Cape Coral neighbors upset about abandoned boat in Bimini Basin

An abandoned boat is stirring up controversy among neighbors in Cape Coral. They want the broken-down vessel removed, but the owner can’t afford it.

“Would you like to take it home with you?” neighbor Kitty Dandridge said jokingly.

A sailboat ran aground in the Bimini Basin near neighbor’s homes in Cape Coral about a month ago.

This happened the same weekend a confirmed tornado hit Cape Coral, but it’s not confirmed if that’s the cause for the beached boat. Regardless, nearby neighbors are not happy with the wreckage.

“It’s irritating,” neighbor Diana Fountenault said. “We have called the city so many times as have some of my neighbors”

Neighbors Fountenault and Dandridge reached out to us to help find answers.

In an email, a Cape Coral police sergeant with the marine unit issued the owner of the boat a citation and a court date.

“Well, obviously, we’d like it removed and not returned,” Dandridge said.

Police say the criminal process is holding the boat owner accountable, but it does not help remove the vessel. They are working to get and order for removal and destruction, but they told us it could take anywhere from 30 days to six months.

The CCPD marine unite has removed a boat from the basin previously. Fontenault and Dandridge are thankful for what they city has already done to clean the basin over the last year, but they want to see more action.

“Think the city should be doing a better job than what they’re doing with it,” Fontenault said.