Two-Storey House ‘Floats’ Across San Francisco Bay. No, We Are Not Joking

On the day of the Solar Eclipse, another strange event occured in San Francisco, USA. People were captivated by the sight of a two- storey house, which was actually a houseboat, drifting over San Francisco Bay. Naturally, everyone was curious about its origin and intended destination. Though its shingled exterior would have looked fine in any lush suburb, on April 8 it was lost to the sea. The boat was being carried through San Francisco Bay for the final leg of its two-day voyage from Redwood City to San Rafael. So, what is the storey behind this peculiar sail?

As people gathered to view the solar eclipse on Monday at San Francisco’s Exploratorium waterfront, a large wooden home in the centre of the bay caught their attention, according to a Fox 5 report. A slow tow boat helped the floating house make its journey across Alcatraz Island.

The boat, according to the San Francisco Standard, was reportedly one of several dozen that were forced to leave their homes along a San Mateo County waterway after the city was compelled to do so following a lengthy legal battle. The once-vibrant houseboat community of over 100 inhabitants at the marina had diminished due to evictions compelled by litigation from surrounding residents.

When it finally made it to its new location at the Commodore Marina in Sausalito, this specific houseboat was the second last to leave Redwood City. According to Sausalito local Phil Hott, the weather and tide conditions made the laborious journey across the bay take longer than anticipated.

It went up an intricate canal, which meant you had to time the tide correctly and come down without the wind knocking you against the shore, he told NBC Bay Area.

“These things are very heavy. Then it has to travel through the bay. And the winds and the tide change, and the current is going out. You don’t want it to drag you out to the Golden Gate Bridge.”

Longtime residents of Redwood City’s Docktown hamlet bemoaned to local media the departure of individual houseboats during the past few years. Since 1986, Edward Stancil has resided in Docktown. Last year, he told ABC7, “I just can’t stand it because every day another boat goes out, another boat goes out. And it’s just very sad to see affordable housing being crushed. You know?”

Stancil went on to say that, given his circumstances, his retirement income is insufficient to cover the cost of renting a home in Silicon Valley. All of the tenants who are still here, he claimed, simply want to stay, not get money. In October, Redwood City offered Stancil and the four surviving Docktown residents a payment of around $85,000 (Over Rs 70 lakh) in exchange for their consent to relocate, according to the Palo Alto Daily Post. Others received payments totalling up to $190,000 (Over Rs 1.58 crore).

Additionally, Redwood City paid out more than $1.5 million (Over Rs 12 crore) to resolve a complaint filed by many anonymous residents alleging improper use of state property.