CHARLESTON, SC (WCSC) – A group of young professionals from a Charleston-based leadership program are working with a local nonprofit that is doing its part to protect marine life in Charleston Harbor.

The team partnered with Wounded Nature Working Veterans to help them achieve their financial goal of salvaging a sunken ship in Charleston Harbor. They say the sunken ship is causing damage to the area.

The nonprofit environmental organization focuses on coastal cleanup and rehabilitation in critical areas that most people don’t have access to.

Whit Jones, director of Wounded Nature, says sunken or abandoned boats leave toxic debris for the environment, affecting wildlife and even shipping.

Shrimp and fish live in coastal marshes, and Jones says toxins in the form of microplastics, for example, are often ingested by shellfish. Removing debris will create a healthier environment.

The current project involves removing a two-year-old sunken boat that Wounded Nature and its partner group have named “Rusty”. Once they get the boat back, they’ll reveal its real name.

The Rusty is near the James Island connector, very close to where other boats come in and out, which is dangerous for boats navigating the waters in this area.

Jones says they have the plan but now need funding. He and his team are looking to raise $15,000 to raise The Rusty.

“We continue to face resource challenges and the more problematic the boats, the bigger the boats, the longer they sink, the more expensive they are,” Jones said.

The nonprofit said it is asking the state for help with a longer-term approach to abandoned ships in South Carolina. For now, they are doing it on their own and calling on the community for help.

Quinn Gaines, with the Leadership Program, says that by raising funds and taking them out of the water, they are giving back to local fishermen, marshes and waterways.

The non-profit organization is seeking additional funding to clear the backlog of sunken and abandoned boats in the area. Jones says once these boats are out of the water, the cost of continuing their projects should go down.

For more information on breeding The Rusty, click here and contact Whit Jones.

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