All hands were on deck as city officials worked to remove sunken sailboats from the depths of Sheepshead Bay on Feb. 24.
The city’s Chief of Waterfront and Marine Operations, Nate Grove, teamed up with local Council Member Inna Vernikov to remove three sunken vessels from the waters off of southern Brooklyn, which helped to clear the waters for future boats traversing the waterway.
As part of the Greener NYC Initiative, put in place by the Council, in an effort to fight against climate change, Council Member Vernikov allocated $55,000 to aid in the removal of the abandoned vessels.
This allowed the city’s Parks Department to get to work on removing the boats that had been lodged at the bottom of the bay for years.
The process involved a tow boat, inflatable lift bags and the help of an experienced dive team.
Abandoned and derelict vessels can damage marine habitats, leak pollutants into the water and endanger boaters if lodged in their navigation channel.
This raised years of complaints from local residents worried about the boats’ environmental impact, as well as their impact on the visual aesthetics of the bay.
The Parks Department works to keep the marinas maintained and flourishing throughout the five boroughs, ensuring boaters are able to sail without obstruction.
Clearing out the abandoned vessels preserves the local marine ecosystem and ensures smooth sailing for all, said Grove
“New York is a city of water, with a shoreline that exceeds the length of Boston, Miami, Seattle, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego combined. Abandoned derelict vessels in our waterways and along our shorelines pose a serious risk to navigation and public safety,” he said. “We are grateful to Council Member Vernikov for supporting our efforts to maintain the safety of our waterways and protect our natural marine environment.”
The team was able to successfully remove three boats, with a fourth scheduled for removal at a later date.
