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Wounded Nature Cleans Up Coastal Waterways, Removing Derelict & Abandoned Boats
Rudy Socha, CEO of Wounded Nature, shares more information about Wounded Nature’s quest to make South Carolina the first coastal state to remove all its debris and abandoned boats.
Local non-profit hoping for donations to help with abandoned boat removal along South Carolina coast
Making the waterways cleaner and free of debris is the goal of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans as they work to remove abandoned boats from South Carolina’s coasts.
Trash to Treasure: Environmental Sustainability in the Maritime Industry
Rudy Socha and Dumpster Pros appear on the Trash to Treasure: Environmental Sustainability in the Maritime Industry episode of Palmetto Life on 5Live News in Charleston, South Carolina.
Nonprofit works to clean up abandoned boats.
Katie Kamin of Live 5 News in Charleston, SC took a tour with Rudy Socha, CEO of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans to see some of the things that the nonprofit organization does and get an overview of ongoing projects to make a real coastal difference in the world today.
1st law enforcement-only mooring ball installed at Safe Harbor City Marina
South Carolina had its first law enforcement-only mooring ball installed Wednesday at the Safe Harbor City Marina.
Abandoned and derelict boats have been a constant problem for coastal law enforcement agencies because they previously had no place to secure these vessels.
Proposed city rule to add mooring permits to address derelict, abandoned vessels.
It’s a problem that coastal cities in the U.S. often encounter, derelict and abandoned boats on the waterways. The City of Charleston is no different, but a potential new rule could change that.
Charleston Police said Tuesday they’re trying to be more proactive in enforcing these vessels by requiring permits to moor in the waterways.
Proposed permit would crack down on abandoned boats in Charleston. A newly proposed ordinance in Charleston aims to prevent people from abandoning boats. According to Charleston police, abandoned boats have been an ongoing problem in the city for years, but there is nothing they can do about it until it’s too late and the vessel has sunk. Aside from the costly removal process, Rudy Socha said abandoned vessels also pollute water with lead, fiberglass, sewage, and debris. Socha is the CEO of the nonprofit Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, which assists in removing the boats. “It gets into the seabed. It also gets into the shrimp and the oysters and the shellfish that’s out there and it spoils our next generation of seafood stocks,” Socha told News 2.
Last abandoned and derelict boats in Folly Beach waterways were removed. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans’ Operations Director Whit Jones says Folly’s waterways were filled with abandoned and derelict vessels. He said Andrew Gilreath, the Director of Public Safety, was ready to finish the job, so last week, Gilreath went to the City Council, asking for funding to remove the last two vessels.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans help Folly Beach with abandoned boats. After making major strides in removing dozens of abandoned and derelict vessels from their waterways, the Folly Beach Public Safety Department is asking the city council for funding to remove the last two vessels stuck in their waterways in hopes of protecting the marsh.
Dumpster Pros commercial mentions their support for Wounded Nature-Working Veterans. Dumpster Pros is a proud supporter of the work we do for the coastal areas in and around Charleston, South Carolina. Please enjoy their commercial and consider using Dumpster Pros for all your trash disposal needs.
Governor McMaster Tours Abandoned Boats in Charleston, South Carolina. On Wednesday, August 24, 2022, Governor McMaster joined the non-profit Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, local law enforcement agencies, and the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources to look at multiple abandoned vessels in Charleston waterways.
Governor McMaster and Representative Wetmore Visit Charleston Waterways Live 5 News. Governor Henry McMaster and South Carolina State Representative Spencer Wetmore joined the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, City of Folly Beach Police, Charleston Police Department, and Wounded Nature-Working Veterans on Wednesday, August 24, 2022, for a tour of derelict boats in Charleston waterways.
