Temecula, Calif. — “Waste dumping continues to be a problem in wine regions, and this is a problem.” According to Reddit user.
Locals recently discovered an abandoned large boat in Temecula Wine Country. It’s not the first time large items have been dumped in a remote dirt road location, but it’s certainly one of the strangest things left there.
Residents say the location is frequented by off-road drivers and hikers and is behind several wineries. It offers beautiful views of the mountains and reflective drainage channels that fill with water when it rains. So when Reddit username Mike warned other users that a boat had been spotted near a small pond, the photo he posted sparked some funny comments.
“Maybe we’re waiting for a flood?” replied one poster.
Still, large-scale dumping at the foot of Mount Temecula is nothing out of the ordinary. Some locals do their best to keep the debris clean, but most are not receptive to doing so, Mike told Patch.
“Needless to say, this is the weirdest thing I’ve ever seen come down here,” he said.
A beautiful little lake for photographers and outdoor enthusiasts, unfortunately it has also become a well-known ‘garbage dump’.
This is “a small off-road trail area and one of the few trail areas left in our area,” said another tipper.
The boat looks in pretty good shape. The tag had not been updated since 2019, and it was unclear whether the ship had been stolen or abandoned.
The Riverside County Sheriff’s Department’s Temecula Police Service is aware of its existence, along with the hull identification number, and can help locate the boat’s rightful owner if it is reported stolen.
There were no witnesses or cameras, and it is unclear when the boat was left there, officials said.
Riverside County Sheriff’s Department Lieutenant Sean Pourier told Patch that he plans to consider removing the boat, and cleanup work could be done with state grants.
Meanwhile, a Reddit poster suggests that if the owner knows it’s there, it should be removed before the sheriff’s department can issue a fine.
Jokes about why the boat is there aside, Mike has one final memory for everyone who enjoys this wine country estate.
