This weekend Charleston saw the most beautiful weather of the year so far. Lucky for all those involved, it was an amazing Saturday for an 8K road race.

The College of Charleston's Masters of Environmental Studies Student Association (MESSA) hosted their Ninth Annual 8K for H2O. The group chooses a local organization each year, working to address issues with our local waterways, to benefit from the event.

This year, the great group at MESSA chose Charleston Waterkeeper as the benefiting charity. The day was an absolute blast and couldn't have been better.

The team is still recouping from the weekend, but as soon as the numbers are punched, the photos are uploaded, and the figures are calculated, we'll share with you further details.

However, until then, we wanted to write this post to thank all of the volunteers who spent their Saturday helping to make this an amazing event. From those helping at check-in to those handing out water on the course, the volunteers truly made this event an incredible success.

A big thanks to Jen Jones and the rest of her committed team for organizing the event. We were so proud to be a part of it all!

Noelle London sits in the DHEC offices after setting up a temporary Charleston Waterkeeper control center (complete with dualing computers, a portable scanner, and permits from industrial polluters). Charleston Waterkeeper has recently undertaken the ambitious goal of reviewing every industrial polluter throughout the Lowcountry. How many polluters are we talking? Well, just in the immediate Charleston Harbor watershed, there are over 200 permitted polluters. To review each of these permits is undoubtedly a large goal, but a necessary one. With the help of our policy intern, Noelle London, we've begun the process and are well underway. Through it all, we hope to discover which polluters are in compliance with the law and which polluters are violating the Clean Water Act - the very law that protects our right to clean water. Noelle and Cyrus spent the day reviewing discharge records and will be compiling their findings along the way.

A brief visit to Waterfront Park is all it takes to be reminded of the inspiring role our waterways play in so many people's lives. To reflect, to gain perspective, to enjoy the amazing scenery. All of these reasons (and more) motivate so many to take action to see that our waterways are protected. We at Charleston Waterkeeper feel truly fortunate to live in such a beautiful place with such a dedicated community willing and able to keep it that way. Thank you. Enjoy your weekends, and make sure to share with us any stories of your enjoying and celebrating your right to clean water.

Charleston Waterkeeper took to the waters this morning to respond to a report of three abandoned boats in Hobcaw Creek. We've recently teamed up with a number of state-wide groups and agencies to train citizens to be spotters of marine debris. During today's patrol, we recorded the necessary data so that DNR can appropriately address the derelict vessels. The good news was that the boats pictured above still had detectable hull numbers (which can be traceable) on their transoms; however, one of the three boats we documented was nearly under water and had no readable identification number. Enjoy your Labor Day weekend.

After waaay too many months without stickers, we've finally replenished our source! With the help from our friends at Limelight Custom Sign Company, there won't be a shortage of these puppies any time soon. As a heads up, we'll be sending all existing members a sticker in the mail shortly (sorry for the delay!!). For those of you who aren't members, stay tuned as we'll be announcing via Twitter, Facebook, etc. ways you can get your hands on the hottest product around!

The Water Ball is fast approaching (http://thewaterball.org), and the details are coming together! In a little less than two weeks, guests will gather at the SC Aquarium to celebrate an evening dedicated to clean water. We've been gathering silent auction items and a few surprise pieces of merchandise to feature at the Water Ball. One item we wanted to show off is this witty bar of soap, bearing a simple, yet effective, call to conserve water. If you haven't purchased your tickets yet, you better get on it... See you all soon!

Not a bad view from the deck (http://thewaterball.org).