CONWAY, S.C. (WBTW) — Flooding in the aftermath of Tropical Storm Debby is continuing across the Grand Strand, impacting local businesses like Waccamaw Outfitters.
The city of Conway’s marina boat ramp and many other public ramps along the Waccamaw River are closed. As a result, Waccamaw Outfitters, which runs everything from kayak to boat river tours, has shut down its operations.
The store is off Elm Street near the Conway Riverwalk. Owner Matt Varnadore said the marina parking lot is usually packed this time of year.
“It’s fantastic,” Varnadore said. “We’ve got a lot of great support from our local river rats. They come here, they use us for fuel, for drinks, for restrooms, whatever, you know, while they’re on the river and, you know, enjoying the day.”
However, since Debby brought in flooding, they’ve had to reschedule and cancel river tour trips. Varnadore said not knowing when they’ll get back to normal operations has made him anxious because those tours are how they make most of their money.