MORE PROBLEMS FOR THE NOT-SO-GRAND STRAND …
Myrtle Beach, S.C. has a lot working against it these days …
Dirty water. Dirtier politicians. Elevated crime. High taxes. Questionable landlords.
Oh … and if all that weren’t enough, the broader Grand Strand area’s tourism economy is slowing dying.
What else could possibly go wrong?
Jellyfish, apparently …
On Sunday, the National Weather Service issued a “Beach Hazard Statement” for the Myrtle Beach area urging swimmers to stay out of the water until 8:00 p.m. EDT.
“The lifeguards at Myrtle Beach are reporting numerous jellyfish near shore,” the statement noted. “The extreme heat has brought the jellies up from Florida and they’re prowling the waters on the coast.”
Yikes …
We’ll keep an eye on this situation moving forward. The prospect of a prolonged jellyfish invasion is obviously not a positive development for the Palmetto coast – which is having to compete harder than ever in what is essentially a recessionary economy.
Myrtle Beach claims to have welcomed a record 17.2 million tourists in 2015 – besting the mark of 15 million set in 2007. Of course statistics released by the local “Tourism Mafia” and regurgitated by media outlets along the coast should be taken with an ocean of salt.