. Once you’ve stocked up on fresh fruits and veggies to get you through your stay on the island, treat yourself to a slice of fruit pie or some boiled peanuts as a reward for your future healthy eating.

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTW) — Volunteers with the South Carolina United Turtle Enthusiasts group moved 160 loggerhead turtle eggs in Pawleys Island in Thursday morning.

SCUTE head Rick Scott said it was the largest turtle nest they’ve seen in Pawleys Island in the past three to four years. He said every morning, hundreds of volunteers walk Grand Strand beaches in search of turtle tracks to help the Department of Natural Resources preserve the eggs and soon-to-be turtle hatchlings.

Scott said volunteers found tracks from a large loggerhead turtle Thursday morning in the middle of Pawleys Island that led to the turtle nest. He said the organization would prefer to leave the nest in its natural state, but that they moved the large nest they found Thursday because of it being low tide.

“If the tide comes up and sits on top of that nest, those eggs will not develop and, you know, 60, 70 days from now, we’ll dig the nest up and they’ll just be a bunch of black eggs in there,” he said. “We really try to keep them natural as much as we can. Not only is it better for the eggs, but better for the volunteers who have to move them.”

Scott said Thursday morning’s nest was the 14th nest of the summer. He added that there’s a certain method to relocating the eggs more inland.

“When we pull them out, we pull them out like a machine. We put them straight out and move them over and we put them in that bucket one at a time,” he said. “Even though there’s 160, we only do one and we just like a little machine and we don’t turn them. We don’t twist them, because if we do then that egg will not develop. And then when we get the bucket up here, we do the same thing in reverse.”

Scott said that when a loggerhead makes its natural nest, it uses its flippers to create a hole in the sand. The warmest eggs on the top of the nest, he said, will be female, and the colder eggs on the bottom will be male. Thursday’s nest is roughly two feet deep, filled with eggs.

“They all have a little impinge on the end of that back flipper that allows them to dig with. Every once in a while, we’ll see one out here at night and maybe even a day nester year,” he said.” It’s just amazing to watch her throw that sand back in the way that she does, knowing that she’s not an inherent land animal. With 160 eggs, for her to do that with flippers and a little bitty impinge on the end of that flipper, a little bone is just amazing to watch that.”

Scott said the only time loggerhead turtles come out of the water is to lay their eggs.

Visiting from Georgia, Ethan English and his family said they were lucky enough to see a loggerhead’s eggs hatch in Pawleys Island and make their way back to sea.

“So I’ve seen a turtle hatch, baby turtles hatch before once when I was here a few years ago. And that was really cool to see and to see it again, the tracks of her going to lay the eggs and have all the eggs in the nest moved,” he said. ” Seeing, just the circle of life, and how cool that is to see.”

English’s grandfather, Rick Kuehn, said he’s happy to know SCUTE is doing everything it can to help protect the turtles. Having visited Pawleys Island for 40 years, he said it’s always beautiful to see the turtle tracks on the sand.

“We saw the tracks of the mother,” he said. “We know we’re supposed to turn the lights off at night and we try to do that. But no, it’s exciting. And that one time is probably the highlight nature-wise. When we saw the hatchlings, we got videos too, and they’re crawling there, and everybody was so excited.”

Visiting Pawleys Island for the first time, Emily Garrett said she, too, is proud to know an organization is doing what they can to help the turtles.

“It’s like we’re trying to take care of our planet and we need more to do that. We’re taking over as humans. I think it’s just very important in general, especially the turtle population. We don’t need them going extinct or anything,” she said. “So I think it’s very important what they’re doing. And little turtles are so cute. I think they deserve to live in the sea.”

Scott said the organization believes the eggs will hatch in the next 65-70 days. He said the mother turtle that laid these will most likely be back to lay more in the near future.

“There’s all these levels of extinction, endangered, and threatened, and now, thanks to the work of our team and other teams like ours, the loggerheads are just threatened.” he said. “So our hope is that someday we don’t have a classification other than just a cool turtle.”

The Pawleys Island Municipal Study Group presented its case for the incorporation of the Waccamaw Neck to the Pawleys Island Civic Group at a town hall meeting Aug. 28, 2025. (Credit: Seth Herlinger/WPDE)

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WPDE) — The Pawleys Island Municipal Study Group presented its case for the incorporation of the Waccamaw Neck to the Pawleys Island Civic Group at a town hall meeting Thursday.

The group hopes to stop predatory developers from taking and developing the land and break from the Georgetown County land use plan.

"We have a very limited infrastructure and very limited geography. We're a very small portion of land between an ocean and a river," Cindy Persons, executive director of Keep It Green Advocacy, said. "We have one highway. It's already overcrowded and overdeveloped."

The County’s 2024 comprehensive land use plan includes major increases to density, transforming the Highway 17 commercial corridor to include more high-density residential mixed-use.

About 60% of that corridor land is currently undeveloped or minimally developed.

Permits allow for an additional 4682 households more than the old plan, which is roughly 11,330 more people, or a 70% increase in population for the Waccamaw Neck.

If the region incorporated:

The plan is to continue all other tax-supported services provided by the county, including things like law enforcement.

They would receive the same amount of protection from the county sheriff’s office as unincorporated areas receive.

The incorporated area would function as an independent municipality in partnership with the county, modeled after the town of Pawley’s Island.

The mayor and town council would be elected by residents of the area.

In order to initiate a vote on incorporating the area, supporters need:

PAWLEYS ISLAND, S.C. (WBTV) - A man drowned at a South Carolina beach while trying to save a group of people stuck in a rip current this past weekend.

Sister-station reported that the man, 38-year-old Anderson “Chase” Childers, got in the water to help at Pawleys Island on Sunday, July 13.

Four or five people were reportedly caught in the rip current when Childers and another person got in, police told WMBF. He likewise got caught in the current when he tried to help.

First responders recovered Childers’ body on Sunday evening, about an hour and a half after they arrived. WMBF that several agencies -- including the U.S. Coast Guard -- responded and used a helicopter and drone in the search.

Brian Henry, the mayor of Pawleys Island, took to to offer his condolences on Monday.

“We pray for the family members and offer our condolences,” Henry’s post said in part. “We would like to acknowledge the efforts of our first responders who worked tirelessly to recover the victim and bring comfort to the family.”

Henry urged beachgoers to stay alert to changing currents, particularly during high tide.

“While Pawleys Island beaches are consistently rated as some of the best on the entire East Coast, we would like them to be known as the safest as well,” the mayor’s post continued.

The mayor said the town council would investigate how it can prevent future drownings.

Pawleys Island is located about 45 minutes south of Myrtle Beach, near Murrells Inlet and Garden City.

While rip currents can obviously be deadly, there are ways to escape them.

According to the , a person stuck in a rip current should not swim directly toward shore, but instead swim parallel to the shore in the current’s flow. Once out of the current’s pull, the person should then start swimming at an angle to the shore.

If a person gets caught in a rip current and feels they can’t get out, the National Weather Service said they should stay relaxed and wave or call for help. The weather agency said rip currents do not pull people underwater.

It is safest for beachgoers to only swim in places with lifeguards.

Watch continuous news coverage here: