GEORGETOWN, SC (WBTW) – Georgetown is one of the first places that will feel the impact of Hurricane Matthew. People who live in Zone A have been ordered to evacuate.
A lot of people heeded the warning, but many others did not; including some people who will ride out the storm on their boats.
“You don’t know what the weather is going to do, so you just have to watch it,” said Jesse Harris, a boat owner docked at Harborwalk Marina.
Harris normally docks his boat at Georgetown Landing Marina, but a mandatory evacuation there forced him to move to Harborwalk, and he is going to stay put throughout the hurricane.
“Just want to make sure my boat doesn’t sink,” said Harris, who has spent the past few days stocking up on supplies.
“They tease me about over prepping but I’m glad I did because I won’t have any anxiety about the boat because I know that it’s going to be ok,” said Harris.
Harris is one of four boat owners staying in his boat at the marina overnight.
“We’re just kind of taking watches at different times of the evening,” said Harris, who has cell phone numbers of other boaters just in case the worst happens.
“If anybody’s boat gets in harm’s way we’ll call them and do what we can before they get here,” said Rodney Singleton, another boat owner riding out the storm.
“Everybody else is leaving so somebody has to stay and watch the boats during the night,” said Singleton.
Singleton has a tour boat business in Georgetown, so he can’t afford to see his boat sink even with a hurricane on the way.
“Our biggest thing is the smaller boats out in the water. They can break loose from their anchor and hit the boats tied up and docked in the harbor,” said Singleton.
Singleton said even if that does happen, “we’ll keep ’em from sinking one way or another.”
Boaters at the marina are also bit concerned about the potential for flooding, but thanks to boat owners like Harris and Singleton they will be ready at a moments notice to take action.
