By Tessa Swanton (Townson), Bruce Peninsula Press
An abandoned sailboat has been left neglected in Pike Bay for nearly a year. On the Civic Holiday long weekend in 2024, a couple sailing from Sarnia along the Lake Huron coast decided to stop in Pike Bay and left their boat near By the Bay Resort’s dock, seeming eager to access amenities like showers, food and groceries. Due to a personal conflict, their trip ended abruptly resulting in the sailboat being deserted.
Owners of By the Bay Resort in Pike Bay, Brian and Sarah Carson, agreed to an interview and recalled the days after the sailboat was abandoned.
Sarah Carson reported that an altercation occurred on their waterfront property which caused the sailboat to be left in Pike Bay where it became lodged in a shoal. She explained that the fallout of the dispute was time-consuming, between phone calls, emails, and reporting to officials.
“The wind came up and that sailboat started moving. We wanted to go and put an anchor on it; we had to go through the proper channels to be able to do that.” Carson said the boat owner’s family granted permission to install an anchor on the boat to stop it from moving, “because we were concerned that it was going to hit someone’s boat, property or our dock.”
As days passed, “The boat got stuck in the shallows.” Carson said, “The Coastguard flew over in a very low chopper to check out this boat because we were concerned about the gas on board.” By the Bay staff assisted the sailboat passenger in removing her belongings from the vessel. The Canadian Coastguard (CCG) deemed the sailboat not to be hazardous to the environment, people or property and ceased involvement with the case.
Carson stated that “The community really tried to help him get that boat out of there. So many people used their own boats and Sea-Doos to try to get him free and do everything we could to get him out of there; that keel is in the Pike Bay muck.” The sailboat owner returned to temporarily live on the vessel then eventually removed the motor and valuable items. The sailboat remains stuck in Pike Bay.
She noted that “We had people coming into [By the Bay] daily asking what are you doing with that sailboat? We were getting a little bit hopeless and thinking that this boat’s just going to be there, until this guy reached out to us on April 2nd of this year.” A spokesperson from Transport Canada (TC) contacted the Carsons, confirming that the sailboat is under their jurisdiction and they are monitoring and assessing the vessel. Presently, TC is seeking the sailboat owner. Should a contravention with the sailboat be identified and an owner is not found or does not come forward, TC may use its authorities under the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act to remove and dispose of the vessel. TC will be looking to identify an owner over the summer and may perform a site inspection.
“[TC] asked if [they] could use our premises to remove the boat, we said absolutely – collectively in Pike Bay we all want to see this sailboat moved.” Carson said, “So the good news is, it’s going to be dealt with, that’s what I’d like the Pike Bay and greater community to know.”
When asked about the sailboat’s impact on By the Bay’s business, she said, “It impacted my cottage sales down there, I had someone leave because of [another incident that frightened our guests.] We probably missed takeout sales, [the sailboat owner] was on the [business] phone everyday for stretches, you know, we’re small-town folk.” She explained, “We were all trying to work together, us and the community, to do everything we could to help him, especially in the height of our season to deal with a situation that we never had happen before. This business has been in my family for 20 years, and this is a new one.”
The Carsons clarified that “There was a misunderstanding from a lot of people that this is By the Bay’s problem, and they need to deal with this. There was this perception by some people, why aren’t they getting rid of that boat? It’s near their dock. [The sailboat couple] were never staying with us, they were sailing up Lake Huron, this was just a coincidence that they picked our dock.”
She said, “I feel like every time I drive by the base of the bay; I look over [and] I see that sailboat and it’s just a reminder of what we and the community went through with this boat, it leaves a bad taste in your mouth.”
Transport Canada Versus Canadian Coastguard Responsibility
TC and the CCG jointly administer the Wrecked, Abandoned or Hazardous Vessels Act.
A spokesperson from the CCG confirmed that while they are responsible for addressing hazardous vessels, TC is the lead authority in managing wrecked and abandoned vessels. Intervention from the CCG is dependent on the immediacy of the hazard and owner cooperation. Vessels deemed low risk for pollution are transferred to TC. Vessels with an immediate threat of environmental pollution are quickly addressed; although the focus is not on removing all problem vessels, but on mitigating the hazard. If a vessel owner is unknown, then the CCG may remove pollutants and the vessel.
A vessel of concern should be reported to the CCG along with information such as the type, size, and any identification markers. They will first perform a hazard assessment. If it is determined that the vessel does not pose a hazard, TC will be notified and will then perform a thorough assessment of the vessel.
When owners fail to properly care for their vessels, TC and the CCG attempt to locate them to hold them liable for costs associated with removal of the vessel.
Neglected Boats on the Bruce Peninsula
A fishing tugboat, FV Gary M, sunk twice in 2024 at the Government Dock in Stokes Bay, September 5 and November 20. The tugboat was finally relocated to Southampton on November 26, 2024. On both occasions an oil spill was observed and contained by the CCG and Ministry of Natural Resources (MNR). Thousands of litres of pollutants were reported — 5,500 litres in September and 25,000 litres in November. The CCG organized a contractor to refloat and relocate the sunken tugboat to Southampton. The CCG oversaw remediation of the sunken tugboat as the owner was unavailable.
On March 10 of this year, Keep the Change, a fishing boat, was reported as sinking at the Howdenvale federal government dock releasing fuel into the water. A local resident said that the fishing boat sat neglected for many years by its owner. The boat owner, CCG, and Nawash Fisheries Assessment Program staff jointly contained the diesel fuel pollution. On March 13 of this year the boat was pulled to shore.
In Canada under the Oceans Protections Plan it is illegal to abandon a boat in Canadian waters. The Plan has funded the removal of around 500 boats since 2016 and pledges a 1.5-billion-dollar coastal protections investment.
TC’s Abandoned Boats Program funds the assessment and removal of abandoned or wrecked small boats that pose a hazard in Canadian waters alongside education, awareness and research components focused on public education about boat owner responsibility.
Owning a boat is a privilege that requires responsible maintenance, safety, and storage of the vessel. Although most boat owners take pride in their vessels, the CCG reports that over 2,000 vessels have been reported to their national inventory of problem boats.
