A beached yacht, once worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, is now a costly pile of junk that the National Parks Service is still working to remove more than four months after the 41-foot Meridian named “Zoli’s Dream” ran aground on Redwood National and State Parks property.

Redwood National and State Parks Chief Ranger Stephen Troy told the Outpost that mechanical issues and heavy fog caused the boat’s owner to wreck near Enderts Beach on Oct. 2, four miles south of Crescent City. The unnamed man was reportedly able to escape the wreck without serious injury. However, he is now facing federal criminal charges and hefty fines as the battle over the yacht’s cleanup continues.

“Without a doubt, it’s a headache for us,” Troy said.

While Troy confirmed that DUI is not believed to be a factor in this case, the NPS remains tight-lipped about the exact details of the crash and ensuing criminal investigation.

“It is an open criminal case on the federal side and an open civil case,” he said. “The incident itself is possibly criminal — and what transpired afterward. He’s been cited to appear in federal court on a handful of charges.” 

The NPS is anticipating at least a few more months of wading through red tape before it can gain ownership of the yacht and scrap it.

“The big problem is that it still belongs to someone,” Troy said. “There are policies and laws we have to go by before we dispose of it. We’re going through that process now and getting close to a resolution. Hopefully, it will be gone in a couple of months.”

While the exact details of how the yacht will be removed are unclear, Troy said that the NPS is actively discussing the possibility of an in-house cleanup versus the cost of contracting a private company to do the job.

“Logistically it’s tough,” he said. “This is not like moving a car in a ditch. The boat is not seaworthy. It can't float, so it has to be removed by land. It’ll cost a pretty penny for sure to remove it one way or another.”

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