High Winds Send Sailboat Aground in Santa Barbara

Easterly winds kicking up in advance of Wednesday’s predicted storm were strong enough to drag the Norma Zane‘s anchor and fling her onto Santa Barbara’s East Beach early this morning. The Indy‘s advertising director Sarah Sinclair happened to be there and captured the scene in photos.

The boat ran aground at around 6:40 a.m., and the Harbor Patrol had arrived by 7:15 a.m., Sinclair said, putting up signs to warn people away from the unstable boat. The gusty winds were blowing the tops off the waves, she noted, though it was calmer in town.

Erik Engebretson, a supervisor with the Harbor Patrol, said no one was on board when the Norma Zane reached the beach. The Harbor Patrol knew who was living aboard, however, and had advised them and all the boats at anchor and in the mooring area off Stearns Wharf to come into the harbor. Many often take their chances and remain at sea. Another sailboat ran aground at Butterfly Beach yesterday.

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