Mount Pleasant Magazine July/August 2020

41 www.BestOfMP.com | www.ILoveMountPleasant.com | www.MountPleasantMagazine.com feature T ick…Tick…Tick. The ticking of the clock has become an all-too-familiar sound for many of us over the past three months. COVID-19 has, of course, presented a struggle with how to entertain ourselves and our families. Thankfully, we South Carolinians are blessed to be in a state where the weather is often sunny and the Atlantic Ocean crashes into all 187 miles of beautiful coastline. Most golf courses never closed, and most outdoor businesses, such as deep sea fishing charters, were granted the opportunity to indulge their customers — as long as the groups remained small. “At first, business really fell off,” admitted Fly Right Charters owner, Capt. John Irwin. “We could really tell that most people just did not feel comfortable getting out and about yet, which was totally understandable.” Irwin rightly sensed that there was going to be a lull in business during March and April and decided to claim unemployment for himself. When Congress passed the Pandemic Unemployment Act, independent contractors, such as Irwin, were granted access to a weekly unemployment wage. The beginning of the charter fishing season had to be put on hold for many in the industry. For Capt. Fritz Von Kolnitz of Adventure Outdoors Charter Fishing, it’s a season that is just beginning to get started now. “From what I experienced, my repeat business is down. Many of my past clients did not choose to visit the Charleston area for spring break this year,” said Von Kolnitz, a 20-year industry veteran. In addition to not having as many adventurers BY STEPHEN BOYER Go Fish! Fishing Charter Industry Primed for Busy Summer Photos by Thomas Runion.