Helicopters were flying old boats over Budd Inlet this week. Here’s why
If you noticed a helicopter flying low over Budd Inlet with an old boat hanging off the bottom this week, you weren’t seeing things.
The Department of Natural Resources was conducting operations to collect derelict, abandoned boats from regional waterways and remove them to a holding area in Olympia.
Here’s what to know.
DNR boat removal by helicopter
On Tuesday and Wednesday, DNR removed 14 derelict boats in the Squaxin Island area, using one of their Huey UH-H1 helicopters.
The flight path took the helicopter directly over Budd Inlet and ended at DNR’s holding area at Squaxin Park on the shores of East Bay. They will later be moved to a final destination for disposal.
DNR was flying from Squaxin Island to Squaxin Park at an elevation of about 500 feet, with the old boats suspended underneath with straps and cargo netting, according to DNR spokesperson Thomas Kyle-Milward.
“Essentially, there will be a variety of rigging using slings,” Kyle-Milward said in an interview with The Olympian. He said seven boats were removed on Tuesday, with the rest moved Wednesday.
Kyle-Milward noted that none of the helicopter flights occurred extremely early in the morning or late in the evening.
DNR asked people to avoid activity in the area.
The recovered boats are being staged at DNR’s maritime station within Squaxin Park in a non-public holding area before they are removed for disposal.
This story was originally published June 4, 2025 at 12:29 PM.
