Beached Vessels
Heal the Ocean responds to an ongoing problem of abandoned and derelict vessels along the Santa Barbara coast—preventing groundings, removing wrecks, and stopping toxic pollution before it reaches our ocean.
Working together with MarBorg Industries, Heal the Ocean removes a beached vessel from Butterfly Beach, carefully timing the operation with low tide. Photo by Harry Rabin
Boats often wash ashore or sink in sensitive coastal habitats, releasing fuel, oil, plastics, and additional debris that threaten wildlife, public safety, and water quality. Our team works with local agencies, harbor districts, and community partners to respond quickly to groundings, coordinate complex cleanups, and advocate for policies that prevent these incidents before they occur. We often partner with MarBorg Industries to remove the boats before they can impact the ocean.
When Heal the Ocean is notified that a boat has run aground, HTO Field Advisor Harry Rabin responds to the scene to assess the wreck, remove hazardous materials such as fuel, batteries, and sewage, notify the appropriate authorities, and obtain permission to remove the vessel from the beach. Photo by Harry Rabin.
How we are addressing the root cause:
County Boat Wreck Task Force: HTO leads a collection of many agencies working to advocate for stronger oversight, better vessel management, and early intervention to stop these boats from running aground in the first place. By combining on-the-ground action with long-term solutions, we are protecting our coast from avoidable environmental damage. The Task Force also works on local policies to better protect our coastline from boat wreck impacts.
Vessel Surrender Program: HTO has entered a public/private partnership with the City of Santa Barbara Waterfront Department, to provide funds to participate in the California Dept. of Boating & Waterways Surrendered and Abandoned Vessel Exchange Program (SAVE). The County also receives state grant funding to assist with derelict vessel disposal. The state program requires an NGO as a partner, so HTO has stepped forward to provide funding to support the program.
How Boat Owners Can Protect Themselves: By carrying insurance, registration, and keeping their vessels in safe operating condition. For additional boating safety information, visit the California Division of Boating and Waterways.
See a time lapse video of our team in action:
Since 2021, Heal the Ocean has responded to 29 boat wrecks along the Santa Barbara County coastline, helping keep our beaches clean and safe for visitors while preventing hazardous materials from polluting the ocean.
Explore the stories behind each boat wreck and the efforts to protect our coast:
A sailboat washed ashore near Point Conception in one of the most environmentally sensitive stretches of California's coastline, within the Chumash Heritage National Marine Sanctuary, the Jack and Laura Dangermond Preserve, and adjacent to Vandenberg Space Force Base. The cleanup was extremely complex, as the crew had to navigate heavy equipment down steep cliffs, time the tide, acquire approvals, and avoid damaging the native vegetation, all while removing the boat wreck. The cleanup required weeks of planning and coordination among the U.S. Coast Guard, California Coastal Commission, NOAA, the Santa Barbara County Sheriff's Office, MarBorg, and Heal the Ocean. The cleanup cost approximately $22,000, with funding provided through a combination of state grant support and Heal the Ocean, underscoring how abandoned vessels often leave nonprofits and taxpayers responsible for protecting our coast.
When this boat washed ashore on East Beach, Harry Rabin, HTO’s Field Advisor, was on the beach at dawn, removing pollutants from the boat, and calling authorities for permission to get the boat off the beach. The City of Santa Barbara responded to HTO’s calls for assistance, and ended up paying the fee for disposal by MarBorg Industries. The cost of the cleanup exceeded almost $20,000, and the boat owner could have avoided this problem by insuring the boat for $102 a year.
An extreme high tide and heavy surf pushed an anchored sailboat onto East Beach. The following morning, HTO Field Advisor Harry Rabin responded, working alone to remove hazardous materials and relocate them above the tideline to prevent pollution. While on site, Harry coordinated with multiple agencies, including Harbor Patrol, the Coast Guard, Patriot Environmental Services, TowBoatUS, and others, to develop a safe removal plan. He also located the vessel owner and ensured 40 gallons of diesel fuel were removed before the boat was demolished the following morning. The primary concern was preventing additional toxic materials, including fuel and oil, from entering the ocean.
A storm-driven vessel washed ashore below the Santa Barbara Cemetery, just inside the Santa Barbara County line at Butterfly Beach. Alarmingly, the boat washed ashore only 50 feet from individuals camping on the beach, highlighting the serious public safety risks posed by vessels that break anchor and drift ashore unexpectedly.
HTO has compiled a record of these incidents, documenting the response efforts, including: 1) vessel survey and site access, 2) removal and proper disposal of hazardous materials, and 3) excavation and removal of vessels and associated debris.
While the true environmental cost of these incidents is difficult to quantify, the impacts of preventable boat wrecks are often overlooked.