ABC News 4 Coverage of 2022 Spring Harbor Cleanup and Oyster Reef Build. On March 26, 2022, Wounded Nature-Working Veterans and local volunteers, including a large group from Boeing, partnered with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources Oyster Program to place a record 1,000 bag oyster shell reef project on Drum Island in the Charleston Harbor.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Improve Georgetown Riverwalk by Removing Boats. Two old, sunken shrimp boats and three derelict and abandoned sailboats were removed from Georgetown, South Carolina waters on January 25th, 2022. The one floating sailboat that recently had someone living aboard was not only filled with the debris of a hoarder but also had a family of rats and roaches aboard.
Volunteers Make It Look Easy on James Island, SC. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans got to work to clean up and clear out two abandoned boats polluting a creek on James Island Saturday morning removing debris and remnants from boat wrecks and abandoned boats in order to help the environment and minimize negative impacts on wildlife. This boat removal took place at Clark Sound. Volunteers hauled away the remnants of the boat to help the homeowner and prevent pollution.
ABC 4 News Coverage of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Boat Removal on James Island, SC. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans got to work to clean up and clear out two abandoned boats polluting a creek on James Island Saturday morning removing debris and remnants from boat wrecks and abandoned boats in order to help the environment and minimize negative impacts on wildlife. This boat removal took place at Clark Sound. Volunteers hauled away the remnants of the boat to help the homeowner and prevent pollution.
Live 5 News coverage of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans removing two boats from James Island, SC. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans got to work to clean up and clear out two abandoned boats polluting a creek on James Island Saturday morning removing debris and remnants from boat wrecks and abandoned boats in order to help the environment and minimize negative impacts on wildlife. This boat removal took place at Clark Sound. Volunteers hauled away the remnants of the boat to help the homeowner and prevent pollution.
Removal of the Carolina Girl from Horry County’s Intracoastal Waterway. Video of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans and Black Water Dredging removing the Carolina Girl from the Intracoastal Waterway in Horry County, South Carolina. We went on to remove 3 vessels that day, but the video of the Carolina Girl being recovered was pretty impressive.
Volunteers work to remove abandoned boats from Intracoastal Waterway. WMBF News correspondent, Madison Martin and cameraman, George Hanson covered the removal of the last 3 boats identified for disposal in Horry County, SC along the Intracoastal Waterway.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Held their Annual Fall Event 2021. On Saturday, October 30, 2021, Wounded Nature-Working Veterans along with Selden Mast AB held their annual fall event. As an added bonus, this year’s event coincided with Halloween. The event was attended by volunteers, donors, friends, family, and local and state agencies and everyone enjoyed the Low Country Boil and grilled foods by Paul Goodbout and his crew. DJ Elliot aka DJ E provided music and MC services all day, even though he was only scheduled for half. Volunteers and others served as Hosts, Game Monitors, and Bartenders.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Helped Remove Boats 104 through 106. Hitting the 100th abandoned boat removal milestone just last month, we are going stronger than ever in Horry County, South Carolina pulling boat numbers 104, 105, and 106 on November 3rd, 2021. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans partnered with Blackwater Dredging and Recovery, Squeaky’s Towing, Waccamaw Outfitters, SCDNR, and the US Coast Guard, coordinating and assisting in removing these boats. The largest of the three boats was a 78 foot long, steel-hulled, double-decker paddlewheel replica boat! That’s a whopper of a boat and the largest boat we’ve removed to date. In the past month, 12 boats have been removed in Horry County, South Carolina. Also, all of the known abandoned boats on the Waccamaw River are out!
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans hurdles 100 boats removed mark in Horry County, South Carolina. WBTW News 13 and Taylor Hernandez posted this video on October 20, 2021, 02:28 PM EDT LITTLE RIVER, S.C. (WBTW) — There are about 20 abandoned boats in Horry County waterways, but the United States Coast Guard, South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, and a Lowcountry-founded veterans group are working to change that. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, a nonprofit group, organized Wednesday’s cleanup, working with the Coast Guard and DNR crews to clear five vessels from the Intracoastal Waterway.
