Snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach - Not Visible and Senseless

With strong sediments from the blackwater rivers flowing through South Carolina, snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach will be senseless due to low visibility even with a wide variety of marine life nearby.

Myrtle Beach’s northern neighbor does not need an introduction. Approximately fifteen miles north of its more famous sister city, North Myrtle Beach is a continuation of the Grand Strand. The miles of golden coastline and pristine golf courses are mainstays, along with the Cherry Grove Pier which offer plenty of fishing opportunities. If it wasn’t for the name, this would also be one of South Carolina’s top destinations. But as the common theme across South Carolina coast, the waters offer no visibility due to significant sediments that these blackwater rivers carry along its flow. Therefore, snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach, as it is the case for other top nearby destinations such as Myrtle Beach and Charleston, is not recommended.

North Myrtle Beach, SC Travel Profile

North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina Aquatic Profile

Water Visibility: Poor
Current Strength: Average. Not a big surfing area, but currents can be strong at times.
Reef Presence: No reefs, all sandy bottoms.
Marine Life: Not much around the shore, maybe some critters here and there.
Crowd: The crowd is usually on the beach, not much in the waters.

Getting There:

Closest Airports: Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR) – 25 miles away, 35 minutes by car

Myrtle Beach International Airport is the closest commercial airport to North Myrtle Beach. The airport also has plenty of flights to major cities on the East Coast and Midwest with key airlines. The budget airlines, including Spirit and Southwest, hold the largest market share of the airport, which means there are connections to smaller metros as well.

Closest Major City: Charleston, SC (100 miles away southwest)

Charleston is the closest major city to the Myrtle Beach metro and about two hours away by car. Charleston, similar to Myrtle Beach, is a key tourist destination in South Carolina but with a slightly different profile. Charleston also boasts many golf courses and many surrounding beaches, but it is rich in history with a wonderful downtown area. As a resort city, that feels more secondary. Myrtle Beach, on the other hand, is strictly a resort city.

Transportation Methods: Air Transportation Recommended (Major Airlines: Spirit, Southwest, and Allegiant)

Myrtle Beach International Airport has connections to most major cities in the eastern half of the country. It is also right by downtown Myrtle Beach, where all the action is. If your resort is in North Myrtle Beach, the best plan of action is to rent a car. There is a bit of distance on the drive up north, and the area is not as dense as Myrtle Beach. Rather than to wait for rideshare or taxi, it is much easier to hop in a car and drive to the beach or the golf course.

Introduction

North Myrtle Beach was formed through the consolidation of four towns: Cherry Grove Beach, Crescent Beach, Ocean Drive Beach, and Windy Hill Beach. While the area is not as dense as Myrtle Beach, there are plenty of resorts and condos nearby. Cherry Grove Beach is one of the town’s highlights, and the pier is famous for fishing. Some of the famous golf courses in the area include Tidewater Golf Club and Surf Golf and Beach Club. All in all, there is little difference in terms of amount of activities as well as quality between Myrtle Beach and North Myrtle Beach.

How is Snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach?

North Myrtle Beach is on the Grand Strand, 60 miles of uninterrupted, beautiful beaches in South Carolina. Theoretically, there is plenty of space for one to go snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach. You are more than welcome to get your gear and dip your head into any of those sandy beaches. But the visibility in the water is terrible. Most of the rivers in South Carolina which flow out to Atlantic Ocean weave through swamps and wetlands and carry significant sediment. The focus points of the Myrtle Beach area are the sand, the golf courses, and the views of the ocean.

For those still seeking to spend some time under the water during a trip to North Myrtle Beach, consider an off shore diving trip. The two notable sites for diving off shore is the Raritan, a steel freighter which was wrecked in 1942 just off the coast of Myrtle Beach, and JELL II, a cargo ship wreck that is about sixteen miles off the coast. There are plenty of reputable services in the area that will transport you to the above two, as well as other diving sites, for an excursion. These are not snorkeling, but diving, excursions; two are completely different activities. There is fantastic diving in these areas, but snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach comes nowhere close.

Final Word:

Enjoy North Myrtle Beach for all that is, which is enjoying the sun, golfing, and taking a walk by the beach. Unfortunately, snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach is not one of the hot topics of this destination. This is true for many of the destinations along the Atlantic coast, which include Tybee Island in Georgia and Hilton Head up north. Go out and enjoy those! The time and effort spent to go snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach is not worth it. Save those for your Caribbean trips, or even those south Florida trips.

Snorkeling in North Myrtle Beach, SC – “The North Grand Strand”