Nearly 200 Paddlers Raised Their Paddles for Pelicans
Coastal Warriors cleaned up an illegal dumping site in Francis Marion National Forest. Unfortunately, these dumps are common within this 250,000 acres of protected lands.
Paddlers from 5 local kayak touring companies, meet-up groups and the community began to circle the Bank as others continued to make their way down Shem Creek. (Wade Spees, Post & Courier)
Before wakes from large ships and wash-overs from recent storms reduced the size of Crab Bank to its current state, it was a critical nesting site for thousands of seabirds in the Charleston Harbor. There are only 5 islands like it on the coast of South Carolina, making the revitalization of this sandy slip of land essential to the long-term survival of pelicans on the eastern seaboard.
As the Charleston Harbor is dredged to deepen the shipping channels, we have a unique opportunity to re-create Crab Bank while the big equipment is in place. The catch is that we’ve got to raise the money ($1.4 M) before December 14 or the project won’t happen. A task force is working on this goal and the partners- Department of Natural Resources, Audubon South Carolina, Coastal Conservation League, South Carolina Aquarium and Coastal Expeditions- are hopeful that we’ll make this happen.
Supporters cheered on the flotilla of paddlers as they passed the boardwalk at the Shem Creek Park. (Wade Spees, Post & Courier)
Want to help? Make a donation. Write your local leaders. Spread the word that Crab Bank needs to be saved. We’ll get out there again once this island has been restored, only next time it will be a victory paddle.
