MURRELLS INLET, S.C. (WBTW) — With Debby on the way, Murrells Inlet fishing charter captains began prepping for the storm on Monday, spending the day pulling their boats out of the water and putting them into storage.
Taking each boat out of the water and pulling it onto land is like clockwork, the captains said. It can be frustrating but it’s necessary. They add it has been a game-time decision figuring out when to cancel and reschedule trips.
“We’re just siding on the side of caution to basically make sure that all our boats are safe,” Jason Burton, owner of Murrells Inlet Fishing Charters said. “So as soon as the storm goes out, we can get back out on the water.”
Burton said it was important to get the boats out before the seas got too dangerous. He said he knew it was a matter of time before a storm hit from water temperatures being warmer than usual.
He said he made his decision when Gov. Henry McMaster declared a state of emergency.
“[It] Brings it back into perspective even with some insurance policies that we have,” Burton said. “Some of them require that you take the boat out of the water.”