A shrimp trawler washed ashore at on the beach at Edisto Beach State Park on Thursday afternoon June 18.
The trawler was originally anchored offshore near the Edisto Beach pavilion, inoperable because its nets were entangled in the propellers. Unfortunately, the anchor line broke, causing the trawler to beach itself on the shore of the state park.
Police Chief George Brothers said the Edisto Beach Police and Fire Departments investigated, along with state park officials, the Coast Guard and DHEC; however, no one was onboard the boat at that time.
Officials located the owner, who searched for ways to remove the boat from the beach. Finally, a local construction contractor was found, and the decision was made to completely dismantle the shrimp boat to remove it from the state park beach, under the supervision of Kyle Bullock, manager of the Edisto Beach State Park.
Dawn Dawson-House, director of corporate communications for the Parks, Recreation and Tourism Dept., said that every effort was being made to remove the trawler as soon as possible after investigations were completed.
“A removal crew hired by the boat owner has made some headway today, and should have the area cleared tomorrow, pending any delays. We hope to get the beach fully cleared for visitors by Wednesday,” Dawson-House said Monday.
The shrimp trawler has been an attraction for residents and sightseers. According to one resident of the beach who saw the stranded trawler, “Well, now, here’s something you don’t see every day.”
