Posted on March 22, 2016
Recent El Nino storms formed a sandbar at the entrance of Santa Cruz Harbor and all boats are now banned from entering or exiting.
A U.S. Coast Guard port captain issued an emergency order on Friday afternoon.
“I am establishing a temporary emergency safety zone to restrict vessel traffic at the Santa Cruz Harbor as a result of severe shoaling that has produced hazardous conditions,” Capt. G. C. Stump said.
Boats are banned from sailing into or out of the harbor until 10 a.m. on May 1, or when emergency dredging is completed, Stump said. Dredging crews hope to reopen the harbor before April.
Since December, boaters have faced obstacles trying to navigate around hazards in the harbor. Dredging operators attempted to clear silt and debris from the harbor all winter, but the forces of Mother Nature remained one step ahead.
Civil penalties for violating the Coast Guard’s order include a maximum $40,000 fine.
