Two Beached Boats Prompt Rescue, Cleanup Efforts Along Santa Barbara Coast

Two separate boats have run aground along the Santa Barbara coastline in recent weeks — one prompting a rescue response off Carpinteria State Beach Tuesday night, and the other washing ashore unmanned at Montecito’s Butterfly Beach earlier this month.

The more recent incident involved a solo sailor en route from Long Beach to Santa Barbara aboard the Peregrine. Around 8:25 p.m. on Tuesday, July 22, the boat drifted into a rocky area known as Tar Pits, about 150 yards offshore, and issued a “mayday” call.

According to Carpinteria-Summerland Fire Battalion Chief Mike Hayek, who served as Incident Commander, “It was a single vessel, with one soul on board that put out a distress call. The boat had drifted into the rocks.”

A multi-agency rescue effort followed. “Medic Engine 61 arrived on scene and deployed a rescue swimmer to the boat to investigate,” Hayek said. “Carpinteria Fire deployed our Rescue Water Craft to assist our swimmer and an additional State Parks rescue swimmer to remove the civilian/captain of the boat and brought him to shore.” A Coast Guard helicopter, also dispatched after a mayday was declared, was canceled once the situation was under control. The sailor was uninjured and was released to California State Parks for investigation.

On Wednesday morning, the vessel remained grounded near the shoreline, but was successfully towed back out to sea and returned to the harbor during high tide that night, according to Heal the Ocean, the nonprofit environmental organization that helped assess both boats for any hazardous materials or environmental risk. 

The vessel that washed ashore at Butterfly Beach is what Heal the Ocean defines as a “derelict” boat — typically old or unseaworthy vessels anchored in Santa Barbara’s so-called “Fools Anchorage” near Stearns Wharf, often purchased by unhoused individuals from sellers looking to offload them cheaply. In this case, said Heal the Ocean Field and Research Advisor Harry Rabin, the boat’s anchor chain appears to have rotted through, allowing it to drift into county waters and eventually run aground.

The derelict boat was first reported to Montecito Fire on July 8 around 5:30 p.m. Fire personnel determined that it was unoccupied and notified the Coast Guard, Harbor Patrol, Santa Barbara Police, and the Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office.

Later that same evening, around 10 p.m., crews responded again to the beach after a kayaker — possibly associated with the beached boat — became exhausted while attempting to tow the vessel back to sea. He eventually reached another boat about 150 yards offshore. A rescue swimmer confirmed he did not need further assistance.

Ten days later, on July 18, Montecito Fire returned to the area following reports of a fuel odor from the boat. Firefighters determined no fuel was leaking but referred the case to the Sheriff’s Office, which obtained the boat’s registration information and began coordinating removal.

That removal is now scheduled for early this Friday, around 4:45 a.m., during low tide. Heal the Ocean’s Harry Rabin said the organization is working closely with the Sheriff’s Office on the operation and is continuing to survey the site using both ground and aerial inspections.

Rabin also noted the owner of the derelict boat is a “repeat offender” in similar incidents. Heal the Ocean, which frequently steps in to help remove these vessels, said this situation underscores the importance of the Boat Task Force formed in 2022 to prevent and manage derelict boat wrecks before they become environmental hazards or burdens on local taxpayers.