Copyright Live 5 News WCSC
CHARLESTON, S.C. (WCSC) - Law enforcement and local groups are removing one of three abandoned boats in the Ashley River. Efforts to remove three sunken boats from the Safe Harbor Charleston City Marina anchorage and the Ashley River began on Tuesday morning. Nonprofit organization Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, TowBoatU.S. Charleston, along with 10 divers from the Charleston County Sheriff’s Office’s underwater recovery team, worked towards the effort. Co-owner of TowboatU.S. Charleston Thomas Griffin says removing abandoned boats is a priority as they leak pollutants into the waterways. “There’s a ton of pollutants on these boats,” Griffin says. “There’s oils, there’s the fiberglass. It breaks apart and just leaches right into our waterways.” Charleston County Sheriff’s Office Sgt. Damon Roy says the team planned for two months for the mission. He says the free service aims to boost navigational safety for boaters on the water. “Not all the boats have masts sticking out of the water like this one,” Roy says. “There are two other boats around here that actually are hidden under the water. They don’t have masts sticking up so another boat could actually, potentially hit and cause a boating accident. So, getting these boats out of the water creates a safer navigational environment for the community.” David Isom, general manager for Safe Harbor Charleston for the last 20 years, says removing boats is a critical effort for the waterway. He hopes that enforcement for owners who leave their vessel behind will be the future. “Unfortunately, they can bring their sailboat to this anchorage,” Isom says. “They can get rid of the hull ID numbers and be done with it. Now, it becomes our problem, it becomes the taxpayers’ problem and it becomes the waterways problem.” “Derelict” or “abandoned” boats are more clearly defined in a recent law signed by Gov. Henry McMaster in May. The law identifies abandoning or the intention to sink a boat as a misdemeanor. Standards such as boat status and owner accessibility determine consequences. Most boats will be given notice that they are considered abandoned and the owner has 21 days to create a plan to move the vessel. If they don’t, it’s subject to being removed. Leaders with Wounded Nature-Working Veterans plan to investigate boat owners in the process. The new law details that owners who abandon or derelict a vessel can face a fine of up to $10,000, up to 60 days in jail or both. If the owner comes up with a plan, but doesn’t execute it within about 30 days, the process starts over and they are subject to the boat being removed again within the deadline. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans leaders say removing vessels depends on their location in the water. Abandoned boats sitting on the water can cost around $7,000. Sunken boats such as the three sitting off the marina anchorage, can cost around $25,000 to $30,000. Griffin says jet and water pumps are a necessary step one to remove the settled silt from the consistent ebb and flow of the current. “What happens is on these boats that are supposed to be around 9,000 pounds, actually end up being 35-45,000 pounds,” Griffin says. “So we have to remove the mud which is inside the boat which is the safest thing to do while it’s down at the bottom.” Griffin says the next step is for divers to attach airbags to the boat after silt is removed. He says the airbags will lift the boat up to allow the team to remove leftover mud. The boats will be towed to Limehouse Boat Landing for removal on Nov. 10. The Charleston County Sheriff’s Office encourages callers to dial the non-emergency line at 843-743-7200 for abandoned boat or vehicle sightings in the water.
