In S.C., ‘even if you have a disability, you are welcome on this beach’
NORTH MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. - Thousands of people will be hitting the sand in the Grand Strand this summer.
For some, getting onto the beach is not an easy task, but there is a new, one-of-a-kind beach access in North Myrtle Beach aimed at making sure people with disabilities can enjoy the surf and sand.
“Summer is about to start, and this access is going to help a lot of people,” said Brock Johnson, who was the first adaptive surfer in the state.
Just in time for the unofficial start of summer, North Myrtle Beach city leaders and the Adaptive Surf Project unveiled the first radically inclusive beach access in South Carolina at 46th Avenue South.
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“A radically inclusive beach access tells the world that even if you have a disability, you are welcome on this beach,” said Luke Sharp, director of the Adaptive Surf Project.
There are eight designated handicap parking spots in the front row, just feet from the ramp, and now people in wheelchairs no longer have to stop at the sand.
There is a wheelchair accessible beach mat which will be rolled out each morning by city staff and provide a path that is smooth and to the high tide line.
“Now they can enjoy the beauty of this beach with no problem, that is exciting for us,” said City of North Myrtle Beach Mayor Marilyn Hatley. “We are excited and hope that this will not be the last one, and we will make sure it is not the last one in North Myrtle Beach.”
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Starting from Memorial Day through Labor Day, the beach access will have everything needed to get down to the ocean, and there are already plenty of smiling faces seeing the beach in a new way.
“People with disabilities, we come from all walks of life, but we end up in the same position,” said Johnson. “We band together for sure. For others to band together with us makes all the difference.”
“With this access, I went just went all the way to the water, with no help at all in my regular chair, which is even more impressive,” said Jose Solorio, an adaptive surfer.
There are five beach wheelchairs that were donated, and they are free to use and located under the wooden covered shed at all times of the day.
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Sharp expressed that he hopes the new access will be a stepping stone to many more in the future.
Adaptive Surf Project will be hosting “Wheel for Surf” at the beach access on June 7, inviting everyone to check it out.
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