Boating; Why the Dead End Canal?


Way back, some twenty five years ago, a commercial fisherman who lived on our canal unintentionally sank his boat in the entrance of our canal. Prior to the blockage our canal was simply named 'Bay Canal #3' because it was on the back bay and was the third canal from Bowditch point that didn't have a name. The Iowa canal didn't have a good ring.

The damaged commercial fishing vessel's desperate dash was interrupted by a law enforcement vessel because it was spewing diesel fuel and saltwater from the bilge pump. Why wouldn't it be after colliding with a shrimp boat near the Sky bridge. It was definitely sinking. The Captain had his crew running every pump on board including the engines cooling system. They desperately wanted the boat to sink at his dock but it sank just inside the canal entrance.

Before the Captain and friends could raise her the EPA showed up and put big oil containing booms around the half submerged vessel. “It's a crime scene now,” said the FLDEP representative. Thee was suspicion that the fishing crew was drunk and caused the crash but after a thorough investigation it was determined to be just an accident.

The entrance to our canal was blocked for many months. The lawsuits flew and the “Jumpin' Jack's” restaurant at the bend of the canal went out of business. Recently resurrected as the 'Pukin' Pelican' after many different owners went under. The residents of the canal formed a yacht club, the “Dead End Canal Yacht Club” was formed so we would have a voice in the removal process which eventually occurred.

“Dead End Canal Yacht Club” was a joke at first. Most of the canal residents were long time 'beachers' and real 'Crackers' who definitely weren't the yacht types. Eventually, the natives took the Yankee dollars and moved inland. Snowbirds filled in the gaps and prices soared as the 'knock-down' phase came and went and then the foreclosure phase and hopefully that's done.

Boatguy Ed (boatguiEd@aol.com) is the manufacturer of the worlds BEST anti-fouling bottom paint,www.supershipbottom.com. TWEET me @boatguyed and a corresponding web site is http://www.boatingbyboatguyed.com/........ NEVER, EVER TRY TO BUY HIM A DRINK!
This blog/column is meant for educational purposes only. Any resemblance to real persons, living or dead, is purely coincidental. Void where prohibited. Some assembly required. Do not read while operating a motor vehicle or heavy equipment.
 
 
 

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