For years, derelict boats littered the Oakland Estuary, at times serving as sites of drug activity, or obstacles kayakers would evade before the decaying vessels sank, spewing diesel, sewage or other pollutants into the water.
Then, last week, floating cranes arrived at the waterfront, extracting waterlogged boats in the latest effort to clear the estuary that runs along the shoreline connecting Oakland and Alameda. The channel carries commercial ships to and from the Port of Oakland, while families use its waters for canoeing and stand-up paddleboarding. But abandoned and sunken vessels have long cluttered the estuary. So far this year, Oakland has removed more than 50 boats and local officials intend to remove more sunken vessels over the coming weeks.
“These boats are causing lots of problems. They’re modern-day pirates, committing crimes from the boats and onto the shore. That’s not going to continue to happen,” Oakland Police Captain James Beere said at a press conference Thursday. “We’re reclaiming the waterfront for the public.”…