FORT MYERS, FLORIDA: A Florida man in Fort Myers found something unusual. A boat was found dumped "in the middle of nowhere" along a service road on Thursday, August 17.
It appears as though the boat was parked and left there, according to the man's neighbors who regularly pass by this location. They initially found it amusing, but they raised some concerns too.
What is the Florida man saying about the boat?
Ralph Czekalinski and his neighbors, who frequently travel on the service road beside US 41, discovered a boat discarded by the side. "I thought it was rather comical and I drove right on up here to see this thing," he stated, per NBC 2.
Czekalinski is on the board of the condo association. He stated that they had previously contacted the county as it was definitely not something they came across every day.
"It’s scary how people just don’t care about anything and just drop the boat off in the middle of nowhere," added Jan Harr, an Estero resident.
Why was the boat abandoned?
The boat was allegedly pulled off of a trailer using a tree and a rope, according to the neighbors.
Disposing off an old boat can cost hundreds or even thousands of dollars. "Sometimes gets a lot of weird stuff dumped," Czekalinski said.
This is not the first time Czekalinski and his neighbors have spotted something strange on this stretch. Prior to this, they had found a sack of dead chickens.
"We actually had an 8-person hot tub dumped here," Czekalinski said, while Harr added, "At night or driving along… you hit that and you’re dead."
They are hoping that the county can identify the boat's owner using the registration number on it. Else they expect the Lee County to take it down soon.
What happens to abandoned boats in Florida?
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC), which oversees the state's derelict vessel program, coordinates the removal of these vessels.
The program has outlined policies and processes for removing abandoned vessels from state waters, per the Marine Debris website.
A boat that is unable to move on its own is considered a derelict vessel (DV), while an abandoned vessel (AV) has been left in or near public seas. Police launch an investigation if they have reason to believe a boat has been derelict or abandoned.
Prior to using taxpayers' money for removal, every attempt is taken to get in touch with the most recently registered owner and hold the guilty parties accountable.
The vessel is given to WCIND contractors for removal if they are unable to track down the owner and have them remove the vessel, according to the Lee County website.
An estimated 60 abandoned or derelict vessels are removed from Lee County waters every year.
