TravelTalkOnline Forums Travel and Vacation Forums St. Maarten - St. Martin No solution for removal of D Boat from Beacon Hill

There is a story in the full version of the Daily Herald today regarding this matter. So far, it does not seem to be in the online version, which is a shame, since it's an interesting story.

I couldn't remember how long it had been on the rocks there, but according to the story, it broke loose and has been there on the rocks since January 2020. According to the story, the owner of the boat was supposedly a company incorporated in Antigua and Barbuda. This company had not been authorized to do business there since 2015. Despite this, it was leased to some folks in SXM, and was authorized by the SXM government to anchor the boat in Simpson Bay, in 2019. Since the boat washed up on the rocks, citizens of Beacon Hill have complained about little aftershocks from where the boat hits up against the rocks, and creaking and moaning sounds, like from a horror movie.

There is a government organization which is responsible for removing shipwrecks. However, it is apparently authorized to remove wrecks ONLY from Simpson Bay Lagoon and from Mullet Bay. Government officials say that the owners of the boat are responsible for removing the wreck. However, the company is defunct, there basically IS no owner of the boat. The wreck will cost some $50,000 to remove, but who will pay?? What a shame..



Above picture not from this trip, but June 2021.

We have good friends that live next to that wreck. It's just to the right of their home as you look out to the water.

I can't imagine having to look at that all the time..

Yes. It wasn't to pretty this last May when we were at our friends house.

Another cluster f*ck on the island.

When we watched the crew prepping the boat several years ago, it was pretty easy to surmise that it had disaster written all over it. A total clown show and they were letting trash blow all over the lagoon and surrounding area while loading the hunk of junk.

We watched one attempt to pull the ship off the rocks in late January or early February 2020. A large tug hooked onto it and made several attempts to pull it free. Unfortunately it wouldn't budge.

Place some planters with flowering plants along the rails and have a local artist paint a mural along the hull and I'm sure it will improve the curb appeal. It might blend right into its surroundings.

UHMN, no..

Don't think so. Would be like a cemetery plot with flowers.

Another SXM. screw up as they keep letting the same people act badly and then bail out with no fines skipping alone to cost the gov and tax payers to fix it. The owners need to pay and be held responsible! If I am correct one of the owners owns a local restaurant on the Dutch Side. Track them down. Its a disaster waiting to happen along Simpson Bay if it gets loose.

Yep. Sadly, it will probably never be addressed properly.

Totally agree. It took how many years for them to finally get rid of the Pink Iguana? And the only way that was finally removed was during that government paid salvage of the submerged boats in the lagoon. Same story as the party boat, locally run, but bankcriupt and the owners get to walk away unscathed financially. sad but it surely continues.

Truth is there are probably a lot more issues that have priority over removal of that boat.

I assume the port has a tug or two that haven't been heavily used during the pandemic. Seems like a good time to lull it lose but then what do you do, pull her out to sea and sink her. Any fuel onboard? That should get pumped off regardless.

Would make a great artificial reef and dive site.

If it would submerge near where it is at that would be an easy shore dive

Not easily accessible from shore.

Halloween is quickly approaching, turn it into a House of Horrors.

Scuba--yes, accress from the shore extremely difficult, except possibly from El Zafiro, but I have no idea what the currents will be there. You would probably know a lot more about this than I would, but I understand that if they want to sink a ship on purpose to form a new reef, there are extensive actions which need to be taken to remove all kinds of items from the boat.

correct. All contaminants ha e tobe removed but I thought that was done prior to becoming a floating bar.

I have no idea. Somehow, based on the fact that these folks apparently were leasing the boat from a company that didn't even exist, I wouldn't bet on it..