CHARLESTON, S.C. — College of Charleston men’s basketball coach Chris Mack learned a classic Charleston water rule the hard way this weekend: always check the tide charts before heading out on the water.
On Saturday afternoon, Mack shared a lighthearted video on X (formerly Twitter), showing himself stuck on a sandbar in Charleston Harbor after a jet ski ride.
“Kept gettin’ told ever since we moved here, ‘Take out those jet skis!’” Mack joked in the clip. “Unfortunately, sand doesn’t move as well through the jet pump as water.”
As he sat calmly on his jet ski, stranded by low tide, Mack gave viewers a relaxed play-by-play of his situation. “I’m actually sitting in the Charleston harbor at the peak of low tide,” he said with a smile. “I’m gonna be here a couple of hours.”
And he wasn’t wrong. His video was posted at 3:50 p.m., just minutes before the harbor hit its lowest tide of the day.
Charleston’s Low Tides Can Surprise Even the Locals
Charleston’s waters are known for strong tidal shifts, and even experienced boaters can find themselves temporarily beached if they misjudge the tide schedule. For newcomers, it’s a rite of passage.
Coach Mack, who recently moved to Charleston and took over the Cougars men’s basketball program, is already making waves — just not the kind he intended this weekend.
Stuck but Still Smiling
Despite being stuck, Mack stayed in good spirits, even signing off his video with a shoutout to others out on the water: “If you see me, wave ‘hi!’”
The light moment has since drawn laughs and support from fans and followers, with many appreciating the coach’s good humor and calm reaction. It’s a reminder to all who enjoy Charleston’s beautiful waterways: check the tide times, or you might be waving from the sandbar.
While it wasn’t the most graceful water adventure, Chris Mack’s jet ski mishap is the kind of Charleston story locals love to share. It’s part of life in the Lowcountry — and he handled it like a true Charlestonian: with patience, humor, and a smile.
