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Harbour master: canal debris removal, dinghy dock and new boat moving forward; sunken‑vessel removals pending county action
Summary
Harbour Master Curtis Leatherbrook told the Anchorage Advisory Committee crews were clearing debris from canals, work funded by FEMA, and that a dinghy dock contract and a new multipurpose service vessel are advancing. He said county agencies handle removal of sunken vessels in the anchorage.
Harbour Master Curtis Leatherbrook told the Anchorage Advisory Committee March 24 that canal debris removal and related mooring‑field operations are advancing and that a new multi‑role service vessel is under procurement to improve maintenance and debris response.
Leatherbrook said crews were scheduled to be working in Canal 21 and would move next to Canal 28, and he reported the debris‑removal contractor had removed roughly 920 cubic yards of material as of the prior Friday. “So we should be in Canal 21 today,” Leatherbrook said.
He said the town’s canal debris removal project is FEMA‑funded and that the current contract extension runs through April 30; if additional work is required the town would seek another extension. Leatherbrook said the dinghy dock project is “finally moving forward,” with a contract expected back this week from Kelly Brothers and a construction timeline to follow once the signed contract is returned.
On sunken and abandoned vessels, Leatherbrook said the Lee County Sheriff’s Office and Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission took immediate custodial action on some vessels after Hurricane Ian and that the county typically contracts removal once its process is complete. He said the town was coordinating with LCSO to obtain an updated removal timeline.
The harbour master also reported high weekend usage in the mooring field, noting “we had pretty close to 75 boats on mooring balls” during the busiest weekend so far. He described a plan to add yearly contracted maintenance for mooring balls, and he confirmed a town procurement to replace two aging service boats with a single landing‑craft style vessel built to a five‑month timeline; the vessel will include a boom, winch and spud pole so crews can service buoys and hoist gear.
On pump‑out compliance in the anchorage, Curtis said the harbour staff maintains a schedule and relationship with long‑term anchorage residents; when staff suspect illegal discharges they will contact the U.S. Coast Guard and the Lee County Sheriff’s Office to investigate. He said some boats use composting heads and that staff keep a list of vessels that require pump‑outs.
Ending: Leatherbrook said crews will continue canal work through the contract term and will follow up with county law enforcement on sunken‑vessel removal timelines; staff will also move forward with the new vessel procurement and scheduled mooring maintenance.