First Wednesday Volunteer Meeting, October 2021. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans hosts a very informal gathering of our volunteers and supporters on the first Wednesday of every month. The later you stay the more informal the evening gets and it is a great chance to meet us and see who we are and what we do. This was our October 2021 meeting and topics discussed were our ongoing effort to remove sunken and derelict boats from our waterways along with information on our Annual Fall Party, on October 30, 2021, and how you can help support Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, without having to get wet or muddy.
Collaborative Effort to Remove Abandoned Boats from Horry County Waters. After many years of no action and some pent-up demand to clean up the waterways, the first two abandoned boats came out of the Waccamaw River on Tuesday. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans partnered with TowBoat US-Grand Strand to remove the boats and Squeaky’s Towing provided the heavy equipment and dumpsters for demolition and disposal.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Monthly Volunteer and Planning Meeting 9/1/21. On the first Wednesday of every month, Wounded Nature-Working Veterans invite you to join us at the Bridge Bar above the Charleston Harbor Fish House restaurant (upper deck overlooking the harbor) at Charleston Harbor Resort. This is a very informal get-together where families are welcome. We meet from 5:30 pm – 7:30 pm. We discuss an interesting subject related to our mission and provide updates on our mission accomplishments. Join us to see who we are and what we do.
Surprise Find In Jamaica Bay. Within the Gateway National Recreational Area at Floyd Bennett Field, large areas of this former Naval Air Base have been set aside as wildlife refuge areas. This cleanup became a crime scene as a human lower jaw was found during the cleanup. This is a clip from Pix11, New York’s Facebook Live video on the find and how it related to a missing person.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans First Wednesday Volunteer Meeting 9/2/21. On the first Wednesday of every month, Wounded Nature-Working Veterans invite you to join us at the Bridge Bar above the Charleston Harbor Fish House restaurant (upper deck overlooking the harbor) at Charleston Harbor Resort.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Monthly Volunteer and Planning Meeting 8/4/21. On the first Wednesday of every month, we invite you to join us at the Bridge Bar above the Charleston Harbor Fish House restaurant (upper deck overlooking the harbor) at Charleston Harbor Resort. This is a very informal get-together where families are welcome. We meet from 5:30 – 7:30 pm. We discuss an interesting subject related to our mission and provide updates on our mission accomplishments. Join us to see who we are and what we do. This is a collage of our meeting on August 4, 2021.
Ashley River Cleanup 2021. Wounded Nature-Working Veterans and a small group of volunteers came out in the July heat to help clean this marsh of the Ashley River in South Carolina. We worked in some of the softest mud we’ve ever been in for a cleanup. We’d like to thank our volunteers, your efforts helped make this marsh more habitable for wildlife.
March 30, 2021 Sailboat Demolition. Cool time-lapse video of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans tearing an old sailboat being torn apart. This boat had been underwater for two years before a failed restoration attempt (failed due to the fiberglass deteriorating and becoming weak). Originally recorded by Whit Jones.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Making a REAL Coastal Difference. Check out our newest video from Wounded Nature-Working Veterans with a HUGE THANK YOU to our partners at the end! Support our mission by donating at woundednature.org.
Why Wounded Nature-Working Veterans focuses on removing abandoned boats. Why Wounded Nature-Working Veterans focused on abandoned boats in addition to debris cleanups. Gas, oil, and sewage have to be removed from all of the vessels before being sent to the landfill. In 2019, we sent over 30 boats to the Bees Ferry Landfill.
Abandoned Boats a Problem in Charleston Area. ABC 4 News in Charleston, Abandoned boats a problem in Charleston area by Caroline Balchunas, Wednesday, August 26th, 2020.
Surprise Find in Jamaica Bay. Within the Gateway National Recreational Area at Floyd Bennett Field, large areas of this former Naval Air Base have been set aside as wildlife refuge areas. This cleanup became a crime scene as a human lower jaw was found during the cleanup. This is a clip from Pix11, New York’s Facebook Live video on the find and how it related to a missing person.
