Important Information & Safety Tips
We care about your safety and having a positive experience during your vacation. Pawleys Island and Litchfield have some specific policies that we want to make sure you are aware of when deciding to book your vacation rental. Below are a few of the policies and safety tips for you review:
LINKS TO AREA REGULATIONS AND POLICIES
Pawleys Island Regulations and Policies
Litchfield By The Sea Regulations and Policies
SEA TURTLES
S.C.U.T.E. is a non-profit organization formed in response to the need for better protection of sea turtles that nest on Pawleys Island. Over 40 local residents' volunteers serve as stewards to protect the sea turtles nesting habitats and work as educators as well. The volunteers monitor the beach from May until the last nest hatches. To help the sea turtles, please follow these rules and be aware that no Items are allowed on the beach overnight:
- Remove all trash, toys, and other items from the beach at the end of the day.
- Remove all beach chairs and umbrellas at the end of the day
- Please fill in any of your digs
- Please turn all beach facing lights out by 10:00pm
- Do not disturb the sea turtles or any sea turtle nests
Thank you for helping us keep our beach sea turtle friendly. If you would like to find out more information regarding nesting, nest inventories, or more, please visit S.C.U.T.E. Facebook page or Town of Pawleys Island S.C.U.T.E. page.
RIP CURRENTS
Rip currents are very dangerous. They can easily carry a strong swimmer away from the shoreline. If you are caught in a rip tide, swim parallel to the shore. Do not panic, stay calm and do not fight the current. If you are unable to swim out of the current, float or calmly tread water.
JELLYFISH
Jellyfish want to be on Pawleys too! Due to certain currents and warm water temperatures, jellyfish may frequent the area. It is easy to spot a jellyfish due to their umbrella-like shape; however, the stings can be painful. Please note that rubbing alcohol, urine, cleaning supplies, etc., on a sting is NOT recommended. These items may cause infection. A few suggestions to reduce the pain or stinging would be to:
- Rub shaving cream on the sting and use a razor to remove any remaining cellsSHARING THE ROAD
While walking or jogging along the road, please go against the flow of vehicular traffic and wear bright clothing after dusk. As the roads are narrow, please walk in a single file. If riding a bicycle, please obey the same traffic regulations as vehicles. Helmets and reflective gear are encouraged.
As a reminder, the Maximum Speed Limit on Pawleys Island is 25mph. Also, all vehicles parked on the sides of the roads must have all tires off the road or they will be ticketed.
ISLAND FLOODING
Occasionally, there will be high tides which falls on a full moon otherwise known as King Tides. These tides can cause water from the creek to go over the road. If you must drive through the water, please make sure to thoroughly wash your car including the under carriage. The salt in the water can be damaging to vehicles. very
Pawleys Island Realty recommends moving your vehicle to higher ground if there is a chance of flooding. Most local grocery stores allow parking for this purpose. The vacation rental property owner and Pawleys Island Realty takes no responsibility for any damage to vehicles or other structures.
SUN STRENGTH
While we all want a good tan, please be aware of the amount of sun you are receiving. We recommend you use plenty of sunscreen and reapply throughout the day to minimize the risk of sunburn. Wearing a hat will help protect your head. If you do receive too much sun, you can take an ibuprofen and use aloe to reduce the pain.
FIREARM POLICY
We understand that many people are licensed to carry firearms. Though we expect that gun owners are responsible to ensure that their firearm is secure and is not left unattended during their stay or abandoned upon departure at the rental property. For the safety of our employees and vacationer`s, you need to be aware that Pawleys Island Realty has a strict policy on a firearm that is abandoned in a property.
There is a $500 handling charge that will be charged to the vacationer`s credit card on file for an abandoned firearm. If a firearm is found at a Pawleys Island Realty property, the firearm will be secured at our office for 24 hours from the time it is found, and any ammunition will be removed and will not be returned with the firearm for safety reasons. The vacationer on record will be notified and will need to pick up the firearm from our office or provide us with a Federal Firearm License (FFL) Dealer to ship the firearm to.
The cost of the handling fee ($500) and cost to ship the firearm is at the expense of the vacationer. If the vacationer does not pick up the firearm or provide a Federal Firearm License (FFL) Dealer within 24 hours, the firearm will be turned over to the Georgetown Police Department. Pawleys Island Realty takes an abandoned firearm very seriously and will adhere to the Firearm Policy in any occurrence.
