*Update: Environmental group admits errors in beach report, moving SC from 6th down 10 spots to the 16th state with the most contaminated beaches, still nothing for us to be proud of.

The latest findings from the Natural Resources Defense Council are not a welcome sight for us here in SC. DHEC has even accused the NRDC of using incomplete data in their findings, especially poignant now that SC’s Tourism Dept. has been catching a lot of flack over their recent overseas ad campaign.

Charleston Beach Water Rankings

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• 16 - South Carolina’s ranking
• 6% - Exceeded Percentage
• 2,991 - Total Samples
• 63 - All Reported Beaches
• 7 - Tier 1 Beaches
• 0 - % More Than Once/Wk
• Sometimes - Resample or Other info needed before action

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Two southeast Iowa men are facing charges of poaching turtles.

Officers charged 36-year-old Mike Kerr of Mount Pleasant and 38-year-old Jack Schafer of Fairfield with using illegal methods to take turtles, failure to have commercial gear tags and illegally taking and possessing a turtle. They face fines totaling $2,299.

The state Department of Natural Resources says conservation officers acting on a tip staked out traps on July 9.

Fortunately, we don’t poach turtles here in South Carolina, and to hear that Iowans in their upper 30’s are doing so is just a crying shame.

Locals call the area on this map God’s Country, but now, thanks to Dr. Beach himself - Gee, why didn’t I think of that one! - we have made the Top 10 List for America’s Best Beaches 2008. Sounds about right to me!

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2008

• 1. Caladesi Island State Park, Dunedin/Clearwater, Florida
• 2. Hanalei Beach, Kauai, Hawaii
• 3. Siesta Beach, Sarasota, Florida
• 4. Coopers Beach, Southampton, New York
• 5. Coronado Beach, San Diego, California
• 6. Main Beach, East Hampton, New York
• 7. Hamoa Beach, Maui, Hawaii
• 8. Cape Hatteras, Outer Banks, North Carolina
• 9. Cape Florida State Park, Key Biscayne, Florida
• 10. Beachwalker Park, Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Photo courtesy of Google Maps