Bystanders help recover a boat that’s sinking into Bimini Basin

Bystanders help clean up and recover a boat that is sinking into Bimini Basin in Cape Coral.

People who know the owner of a sinking boat headed over to the basin to see it for themselves.

A man and his cousin who do not wish to be named were helping to clean out the sinking boat on Thursday.

The man said he was cleaning the boat to help out the owner who was letting a woman live on his boat.

Michael Ponde, a bystander, “A lot of people, especially on an older boat like that. They’ll just walk away from it and leave a big mess and leave it up for the county. But these guys are? Well, you can see him up there now. Trying to get it. Get the water out of there.”

Ponde said he stopped by during the time these men were working and offered a pump to help drain the water out of the boat.

“We all tend to stick together a little bit and help each other, especially with something that’s serious, you know, no one likes to see a boat below the waterline,” Ponde said.

Regardless of how the boat took on too much water, it is the boat owner’s responsibility to figure out how to make the boat seaworthy and get it out of here.

The people in Bimini Basin are trying to help and feel bad for the owner.

“And I think if they give these guys a chance, you know, I think it all resolves itself,” Ponde said.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission said it will not get involved unless the owner just allows the boat to remain at the Bimini Basin.