COASTAL STRATIGRAPHY OF DEBORDIEU BARRIER ISLAND

DeBordieu Island is a barrier spit located along the southern portion of the transitional wave to mixed-energy coastal Grand Strand shoreline in northeastern South Carolina. Located just north of Winyah Bay, the island is a composite of multiple southward building barrier spit and shore parallel ridges, forming under the dominant southward longshore drift. While previous studies of this island compartment have used extensive GPR and coring data to determine the spit’s subsurface architecture, they have lacked strong age control. This study presents OSL ages from four locations along the undeveloped section of the coastline just north of the historical southern spit. OSL age control will allow for an understanding of the geologic development of DeBordieu Island and coastal evolution along this section of the Grand Strand shoreline.