Residents of southeast Cape Coral are facing a persistent problem that has left their boating dreams stuck in the mud. For nearly three years, the Rim Canal, the only route out for hundreds of boats, has been filled with silt, making navigation difficult.
"Everybody comes through this pathway," said Chris Elliott, a Cape Coral resident.
The situation worsened after Hurricane Ian, which filled in the canal even more.
"It was 15 feet deep on that corner, and now it's two feet deep," said Brian Haag, another resident of Cape Coral.
No matter the tide, residents describe the experience as one of scraping and praying their boats make it through.
"We have to watch the tides lift all the way up, and you still scratch things up trying to get out over there," said Dale Hildebrant, a local resident.
"Every time we go out, we kind of hold our breath, trim our engines up, and scoot out the straight out the front," said Eric Token, another resident.
Some boaters have given up and started storing their boats elsewhere.
"I've been keeping my boat at Marine Max across the way, and it's an extra 1200 to $1,300 a month," said Token.
Others have faced costly damages.
"It is my baby, and try to take as good a care as that, as I would my child," said Gary Lancos, a Cape Coral resident. "I managed to get paint rubbed off of my middle engine and I just got done paying to get all that repaired."
"Boats aren't cheap… when you tear them up, it's quite expensive," added Hildebrant.
Residents stress that this issue extends beyond boating. It's a matter of safety.
"Say that this guy's boat catches on fire, he can't get a fire boat through this channel," said Elliott.
Elliott reached out to the City of Cape Coral for help.
"I initially reached out to the City of Cape Coral in February of 23," he said.
However, residents feel their concerns have been ignored.
"Nobody wants to deal with it," said Haag. "It just falls off people's radar."
The community is calling for action—a dredge plan to clear the canal.
"I would think it could be done by the end of the year. That doesn't seem like a crazy request to me," said Haag.
"All I want is for the city to do the right thing," said Elliott.
Residents continue to hope for a resolution that will allow them to safely and easily access the Gulf once more.