letter to the editor

Wiscasset - a place where old boats come to die?

Mon, 07/30/2018 - 4:30pm

Dear Editor:

I am saddened and dismayed daily by the sight of the sunken minesweeper in our harbor. That poor old World War II boat has been sitting in the mud since January, and aside from sticking an expensive orange buoy on the mast, there has been no resolution yet to getting the boat hauled away. 

This sets a very dangerous precedent; if one negligent owner can get away with dumping an old boat and 30 gallons of oil in Wiscasset waters without penalty, then what’s to stop someone else from doing the same or worse? Imagine our harbor littered with sunken junk. If someone has the resources to purchase and moor a boat, then there is no excuse for abandoning the boat when it no longer suits their needs.

This boat needs to go, and it needs to be at the expense of the current owner and not the taxpayers, many of whom would love to own a boat but understand the responsibilities inherent in owning one. Select board, please be firm and get this done.

Leslie Roberts

Wiscasset