Three months after Hurricanes Irma and Maria devastated the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Coast Guard has found 459 derelict boats that remain damaged or sunk, resting in marinas, coves, bays, mangrove swamps or washed up on shore. Some are hazards to navigation, others are simply in the way. But in all the cases, the Coast Guard is trying to find their owners, taking out ads on the radio and TV and websites, while working to recover the damaged boats and salvage those that can be fixed. Many boats were damaged so much that the owners won’t take them back.
The derelict boat situation is a double-hit for some people in the charter business there, who rely on customers for their livelihood, particularly in the prime winter season. In the story below, The New York Times quotes Justin Cofield, an owner of St. John Yacht Charters, whose own 45-foot sloop was destroyed. “Even if our boat had made it,” he said, “we would really be struggling, because the customers aren’t here.”
The derelict boats lie throughout the US Virgins, with 50 in Benner Bay on St. Thomas and 50 more in Coral Harbor on St. John. “We don’t know what’s under there,” said Cmdr. David J. Reinhard, the Coast Guard officer in charge of the salvage operation. “It’s very likely we’re going to find more.” Read more:
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/12/18/us/virgin-islands-hurricanes-boats.html?_r=0
