Three More Boats Ashore Converge with Santa Barbara Homeless Camps
This Boat Ran Aground less than 30 yds from Homeless Encampment, All photos by Harry Rabin
This week, 3 more boats broke free of their moorings off East Beach and landed at various places on our coastline, including the East Beach Bathhouse and below “Graveyards,” near Butterfly Beach.
Boat #1 was fortunately intercepted by the Santa Barbara harbor patrol before hitting the shore. This prevented the alterative and familiar scenario of breaking apart along the shoreline and contributing fuel, oil and numerous toxic chemicals on the beach. Boat #2 washed ashore near the East Beach Bathhouse, but was towed back out to sea to be properly secured.
Boat #3 (pictured above) washed ashore during Tuesday’s storm and ran aground below the Santa Barbara cemetery 50 feet inside the Santa Barbara County line. Carson Chevitz, Owner of TowBoatUS Ventura, is working to get the boat off the beach, but as of this writing, the vessel is still there – and there isn’t much time before it starts to tear apart in the surf.
Heal the Ocean is keeping a close watch on the situation
Less than 30 yards away from where this last vessel washed ashore, there were six encampments occupied by approximately five individuals experiencing homelessness. Four of the encampments were in disarray due to the heavy rain and hightide. HTO Field Director Harry Rabin noted that the camps were situated beneath a steep cliff with boulders above. More rain could have caused these boulders to come loose, lethal to any person below. In interviews with the campers, Rabin learned that three out of the five people had contacted City Net for housing options, but that they have been awaiting help for months.
Heal the Ocean joins the Santa Barbara Sheriff’s Department in petitioning the County to post a “No Camping” sign in this area. This posting would provide law enforcement with a stronger handle to combat the beach-camping problem, and would protect people at the same time.
Boat #3 Approximately 50 Feet Inside of the County Line
Heal the Ocean continues to monitor the Wrecked/Derelict boat problem, and is leading a stakeholder group composed of city and county officials, the U.S. Coast Guard, the Santa Barbara harbor department, and others, to put an end to the constant trashing of our beaches with improperly anchored and unattended vessels. The cost of their removal after hitting the beach is high.
From all of us at Heal the Ocean to all of you, thank you, and please stay safe.
Hillary Hauser, Executive Director
HTO thanks the Poehler-Stremel Charitable Trust
for providing funds to publish our newsletters and e-letters!