Heal the Ocean Organizes the Removal of Washed Ashore Boat
Photo by Heal the Ocean
Photo by Heal the Ocean
Photo by Noami
Update by Heal the Ocean
September 12, 2022
All photos by Harry Rabin, On the Wave Productions.
During the early morning hours of this past Saturday, the extreme high tide and surf pushed an anchored sailboat onto East Beach, near the foot of the Laguna Creek Channel. While beach-goers escaping the heat looked on at this disaster, Heal the Ocean Field Advisor Harry Rabin began to work on the problem.
Early Sunday morning Harry was there, working by himself, removing toxic polluting items and relocating them above the tideline. As he worked, he called for help from various agencies including Harbor Patrol, Coast Guard, Patriot Environmental Services, Towboat US, and more to recruit help and develop a plan of action. Additionally, he located the vessel’s owner and had them remove 40 gallons of diesel fuel before demolition the following morning. The highest concern was further toxins such as fuel and oil entering the ocean.
The last step required owner permission in addition to all appropriate agencies involved, before Heal the Ocean would be allowed to remove the vessel. This was achieved by 5pm on Sunday, and the call to Brian Borgatello, President of MarBorg Industries, was made. An agreement was made for the wreck to be removed from the beach expeditiously the following morning. Heal the Ocean guaranteed payment for the operation.
At 5 a.m. today, Monday, Brian was there on the site with his crew. So was Harry. Everybody went to work.
By the time everyone in Santa Barbara was waking up for their morning coffee, the boat wreck was GONE, and the beach was raked and clean. Harry noted that “no boat debris, nor even a single drop of fuel, oil, coolant, or other liquid based toxins made it into the sea during the entire operation.”
Heal the Ocean has initiated a “Boat Wreck” Stakeholder group of City and Council officials, waterfront officers, Coast Guard and other oceanic agents, and we will be meeting again soon to work on a way to prevent these boat groundings from happening.
We thank Mayor Randy Rowse, Councilwoman Kristen Sneddon, City Administrator Rebecca Bjork, the Harbor Patrol office, Coast Guard and others for responding to our calls for help Sunday morning.
Harry Rabin, HTO Field Advisor, keeping an eye on boat.
From all of us at Heal the Ocean to all of you, thank you, and please stay safe.
Heal the Ocean Rallies to Remove Washed Ashore Boat Near Stearns Wharf
Update by Hilary Hauser of Heal the Ocean
September 11, 2022
Harry finally made contact with earthlings. Patriot is coming down to empty the oil, gas etc. Borgatello coming at 6 am tomorrow to crunch it up. Harry met the owner. No insurance. He paid $20K for the boat (which is what HTO is prepared to pay Borgatello).
This is the last straw, we’re going to convene our working group and get a plan to get before both City Council and County Supervisors – an ordinance – to pull all those boats out that are not on a paid mooring.Or that don’t run. Or that are not insured. San Diego is doing this. Harry is going to contact someone in SD and see how they did it.
Hto CAN’T keep paying 20K here and $20K there. We have to stop it.
Reported by Hillary Hauser of Heal the Ocean (HTO)
Here we go again. We are calling all over the City to get PERMISSION FROM THE CITY TO GET THIS BOAT OFF THE BEACH. It’s City Beach (they even marked it with city yellow tag). High tide is coming in, boat is already half buried.
Harry Rabin is down there working by himself. We called waterfront dept., of course no answer, I’ve messaged randy Rowse with these pictures. HIGH TIDE IS AT 6 p.m.
HTO will pay MarBorg for hauling it off the beach before it breaks up, but we need permission, and nobody home. With might go in there without permission - if it comes to that. It’s half buried already.
Photos: Heal the Ocean
By Naomi
A boat washed to shore Saturday morning at the pier.
33 Comments
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Sep 14, 2022 06:56 AMRV's on land can drive to dump stations to empty waste and refill water tanks, and hopefully most of them don't simply dump waste roadside or creekside. Boaters have easier opportunities to empty the poop overboard at night, and perhaps some-to-many Fools Anchorage residents are doing that, along with sinking weighted bags of trash.
