October 2023’s Tropical Storm Norma was downgraded from Hurricane status but the damage was still incredibly devastating to the boating community. Over 40 vessels were beached, in addition to those damaged and sunk at marinas. Ten months later many still are. The Port Administration of Baja California Sur (API-BCS) distributed a notice on August 16, 2024, demanding that all beached boats, and boats that were moored or anchored and were “out of operation and do not fulfill the purpose for which it was built,” be removed and either disposed or taken to a facility for repair. Notifications were attached directly to the boats and those that did not contact API-BCS or remove them by the end of August were considered This all comes on the heels of recent activity by Mar Libre, a group of local volunteers who give talks on environmental education in La Paz schools all year round and conduct monthly clean up at reefs and mangroves. (They completed their 113th consecutive monthly clean up in October!) The group is led by Marine Biologist Pablo Ahuja, who is passionate about protecting our marine eco-system.
Over the summer, Mar Libre organized the removal of eight beached boats. Club Cruceros of La Paz donated a large portion of their disaster relief fund to aid in these efforts, which required the rental of heavy machinery to break up the boats for deposit into a dumpster and hauling to a landfill site.
In September, API-BCS made good on it’s promise to clean up the Bay of La Paz and began removing the remaining derelict vessels. The beached boats were craned onto flatbed trucks and sunken vessels were floated, towed and hauled out. All have been moved to a storage yard. Owners seeking to reclaim these vessels will need to include proof of ownership and reimbursement for costs associated with removal.
For information on how to support the efforts of Mar Libre, visit their Facebook group: https://www.facebook.
Heidi Benson Stagg is Commodore of Club Cruceros de La Paz, and a liveaboard sailor on Sonho, 1979 Tayana 42, homeported in Alameda, California, cruising the Sea of Cortez since 2022.
