Derelict boats collected in Brevard County

COCOA VILLAGE, Fla. (FOX 35 Orlando) - People in Brevard County are taking notice, as crews begin to wrangle up more than 60 derelict boats.

One resident says she’ll believe it when she sees it. She and others in Cocoa Village had to build a bridge to access their dock, because of an abandoned damaged boat that was stuck on shore. They are ready to see the wreck removed, but they’ve gotten their hopes up before, only to be let down.

“We can’t wait!” said Karol Clifton.

Clifton has become very used to the sight of this derelict boat, the Denali, and she yearns for the day it’s gone.

“It’s an eyesore,” she said.

Next week, or the week after, the county said Clifton will get her wish. On March 1, the county began the project to remove derelict boats. There are four to six weeks remaining. In the beginning, 13 wrecks were targeted. At this point, they are more than halfway through -- seven boats down.  The cost of the project is $120,000.

Clifton has reason to be skeptical. In 2017, state and federal authorities removed some boats that washed up during Hurricane Irma. The wreck of the Denali was nearly taken away, as seen in pictures taken by Clifton, but the demolition crew set it right back down again. Officials said legal issues arose and they learned the boat had been derelict before Irma. So they left it.  But the county says that won’t happen this time.

“Well actually, it has drawn a crowd to Cocoa Village,” Clifton said laughing, “My husand says he’s just used to it.”  

The county says it is looking to get the necessary funding to get to all of the wrecks. They call it a work in progress.