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Sep 14, 2022 08:38 AMThings fall overboard, but the real problems are the old boats and the bums. Unfortunately, the harbor is filled with many bums living on dilapidated old vessels. Most of which are neither sea-worthy or habitable. If you spend any time there (lease a slip, own a boat) you know what a mess these people live in and leave. Most of the owners of vessels who lease slips care for them and maintain them. But just like on land, it's the bums, that cause most of the problems.
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The city should make every vessel prove its seaworthiness, every year - including a full hull and engine/tank inspection for any and all leaks or worse, bottom-paint decay. The older, non-maintained boats are coated in heavy metals and rusting tanks are leeching a lot more than feces, urine and trash into the water...
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Sep 14, 2022 07:47 AMIt's not just boaters moored off East Beach, most of which do NOT end up in dumpster, but those in the harbor that empty overboard: on this year's annual marina cleanup by volunteers, divers as well as haulers, more than two TONS of trash came from 6 or 7 rows of the Marina One. (That's the set of slips in front of the Yacht Club.) That's an average haul, maybe a little more than the annual haul - the pickup goes through all the fingers and is now starting over again.) Poop from the boats, though, is probably close to non-existent, with regular inspection by the Waterfront Department.
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Sep 13, 2022 08:51 AMArrrrrrrrgggggggg. I lost me ship in that bloody sea witch of a storm. Tis a miracle me crew and I survived it. Now we have to steal another ship for our piracy on the 7 seas. "Lads! Let's go to the nearest tavern to drink ale and rum and to make plans to steal another ship at the harbor."
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Sep 13, 2022 07:21 AMThank you Heal the Ocean once again for cleaning up the trash that one of the wealthiest cities in California can’t or won’t do.
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Sep 13, 2022 06:22 PMits NOT malborgs problem, but they are the ones that provide the dumpster to whoever is paying for it.
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Sep 13, 2022 05:59 PMI think it was MarBorg that did the cleanup, as they always do for beached boats that can not be saved; great of HTO to notify them and assist.
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Sep 12, 2022 06:08 PMNo one mentioned Fool's anchorage, been called that for at least 50 years and probably longer.
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Sep 12, 2022 06:33 PMI guess I have to change my name.
9/11 3 :22PM
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Sep 12, 2022 03:12 PMWas that another Boat Rat Matt POS special?
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Sep 12, 2022 10:59 AMMismanaged City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department once again.
Mismanaged and poorly policed coastline, what with the new panga and all washed up in Cito. THEY PROBABLY COULD HAVE OPERATED THE PANGA RIGHT INTO THE HARBOR AND UNLOADED, NO ONE WOULD HAVE NOTICED.
Just wait until a cruise ship wrecks here. Notice how the City silenced the cruise ship discussion with the subcommittee that doesn't meet.
Heal the Ocean should not have to pay their precious resources to clean up City of Santa Barbara property.
The asleep at the wheel City Council is straight no account.
Email the no accounts and tell them your opinion of their job performance.
sbcitycouncil@santabarbaraca.gov
mwiltshire@santabarbaraca.gov
VOTE OUT ALL THE NO ACCOUNTS
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Sep 13, 2022 12:38 PMSB Loc: What do you propose the city do about drug smuggling? Reactivate the Presidio and arm volleyball players on East Beach with muskets?
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Sep 12, 2022 08:39 PMI heard it was near Padaro Lane.
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Sep 12, 2022 05:50 PMButterfly beach is in Santa Barbara, but it is not clear to me exactly where the Panga was
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Sep 12, 2022 11:07 AMWhat does a panga washing up at a non-City beach have to do with the City?
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Sep 12, 2022 10:24 AMThe boat isn't required to be insured under California laws, unlike motor vehicles. Seems like insurance should be required for boats over a certain length or that have built-in fuel tanks, for example. Google says the only states that require boat insurance are Hawaii, Utah, and Arkansas. Monica Limon should sponsor a bill. I'm sure the insurance industry would be happy to help out, heh.
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Sep 12, 2022 10:13 AMThe right to "homestead" in the Anchorage is defined by Maritime Law, and the question is: is the use anchorage or moorage? It is a historic place where modern day scofflaws and would-be pirates can park their boats and camp out, as well as travelers passing through on their adventures.
