KIAWAH ISLAND, S.C. (WCBD)- The Kiawah Island Community Association (KICA) teamed up with biologists to conduct their annual alligator count last week.

Town biologists reported counting 146 alligators on July 18 and 143 alligators on July 19 across the island.

“We’ve been doing these surveys every year since 2003,” Kiawah Island wildlife biologist Jim Jordan said. “And we’ve seen some ups and downs like you would expect, but overall the population has remained stable.”

The route, which covers 48 ponds and approximately 153 acres of water, is surveyed twice in order to ensure the most accurate count possible.

“We actually, we reverse it the second night, so we start at the endpoint just to try to take out some potential variability,” Jordan said.

Biologists use the count to determine the estimated density of alligators on the island, which is reported as the number of reptiles per 100 acres of water. It also is used to help determine the population size on the island, which the town estimates is between 600 and 700 alligators.

“The best use of the data is to look at trends over time and you know, again, particularly with density, but also with kind of a breakdown of size classes,” Jordan said. “So we tend to kind of look at it over a long period of time, looking for any significant upward or downward trends.”

Data shows that alligator density on Kiawah Island has remained relatively stable over the past two decades despite some fluctuations in the count. In 2003, density was reported as 134, while this year it was reported as 249.

A number of factors can contribute to the slight fluctuation, according to Jordan, including how active the alligators are at night and whether or not they are visible in a given location.

“Alligator populations typically do, you know, remain stable once they get to what we call carrying capacity,” Jordan explained. “So when there are as many alligators out there as the habitat can support, the numbers tend to remain pretty stable.”

As the team moves along the route, they also keep track of the relative size of each alligator that is counted. If an exact size cannot be determined, the animals are categorized as “unknowns” either under or over six feet in length.

“As a rule, probably 70 to 75% of the alligators that we see on the survey and are able to put into a size class are under six feet,” Jordan explained. “So most of these alligators are very small juveniles and a lot of them probably won’t make it to adulthood and that’s pretty typical for an alligator population.”

Determining the relative size of the alligators is also useful in helping biologists to track shifts in population size and density on the island, according to Jordan.

“Typically, when we see a little bit of a spike in numbers, it probably has to do with just a year where reproduction was really good and so we’ve got a lot of smaller alligators out there,” he said.

As for large alligators, which are generally considered over eight feet in length, only five were counted during the two-day survey period.

But, whether large or small, there are a few key points people should keep in mind if they encounter an alligator while living or vacationing on the island.

The town encourages people to stay at least 60 feet away from alligators whenever possible, do not swim in a body of water other than the ocean, and keep pets away from water.

“Alligators are, you know, they’re a large predator and they need to be treated with respect,” Jordan said.

One of South Carolina's favorite spots along the coast has been ranked among the top 10 beaches in the country.

Kiawah Island's Beachwalker Park in Charleston County is listed as No. 8 on the 2023 list of best U.S. beaches released this week by “Dr. Beach,” aka coastal scientist Stephen Leatherman.

(Above video is the Friday morning headlines.)

The pristine beach is on the west end of Kiawah Island, and gives visitors ocean and river views, according to the Charleston County Parks website.

Charleston County Parks

Beachwalker is also the only public beach access on Kiawah Island, which is a 45-minute drive south of Charleston between Folly and Edisto beaches.

The park is operated through a cooperative agreement among Kiawah Development Partners, Charleston County Council, and the Charleston County Park & Recreation Commission.

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North Carolina's Lighthouse Beach, in Buxton on the Outer Banks, came in at No. 5 on the list.

Located along Highway 12, Lighthouse Beach is about a six-hour drive from Myrtle Beach.

National Parks Service

Once the site of the Cape Hatteras Lighthouse, the beach is convenient and renowned for its good shelling and great waves, according to the National Parks Service.

Florida’s St. George Island State Park earned the top slot on the best beach list.

The barrier island park offers nine miles of pristine beaches along the Gulf Coast.

With nature trails for biking and hiking, plus birding, fishing, boating and camping, St. George offers excellent swimming and sunbathing and is also a prime spot for stargazing with limited light pollution, the list says.

Leatherman has been ranking America’s best beaches since 1991.

He uses 50 criteria to evaluate hundreds of public beaches in the United States. The criteria include beach width, sand softness, water temperature and color, wildlife and more.

Half of the top 10 beaches in the United States for 2023 are in Florida and Hawaii.

None of Florida’s Atlantic beaches appear in the 2023 top 10; Leatherman pointed out that the Atlantic coastline is being affected this year by sargassum seaweed.

Top 10 U.S. Beaches for 2023

Almost any South Carolina resident or visitor has at some point been to or seen a beach along the state’s coast.

