*UPDATE 8/1/8: 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

Data Source: NRDC

Locals call the area on this map God’s Country, but now, thanks to Dr. Beach himself, we’ve made the Top 10 List for America’s Best Beaches again!

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

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2009

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

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2010

1. Coopers Beach in Southampton, New York
2. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
3. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
4. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
5. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
6. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
7. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
8. Beachwalker Park in Kiawah Island, South Carolina
9. Hamoa Beach in Maui, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

AMERICA’S BEST BEACHES 2011

1. Siesta Beach in Sarasota, Florida
2. Coronado Beach in San Diego, California
3. Kahanamoku Beach in Waikiki, Oahu, Hawaii
4. Main Beach in East Hampton, New York
5. Cape Hatteras in the Outer Banks of North Carolina
6. St. George Island State Park, Florida panhandle
7. Beachwalker Park Kiawah Island, South Carolina
8. Coast Guard Beach in Cape Cod, Massachusetts
9. Waimanalo Bay Beach Park on Oahu, Hawaii
10. Cape Florida State Park in Key Biscayne, Florida

Photo courtesy of Google Maps

Map of Beachwalker Park