Chevrolet: Vehicles of Change. Captain Rudy Socha, a former Marine turned conservationist, runs a nonprofit called Wounded Nature Working Veterans. The organization recruits veterans to clean up rural coastal areas that other nonprofits can’t reach. The work of Socha’s organization has reduced the deaths of sea turtles and other marine life while providing a community for veterans as they return to civilian life.
Marine Life and Plastic Caps. Plastic beverage caps are causing sea animals to disappear from our planet. Once the caps are eaten, they can become lodged in the animal’s intestinal tract, causing a slow and painful death.
Shrimp Tank Experiment: How Treated Wood Impacts Wildlife. An experiment performed by Wounded Nature-Working Veterans on how wood treated with chemicals affects shrimp and small fish.
Sea Turtle Hatchling PSA. Sea turtle hatchling season is approaching. You can make a difference in helping their chances of survival! Wounded Nature-Working Veterans is cleaning up rural coastlines, which directly improves the environment and aids in the survival of the hatchlings (as well as other local wildlife).
How Litter Kills. All animation and artwork were created by Chris and Matthew Blurton. Red Bird Creative is proud to be associated with Wounded Nature-Working Veterans as marine pollution is a worldwide issue.
Actuality Media Documentary Competition 2019. A short documentary created by Spencer Connelly, following Wounded Nature-Working Veterans as they clean up the Charleston Harbor through natural filtration using oyster beds, made and placed in the needed areas by these environmental change makers.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans Cleans America’s Coasts. Created by Lowcountry Content. I’m very proud to have participated in cleanup activities with this non-profit. WNWV physically goes out and cleans up beaches and estuaries in South Carolina, often removing orphaned crab traps and old treated wood from wrecked piers.
Party City Cleanup at Bennett Field, New York, May 18, 2019. On a chilly, windy, and very wet day, more than 120 volunteers made a difference on New York’s coastline. They did not complain (even during the driving rainstorm) and worked hard to remove tons of trash and debris from this national park.
Splash Endorsing Party City. Splash and the ladies of Wounded Nature-Working Veterans during one of our beach cleanups.
2016 Fundraising Video. In 2016 Wounded Nature-Working Veterans launched two competing crowdfunding campaigns to help increase the organization’s capacity to clean coastal waters.
Wounded Nature-Working Veterans – What the Fin. Created by What the Fin. We are honored to partner with Wounded Nature-Working Veterans, an organization founded by Veterans that orchestrate clean-up missions in critical coastal areas. Their goal is to increase coastal seafood and wildlife populations. These remote wildlife habitats are covered in heavy debris and trash, most of which are only reachable by boat. To learn more please visit WoundedNature.org
Fox & Friends First Segment. Rick Reichmuth broadcasted his weather remote from Folly Beach, South Carolina on Sunday, March 11, 2012. During the second half hour throughout the Fox and Friends Weekend show he focused on Wounded Nature-Working Veterans’ mission of cleaning up rural beaches and providing initial employment opportunities for veterans.
Fox & Friends, Third Segment. Rick Reichmuth broadcasted his weather remote from Folly Beach, South Carolina on Sunday, March 11, 2012. During the second half hour throughout the Fox and Friends Weekend show he focused on Wounded Nature-Working Veterans’ mission of cleaning up rural beaches and providing initial employment opportunities for veterans.
Rick Reichmuth broadcasted his weather remote from Folly Beach, South Carolina on Sunday, March 11, 2012. During the second half hour throughout the Fox and Friends Weekend show he focused on Wounded Nature-Working Veterans mission of cleaning up rural beaches and providing initial employment opportunities for veterans.
Print Media and other articles about Wounded Nature-Working Veterans.
12/4/21 NBC News 2 Charleston
5/18/19 NBC New York
5/12/18 News 12 Brooklyn
10/4/14 This article appeared in a number of SC publications.
3/11/12 Full Fox & Friends Report from the Fox Network
Rudy Socha 6:30 am slot
Kim Koth 7:30 am slot
Jeff Stevenson and Folly Beach Mayor Tim Goodwin 8:30 am slot
South Carolina Aquarium and Rudy Socha 9:30 am slot