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Sep 12, 2022 09:32 AMWith the amount of rules, prohibitions, regulations, bans, etc in this county and state, how are these boats allowed to stay moored out there without insurance? Does no one check up on these boats? Just seems weird that in a place personified by aesthetic rules, some of those barges are allowed to remain without any question. Not saying this nice boat was, but I've been out in that anchorage plenty on my kayak and some are just floating shipwrecks that have been there for years.
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Sep 12, 2022 09:05 AMRandy Rowse was there this morning at 6am when the clean up began. Thank you Mr. Mayor. Harry Rabin spent 2 days on the job, volunteering to help with clean up. Thank you amazing Harry. No insurance for the owner, tab for clean up $20,000 paid by Heal The Ocean. I'm sorry the boat owner had this problem but responsibility is a thing. If you break it, you pay for it.
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Sep 12, 2022 09:50 PMThis reminds me of an old-fashioned drug store near my home in the 1960s San Fernando Valley. The owner had a sign in the aisle with all his glass and ceramic wares, that said, "If you break it, you buy it." Nuff said.
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Sep 12, 2022 08:43 AMNo comment from the Mayor? I thought he was going to actually work for the people? Not to age shame (and I voted for both Randy and Biden) but can't we elect anyone that isn't an AARP member for something in this country that has the energy for the job?
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Sep 12, 2022 08:34 AMCould not agree more Hilary. We like our freedom. But ALWAYS it comes with responsibility. Irresponsible boat owners NOT welcome here!
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Sep 12, 2022 08:21 AMWhat incentive has the city had to do nothing about this for so long? Laziness? Incompetence? Turning a blind eye? Nobody gets it... Allowing boats left for the inevitable crash landing. Perhaps an insurance claim in hand. Take possession, dry dock and have an auction in the harbor parking lot.
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Sep 11, 2022 09:07 PMIf only the derelict homeless motorhomes and derelict tents would wash ashore so we could remove those... Oh. They are already on shore.
That is the only difference between homeless on boats vs homeless onshore.
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Sep 11, 2022 06:48 PMVery similar to what Cal Trans has been going thru with encampments in SB/Goleta. The traffic alone caused by 101 offramp closures to clean up these messes is off the chart, how many bicycle parts does an encampment need to survive?
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Sep 11, 2022 03:22 PMThat is a relatively new boat.
If it was abandoned before it went aground, I would have taken it.
Shoots, it's not even covered in bird crap.
Perfect size for the Islands.
Fools anchorage for sure.
El Niño years have put 3 or 4 on the beach at the same time
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Sep 11, 2022 03:10 PMCouldn’t agree more with Mrs. Hauser — there are many serious derelict sailboats right out there just waiting to be the next accident. Completely neglected, basically serving as homes for pelicans and other seabirds. Why is this allowed to happen?
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Sep 11, 2022 02:55 PMHillary is correct. An abandoned boat just becomes a dangerous pile of trash in the high surf and winds at the shoreline. With Hillary and HTO' s advocacy, SB City can and should produce an ordinance to mitigate these trash piles. Perhaps a call to 911 would have gotten to Harbor Patrol, reporting a "dangerous" nuisance".
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Sep 11, 2022 02:34 PMGreat that HTO volunteered to remove this boat! Wasn't it the responsibility of the owner to remove their boat? Very surprising that the Harbor Patrol did not answer the telephone!! The State has provided grant money to assist in removing boats from the beach. Hopefully, there is no ordinance to require only those with paid moorings to moor in city of SB and/or County waters. A requirement of insurance is a good idea, however.
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Sep 13, 2022 08:56 PMCHP redirects traffic. Fire dept. also responds. Aren't all those agencies paid for with our taxes? As is Public Works and portions of Harbor government?
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Sep 13, 2022 08:54 PMBut Caltrans & CHP respond to bad crashes. Clean up road spills and repair guard rails.
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Sep 13, 2022 06:28 PMyou want your tax dollars to clean up boats that crash onto the beach?
so will you pay for cars that crash on the 101 too? this is gona get pricey
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Sep 12, 2022 03:16 AMYeah, I'm a bit torn. I have a friend who lived on a boat in the anchorage decades ago, a serious sailor but couldn't afford insurance. But his boat was in good shape and double- anchored (is that the term?) when necessary. "Derelict" boats are home to people, just as derelict apartments are. But clean up is definitely an issue. I'm actually surprised the City ignored this and HTO handled it. I want my tax dollars to go to boat rescue/cleanup!