Posted on Sat, Sep. 02, 2006

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AFTER ERNESTO

Sanford: All clear in MB

As storm fades, tourists intend to keep plans for Labor Day

By Dawn Bryant

The Sun News

Arrival came a day late, but the Raines family of Valparaiso, Ind., pulled into Myrtle Beach on Friday ready for the long Labor Day weekend.

Tropical Storm Ernesto forced them to spend an unexpected night in Florence on Thursday.

But cancel the beach trip altogether?

No way, they said, carting weekend supplies including soda and milk.

"Worst case scenario, we shop more," Sarah Raines said.

Tourism leaders are hoping more visitors share the Raines' attitude.

Though Ernesto has blown by causing little damage on the Grand Strand, it still could put a damper on the season-ending Labor Day weekend for area hotels, amusements and stores.

Business leaders, with help from Gov. Mark Sanford, sprung into high gear Friday aiming to spread the word that the beach is open.

During an oceanfront news conference, Sanford emphasized that the beach was ready for big crowds.

The main visible signs that Ernesto had made a pre-Labor Day visit showed in spotty flooding and scattered leaves and tree limbs on the roads.

"Mother Nature did indeed spare us," Sanford said. "It is the last big weekend here at the beach, and what I saw is a beach that's ready and open for Labor Day."

About 70 percent of the Grand Strand's lodging units are expected to be full this weekend, according to Coastal Carolina University's Center for Economic Forecasting.

Some hotels, even though they had a few cancellations this week, were still hoping for a sellout.

"The phones were ringing all week, but we lost very few reservations," said Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce.

Some visitors moved their arrival day from Friday to Saturday, just to make sure they wouldn't have to cross paths with Ernesto, said Tom Moore, general manager of the Hampton Inn on the Oceanfront in Myrtle Beach.

"They just didn't want to drive through it," he said.

The storm came ashore in the Carolinas Thursday night with 40 mph wind gusts and up to 7 inches of rain in parts of Horry County.

Ernesto didn't scare away Pat and Teresa Sawyer of Hickory, N.C.

The pair rode out the storm in their Myrtle Beach hotel room and were back on the beach Friday afternoon.

Crystal James of Newport, Tenn., drove through the storm, reporting back to her jittery mother-in-law that the beach was OK.

"[My husband's] mom had looked at not coming, but she's on her way now," James said.

Friday's weather, with overcast skies and threats of showers, still wasn't a pretty postcard scene.

"It's still a lot better than driving, hurricane-force wind and rain," said Chad Prosser, director of the S.C. Parks, Recreation and Tourism department.