As winter weather and strong winds hit the Sunshine Coast on Thursday, Jan. 11, a sailboat was dragged out of the Town of Gibsons recreational water lot.
The boat, a yacht called the Mahilo II, sunk against the Gibsons Landing Harbour Authority’s infrastructure. While the Gibsons Seawalk remains open, the Harbour Authority has closed the walkway access to the lower portion of the wharf, since the boat is posing a safety hazard, Harbour manager Chris Lougheed told Coast Reporter.
“We've been monitoring that as we go along, and trying to minimize damage. It's really just racing against the forces of nature and wind and tide to try and get it out while not damaging anything,” Lougheed said.
Lougheed said he anticipates removal could take several days, if not longer.
The Town of Gibsons and Harbour Authority have notified Transport Canada about the vessel, Gibsons communication manager Bronwyn Kent said. Transport Canada, with the help of Freedom Divers and Search and Rescue, will follow their protocol to determine a plan for removal and disposal. While a timeline was not available, Kent said they expect the issue will be taken care of as soon as possible. Lougheed said no pollutants were on board.
Lougheed said this kind of situation is a regular occurrence during winter.
“We're seeing increased traffic out there due to all of society's issues between the lack of housing space, the costs of everything. More and more people are turning to alternative living situations like living on a boat. And they very quickly realize that it's very difficult, and they don't have the skills to do it.”
