Islamorada property owner Bob Di Loreto couldn’t believe his eyes when he peered out at the Florida Bay around 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 18. Sitting near his docks was a yacht that broke loose from its mooring due to a storm the day before.
Di Loreto’s Little Bay property is home to three rental units which offer breathtaking views of Florida Bay. Glimpses of the water and the backcountry were slightly hindered by a 95-foot motor yacht for the last week. The boat was moored roughly three-quarters of a mile from his bayside property. Di Loreto said he heard from the owners of the yacht after it broke loose. Marine crews have tried to free the vessel for the past week.
“They got it from its sideways orientation and more out to the gulf,” Di Loreto told Keys Weekly on Feb. 27. Di Loreto said crews hope to have the boat out to sea by Feb. 28.
Di Loreto spends half his time in Islamorada and the other half in his home state of Michigan. Looking at the vessel, Di Loreto spotted two insignias on the side of the yacht, one reading JBM and the other for the Beach Grill. Come to find out, JBM stands for Jefferson Beach Marina, a boating community in St. Clair Shores, Michigan.
“I retired and moved away and then this damn boat showed up,” Di Loreto joked.