The Palmetto State is known for many things, including its pristine, white sand beaches and quaint, beachfront towns.

Although the state is accustomed to collecting accolades for its beauty and livability on a near-monthly basis, it brings awareness to South Carolina’s local communities, history and destinations.

FamilyDestinationsGuide.com conducted a poll of 3,000 families nationwide to determine the top 100 secret beaches to explore this summer.

Although the Palmetto State wasn’t featured in the list’s top 10, four of the state’s Lowcountry destinations made the list.

The first “secret” beach to make the list in South Carolina was Kiawah Island.

Kiawah Island was ranked as the 18th best “secret” beach in the country. The area has 10 miles of pristine beaches, untouched dunes, marshes and maritime forests, which were cited as prime reasons one may want to visit this “secret” beach. The area has an abundance of local flora and fauna that are unique to the area, so those who enjoy exploring the outdoors may find themselves going on several adventures there.

Kiawah Island has an abundance of wildlife to observe and remains at a slower pace for those looking to slow down their lifestyles.

“Kiawah Island remains relatively uncrowded, providing visitors with a sense of seclusion and tranquility that is hard to come by in more heavily populated areas. The island is home to a diverse array of wildlife, including alligators, bobcats, and a variety of bird species, making it a prime destination for nature lovers, as detailed by FamilyDestinationsGuide.com.

Next on the list, Harbor Island was ranked in 48th.

Harbour Island was described as a “stunning and secluded destination” as well as an area that offers visitors the opportunity to experience the Lowcountry’s beauty in a peaceful and unspoiled setting.

This destination is a 1,400-acre barrier island that is located 15 miles outside of Beaufort and throughout the year, visitors can spot over 200 species of birds roaming around the island.

Listed as the third South Carolina beach destination to make the list, Daufuskie Island placed 62nd.

Daufuskie Island “feels like a world away, with its lush vegetation, sandy beaches, and picturesque marshes providing a natural playground for outdoor enthusiasts,” detailed FamilyDestinationsGuide.com. “The island is steeped in history, with historic landmarks and ruins that provide a glimpse into its past as a thriving Gullah community.”

Visitors of Daufuskie Island can only get there by boat, ferry or water taxi and may explore the island on foot, by bike, by golf cart or on horseback.

Lastly, Edisto Island received 65th place on the list of the nation’s 100 best “secret” beaches. The area has much to do for those who prefer to spend their time exploring outdoors. The summer destination has Edisto Beach State Park, bike paths, fishing, kayaking opportunities, golfing, camping and more. The lush environment of Edisto Island also includes a significant amount of historical background to the area as well.

Whether you prefer to spend your days exploring or relaxing, this locale has ample possibilities to enjoy your time.

As for the top 10 secret beaches in the country, according to FamilyDestinationsGuide.com, they include:

Everyone who cares about southern Johns Island should be pleased that a controversial annexation was pulled from the Seabrook Island Town Council’s agenda last week in the face of mounting opposition over what the annexation would help create — a new boat dock, private clubhouse, boathouse, pool house and 10 rental cottages — and the likelihood that it would add more traffic and pollution to the rural side of Charleston County’s urban growth boundary.

But those same folks, particularly leaders on Kiawah and Seabrook islands and Charleston County Council, should not get complacent. Instead, they need to work together on better planning to guide development in and around where those two sea islands meet up with southern Johns Island.

It’s unclear when, or if, the developer’s annexation request might resurface. Even if it doesn’t, there undoubtedly will be other development plans that will expose the tensions between those living on rural Johns Island and those living beyond the gates at Kiawah and Seabrook. This moment offers an important reset, one that should begin with getting all these local governments to recommit to the vision of an urban growth boundary — a line past which suburban development would not be supported through zoning, infrastructure or other local policies.

Such a recommitment wouldn’t bind future councils any more than their respective comprehensive plans do, but it would send a unified message about their mutual commitment to respect the natural beauty and environmental sensitivity of the area.

It’s clear that development pressures at Kiawah’s and Seabrook’s doorstep are increasing. A fresh series of new developments, including a senior living facility and an emergency medical facility, is cropping up. Elected officials, neighborhood leaders and county planners need to come up with a mutually agreed-upon zoning overlay for the area, one that would guide future development to ensure new uses and the size and scale of new buildings are appropriate. Such an overlay also would prevent developers from trying to play one jurisdiction against another to get the permits they seek, a tactic sometimes used in other parts of the tri-county area.

The mutual interests of everyone became clear during this recent annexation controversy, as the mayor of Kiawah Island took the unusual step of sending a letter to Seabrook’s mayor and council urging them to reject the annexation and respect the urban growth boundary, which Mayor John Labriola noted “serves as a guide to direct appropriate urban and suburban development while preserving and cherishing the rural charm of the Sea Islands that we all hold dear.”

