ST. AUGUSTINE, Fla. – Nearly a week after a 40-foot sailboat washed ashore at Jacksonville Beach, the boat has become a major attraction reeling in sightseers from all over.
Many beachgoers were at Jacksonville Beach Sunday to admire the shipwreck. Shiloh Jarock heard about the site online and had to see it for himself.
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“I just saw it on Facebook and wanted to come check it out. My friends are down for the weekend from Chicago, and it’s an excuse to get out on the beach,” Jarock said.
The large sailboat ran aground on Monday and the rare sight has drawn the attention of many curious people.
Rodney Waters came to the beach with his buddies, who traveled from Vidalia, Georgia, for the Florida-Georgia game to get a good look at it as well.
“You don’t see this every day!” Waters said.
MORE: Sailboat owner says series of unfortunate events led to stranding on Jacksonville Beach | 40-foot sailboat runs aground in Jacksonville Beach
Luke Rehberg is the boat’s owner. He said he lives on the vessel and had been floating off the coast to watch the air and sea show last week when the anchor broke.
“I had engine failure and after the engine failure, I anchored out and broke anchor, lost my anchor and the entire setup for that and slowly drifted into the beach here,” Rehberg said.
Rehberg estimates damages to the boat to be somewhere around $10,000. He also estimates it will cost another $10,000 just to remove it.
As of now, it’s unclear if and when the ship will sail again.
A GoFundMe has been set up to help Rehberg save his sailboat home. You can donate here.