A cabin cruiser which ran aground during rough weather at Neck Point Park in December, will finally be removed next week. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

By Alex Rawnsley

derelict vessel

Long-stranded boat at Nanaimo’s Neck Point to be removed

Feb 13, 2026 | 4:04 PM

NANAIMO — A derelict boat which ran ashore at Neck Point in mid-December is finally poised to be removed.

A statement from the Canadian Coast Guard to NanaimoNewsNOW confirmed the cabin cruiser, which was first reported on the rocks at Neck Point Park, by the main parking lot, on Dec. 18, 2025, will be removed in the coming days.

“The vessel was secured to the shoreline to prevent it from re-entering the marine environment and sinking. A contractor has been hired and is expected to remove the vessel from the marine environment next week.

It marks the end of a drawn-out journey for the boat over recent months.

Considerable debris has washed ashore from the boat as it has continued to be lodged on rocks at Neck Point Park. (Image Credit: Ian Holmes/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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The vessel first came to attention of the Coast Guard on Nov. 13 when it was seen drifting near Hammond Bay.

Crews were able to locate and re-anchor the cabin cruiser at sea.

An inspection of the boat showed no obvious pollution from oils or marine fuels.

Storms in mid-December, however, knocked it from its mooring and resulted in it slamming into rocks at Neck Point.

An inspection of the boat on Dec. 19 showed damage to the hull of the vessel, with Coast Guard crews securing it to shore.

Contact with the owner was made and communications have continued in the weeks following.

Items and pieces of the boat have washed ashore, picked up by City staff and passersby. This debris was piled at the park on Feb. 1. (Image Credit: Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

In the months since, debris has floated away from the boat and onto the nearby beach.

Included were pieces of styrofoam, fabric, wood and more, most of which was brought into the park by vistors and passersby.

City of Nanaimo manager of parks operations Kirsty MacDonald said it “is very unfortunate this derelict boat has washed into the Neck Point area.”

She added they’ve had constant communication with the Coast Guard, but have had to deal with the subsequent littering of the park.

“Staff have been attending the park…to clean Finn Beach as debris washes up on shore above the high tide line. Members of the public have also been collecting material as it washes up and, when staff attend the park daily, they are depositing  any piled debris into an onsite refuse bin near the main parking lot.”

Regular clean up operations have continued for weeks as debris washes ashore.

The Coast Guard notes all costs associated with the removal of the vessel and clean up of the area are the responsibility of the owner, under Canada’s “polluter pays” principle.

Cushioning from seats and other debris has washed ashore on a regular basis since mid-December. (Image Credit: Alex Rawnsley/NanaimoNewsNOW)

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