Harbor Blotter — Aug. 30

Byline: The Log Staff

ORANGE COUNTY
Dana Point Harbor
Aug. 17 • 5:37 p.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a 25-foot sailboat that lost its rudder 400 yards from the harbor entrance.
Aug. 19 • 9:07 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers towed a disabled vessel back to the docks.
Aug. 21 • 5:42 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a personal watercraft drifting toward the shore. The PWC was returned to the launch ramp.

Newport Harbor
Aug. 19 • 4:32 p.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol officers repaired a mooring ball that had become disconnected.
Aug. 20 • 6:41 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to reports that a boat was illegally secured in an anchorage and was interfering with an ongoing regatta.
Aug. 20 • 9:15 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers towed a boat that had gone adrift at Swales Landing.
Aug. 21 • 4:11 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers towed in a catamaran that experienced a broken mast.

Sunset Beach/Huntington Harbour
Aug. 17 • 9:41 p.m. Orange County Sheriff’s Harbor Patrol officers towed a 32-foot powerboat back to its slip.

VENTURA COUNTY
Ventura Harbor
Aug. 12 • 1 p.m. Ventura Harbor Patrol officers reportedly observed a boater drop a can of varnish while at the top of his boat’s mast. Officers reported that the can hit the deck, splattered and fell into the water. The boater, Ventura West Marina maintenance staff and Harbor Patrol personnel successfully contained and cleaned up the spill, over a five-hour period.
Aug. 13 • 4:47 a.m. Ventura Police Department personnel activated the Harbor Patrol’s on-call system to report that an allegedly intoxicated and suicidal 17-year-old had wandered from her group and was headed toward the water at Surfer’s Knoll. Harbor Patrol officers responded, by vehicle and boat. Police located the girl, who was wet, but safe. Police issued all members of the group citations for loitering on the beach.
Aug. 13 • 2:45 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers received a report that a PWC was disabled behind the breakwater. Officers had the operator walk the PWC off the beach, then took it in tow and released it at the launch ramp. Aug. 14 • 4 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers received a request for assistance from a vessel disabled in the harbor entrance. Officers took the vessel in tow and released it at its slip at Ventura West Marina.
Aug. 16 • 2:36 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a vessel 1 mile from shore with steering issues. Officers escorted the boat to the long dock, for repairs.
Aug. 16 • 2:46 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report of a vessel in danger of going aground near Emma Woods. Officers took the vessel in tow and released it in the harbor.

SANTA BARBARA COUNTY
Santa Barbara Harbor
Aug 8 • 1:20 p.m. Harbor Patrol officers responded to a report from lifeguards at East Beach that a powerboat was in the swim area, with a possibly intoxicated female operator. The skiff was beached, and the operator reportedly ran away before officers arrived. The skiff was impounded and a “Be On The Lookout” was issued for the operator. When the operator claimed the skiff the next day, she was issued a citation for operating inside a swim area.
Aug 13 • 9:15 a.m. Harbor Patrol officers observed a bag of trash floating in the main channel and retrieved it. While draining the bag, it appeared to contain blood. Upon closer inspection, it reportedly contained empty wine bottles and the head of a young goat with horns.
Aug. 13 • 7:35 p.m. The victim of a laptop theft two weeks ago reported that a computer program had sent him a photo of a person using the laptop at several locations at the harbor. Harbor Patrol officers located a vessel similar to the one in the background of the photo from the computer and contacted the Ventura Police Department. Police, the victim and the person in the photo all happened to arrive on the dock at the same time. Police interviewed the subject and arrested him on suspicion of grand theft.