Wounded Nature-Working Veterans and partners, Black Water Dredging got started early on November 17, 2021. We were set to remove the last 3 boats identified for disposal in Horry County along the Intracoastal Waterway. The weather was amazing, the view was breathtaking and we were all excited to get these last boats out of the water.
The first boat, the Carolina Girl, was sitting in a tidal marsh, grounded, on her side. Once we arrived at her location, Black Water Dredging’s crew flew into action and immediately started moving the boat out while trying to keep the integrity of the hull. Whit said our goal for the day was to NOT use the barge to haul the boats but to float them to the ramp.
After a few small movements with a chain, the boat had been moved so that it could be accessed and pumped. Then it could be floated to the ramp where we would dismantle it and put it in a dumpster for disposal. Rudy and Brox pumped out the water and she was finally moved alongside the barge to see if she could float. Once it was decided that the boat could float, it was prepared and towed by one of Black Water Dredging’s boats to the ramp.
The second boat we removed, the Rumline, was floating downriver from the Carolina Girl. After dropping the Carolina Girl at the ramp, the crew of the Black Water Dredging boat went to connect and tow the Rumline to the ramp. In the time it took for the barge to reach the ramp, the boat crew had the Rumline anchored right next to the Carolina Girl.
The barge moved downriver from the ramp and set up to remove the 3rd boat. This boat was a mess, there was no structural integrity and it practically disintegrated as Black Water Dredging tried to get it to move. The skill of the Black Water crew was on full display as they made short work of removing all the parts of the boat and loading them into the barge.
We were out all day, and there was a lot of work done by everyone involved. Our efforts were once again reported on the news by WMBF correspondent Madison Martin and her photographer George Hanson. See the report by Madison. You can also view our YouTube video of the removal of the Carolina Girl.
After all this work, we have returned Horry County, South Carolina’s Intracoastal Waterway to its original, pristine condition and made a real environmental difference.