Given what we’ve seen this summer, the existing urban growth boundary line may not continue to be enough on its own, and we believe a joint planning effort could help pin down the following: to what extent commercial development in the greater Freshfields area should be allowed to inch its way north on Betsy Kerrison; whether the towns should annex any more of Johns Island; whether any upzoning in the area might be appropriate; and how new building would affect the net traffic and drainage needs around Kiawah and Seabrook. While residents live only on Kiawah or Seabrook or in the unincorporated area, they have a stake in the answers to all those questions. This area deserves a new zoning overlay and conservation goals that offer a shared vision of how the southern part of Johns Island will — and will not — change.

Regional planning needs to take place on a large scale — such as our greater metro area from Seabrook to Awendaw to Summerville and Moncks Corner — but it’s also necessary on a smaller scale, especially in those places such as southern Johns Island where multiple local governmental jurisdictions meet.

Decades ago, the city of Charleston and Charleston County came up with the urban growth boundary across Johns Island and other areas where the suburbs ended to ensure their zoning and other policies worked together to protect rural areas that residents wanted to remain rural. Kiawah and Seabrook were once seen as too distant to bring into the conversation about that line. That’s not the case any more.

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With miles of white-sand coastline, South Carolina is the perfect destination for a beach vacation. It's no surprise, then, that many of our reader's favorite resorts in the state are located near the coast, particularly on the famous stretches of sand at Hilton Head, Kiawah Island, and Myrtle Beach.

How Voting Works

Every year for our World's Best Awards survey, Travel + Leisure asks readers to weigh in on travel experiences around the globe — to share their opinions on the top hotels, resorts, cities, islands, cruise ships, spas, airlines, and more. Nearly 165,000 T+L readers completed the 2023 survey, an increase of nearly 25 percent over pre-pandemic voting levels. A total of more than 685,000 votes were cast across over 8,500 unique properties (hotels, cities, cruise lines, etc.).

Hotels were classified as either resort hotel, city hotel, or safari lodge based on their location and amenities, and they were specifically rated on the criteria below:

For each characteristic, respondents could choose a rating of excellent, above average, average, below average, or poor. The final scores are averages of these responses.

What Readers Loved

T+L readers seem to have their tried-and-true favorites: Of the 10 resorts on this year’s list, eight are repeat picks. At many resorts, including The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort (No. 3), the culinary experiences were deemed particularly superb. “The restaurants at the Sanctuary are amazing," one voter commented. "Jasmine Porch and The Ocean Room are great for celebrating a special anniversary or birthday, and our grandchildren love going to the ice cream shop for a special treat.”

Southern hospitality is another hallmark of these hotels. Of The Willcox, voted No. 2, one reader said, “The entire staff went out of their way to ensure we had the best time.”

But despite readers’ penchant for returning to a handful of South Carolina resorts year after year, a Charleston newcomer claimed the top spot. Find out why — and which other resorts made it onto the list of best South Carolina resorts.

The Winner

Post House: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

This seven-room inn in Mount Pleasant’s Old Village was chosen by T+L editors as one of the best new hotels in 2022, and it has quickly amassed a loyal following among readers, too. The original 1896 building has served the neighborhood for years and was fully redone in 2020, with sophisticated touches like William Morris wallpaper and botanical prints. For updated Southern classics — shrimp fritters, swordfish katsu, and, at brunch, a “Full Southern”: a hearty plate of scrambled eggs, grits, collards, bacon, sausage, and toast — guests can head right downstairs to the bar and restaurant. Still, if you do wish to venture out, Post House is close to everything that T+L readers’ favorite American city has to offer. “Everything from the staff to the food is top notch,” said one reader. “I would highly recommend it to anyone visiting Charleston.”

The Full List

1. Post House: Mount Pleasant, South Carolina

Reader Score: 96.00

2. The Willcox: Aiken, South Carolina

Reader Score: 94.59

3. The Sanctuary at Kiawah Island Golf Resort: Kiawah Island, South Carolina

Reader Score: 91.61

4. The Inn & Club at Harbour Town: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Reader Score: 91.53

5. Montage Palmetto Bluff: Bluffton, South Carolina

Reader Score: 89.33

6. The Beach Club at Charleston Harbor Resort & Marina: Charleston, South Carolina

Reader Score: 87.00

7. Wild Dunes Resort: Isle of Palms, South Carolina

Reader Score: 84.98

8. Beach House Hilton Head Island: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Reader Score: 84.76

9. The Westin Hilton Head Island Resort & Spa: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Reader Score: 84.11

10. Omni Hilton Head Oceanfront Resort: Hilton Head Island, South Carolina

Reader Score: 81.63