F/V Haida Lady afloat again

The F/V Haida Lady, which sank near Cobb Island south of Sitka, has been raised with lift bags and dewatering pumps, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. This is the boat as seen Wednesday. USCG photo

'Significant structural deterioration'

Here's the latest situation report on the F/V Masonic grounding southeast of Sitka. It's not looking good for salvage of the old halibut schooner.

What became of abandoned trawler?

The search continues for the F/V Alaska Juris.

Here's a news release.

Sheen showing

The cod boat Savannah Ray, which wrecked Feb. 16 east of Kodiak, remains stranded and leaking diesel, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. Global Diving & Salvage has been hired to recover the vessel. "We continue to monitor the situation and have not observed any impacts to the shoreline or wildlife, or any visible damage to the hull of the vessel," the Coast Guard says. USCG photo

Tough spot

Efforts are under way to salvage the F/V Savannah Ray from the rocks at Long Island, five miles southeast of Kodiak. The boat, with 25,000 pounds of cod aboard, grounded about 3 a.m. Feb. 16. The U.S. Coast Guard rescued the crew. A new situation report says most of the boat's fuel has been removed. Representatives for the vessel owner "will submit plans for hull and wreck removal to the Unified Command in the near future," the report says. Public records show the boat belongs to Mystic Blue LLC. USCG photo

Plans in works to retrieve F/V Eyak

Here's a situation report with details on plans to salvage the F/V Eyak, which sank Jan. 19 south of Sitka.

Processor refloated

Here's a new situation report from the state on the Pacific Producer, the processing vessel that ran aground on Kodiak Island a while back.

This is the pertinent paragraph:

The vessel was refloated March 24, 2013 without assistance from the salvage team. The vessel transited under its own power to the harbor in Ouzinkie where it remains while the vessel's stability is evaluated by the USCG. The hull was inspected by a dive survey on March 26, 2013 and found to be intact.

As for the cause of the grounding?

Naturally, that remains "under investigation."

On the rocks

It doesn't look good for the fishing vessel Kimberly, hard aground in Jute Bay on the west side of Shelikof Strait. The 58-foot steel vessel was forced aground in a storm on Jan. 24. A U.S. Coast Guard helicopter safely rescued all four aboard, but the boat has sustained heavy damage including holes in the hull. The plan now is to delay salvage operations until May when weather improves, the state Department of Environmental Conservation says. The boat's owner is listed in state records as Aloys Kopun of Chignik. Photo by Jack McFarland, Alaska Marine Surveyors Inc.

Afloat again

A salvage crew today successfully towed the refloated salmon tender Cape Cross to Seward, the U.S. Coast Guard reports. The boat went aground July 26 in Main Bay in western Prince William Sound, forcing a commercial fishing closure. Responders worked hard to keep any fuel spillage from reaching the nearby Main Bay salmon hatchery. Magone Marine refloated the vessel Tuesday after inserting flotation foam into the hull. Naturally, no one is saying anything of substance as to the cause of the grounding, many days after the event. It remains "under investigation," the Coast Guard says. USCG photo

Capsized boat sinks during salvage effort

Sounds like things have gone from bad to worse for the Carley Renee.

Here's a joint press release issued late last night from the U.S. Coast Guard and the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation:

Nov. 1, 2009

Juneau fishing vessel sinks during coordinated recovery operation

ANCHORAGE — The Coast Guard, Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation and Magone Marine Services were coordinating a recovery operation of the fishing vessel Carley Renee when it sank in Sedanka Pass at 3:10 p.m. Sunday.

The Western Viking, a Magone salvage vessel, arrived at the location of the Carley Renee on Sunday.

The Juneau-based fishing vessel was partially submerged near Egg Island with approximately 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel on board.

Magone salvage crews successfully increased the Carley Renee's buoyancy by pumping air into the engine room. The Western Viking began towing the fishing vessel toward Beaver Inlet, a more suitable location for salvage operations and fuel removal, when the vessel sank approximately one and a half miles northwest of Egg Island.

A 2-mile rainbow sheen was reported in the vicinity of the sunken vessel. Based on National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration drift models and the weather conditions the sheen is expected dissipate quickly and cause no significant environmental impacts.

The cause of the incident is under investigation by Coast Guard Marine Safety Detachment Unalaska.

Trawler rescue grinds forward

Salvage tug Redeemer prepares to haul the stranded trawler Mar-Gun.

Welding the Mar-Gun's scarred hull. U.S. Coast Guard photos taken last Friday

Salvors are making progress on saving the Bering Sea pollock trawler Mar-Gun, hard aground on St. George Island since March 5.

During early morning high tides Sunday and Monday, the tug Redeemer and a ground tackle system managed to pull the 112-foot trawler 45 feet seaward, according to a report from the state Department of Environmental Conservation.

"Upon completion of each day's pulling, the F/V Mar-Gun's hull was reinspected for any damage and repairs were completed as needed," the report says.

To make way for the rescue, salvors used explosives to remove rock pinnacle about 15 feet seaward of the vessel's stern.

What's next?

"Removal operations will continue as tide and weather allow," the DEC report says.

Slow going on trawler rescue

The trawler Mar-Gun as she appeared April 11. USCG photo

An update from state pollution regulators says the soonest a salvage crew might recover the beached Bering Sea trawler Mar-Gun is April 27-28, the next high-tide window.

The 112-foot pollock boat went aground March 5 on St. George Island. All five crewmen got off safely, but extracting the boat from the beach has become a major chore.

The U.S. Coast Guard continues to investigate why the vessel grounded.

Here's part of yesterday's "situation report" from the Alaska Department of Environmental Conservation:

RESPONSE ACTION: Salvors conducted vessel, helicopter and fabrication operations during the past few days although poor weather prevented work on the vessel most of last week.

On board the vessel, crews continue to knock off accumulated ice as it forms on the vessel. Workers prepped and completed laying a fairlead cross-member foundation to support recovery operations on the aft deck port and starboard sides. Workers were also able to enter the shaft alley through the forward cover plate. The packing gland was tightened down, and Splash Zone (marine epoxy putty) was applied over miscellaneous fittings and holes in the bulkhead between the engine room and the shaft alley. The packing gland is a gasket system through which the propeller shaft passes through the hull. Work also continues on the inspection of the vessel double bottom tanks, and work was performed in preparation for removing the rudder from the vessel.

The salvors continue to use helicopter operations to transfer additional steel and fabricated parts to and from the vessel.

The vessel is ready to receive the blocks for the multi-part tackle system, but heavy winds and freezing spray have delayed the block and tackle installation until the weather improves.

The M/V Redeemer crew has loaded the first of three offshore anchors sets which will be needed for the recovery operations. The M/V Redeemer is currently in Dutch Harbor waiting for a favorable weather window to travel to the Mar-Gun grounding location where the M/V Redeemer will set the first anchor system.

FUTURE PLANS AND RECOMMENDATIONS: Continue operations on board the vessel and in temporary fabrication locations to prepare for vessel recovery. Set three large anchor systems in preparation for the vessel removal. The next high-tide window for the potential removal of Mar-Gun from the shore is April 27-28, 2009.