More than a month and a half after it washed up on shore, the boat stranded off the coast of Isla Vista on Coal Oil Point was finally removed Sunday night. 

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The process of removing it began at noon on Sunday, and it was officially off the beach by 8 p.m., according to Raquel Zick, Santa Barbara County Sheriff’s Office spokesperson. Zick said the removal was a collaborative effort. 

“It takes a while to find a company that will even do this,” Zick said. “[We also] have to coordinate with the owners of the property,” and find most “cost-effective way to do this.” 

The boat was removed by a company called Vessel Assist, which filled the boat with foam before towing it to Santa Barbara Harbor, she said. 

The boat, owned by a 27-year-old Northern California resident, ran aground on Oct. 5, as reported by the Santa Barbara Independent. 

Since it washed up on the popular Isla Vista beach, dozens of residents have taken to climbing on it and taking pictures; the Independent reported that it had been vandalized with graffiti.

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Evelyn Spence
Evelyn Spence harbors a great love for em dashes and runs on nothing but iced coffee, Jolly Ranchers and breaking news. She serves as the managing editor and can be reached at evelyn@dailynexus.com, managing@dailynexus.com or at @evelynrosesc on Twitter.