Vessel Breanna rescued in Nanaimo Harbour
In a letter to a Nanaimo newspaper an "eyewitness" reported the sinking of a large boat in Nanaimo Harbour, August 18, within easy view of the city, after a failed "amateur rescue attempt."
That was news to Gabriola's Captain Paul Gray, of Vessel Assist, responsible for rescue and salvage in Georgia Strait. He had a different perspective - up close and personal - as head of a difficult and complex salvage operation, which would eventually involve 20 crew and utilize a massive amount of equipment.
The effort was anything but amateur and resulted in the rescue of the multi-million dollar, 25 year-old, Breanna, rather than sinking, as reported.
Vessel Assist received an emergency call at 08:30 hours, on August 18th, through Victoria Coast Guard Radio. After a discussion Julian Keith, owner of the vessel, Gray put his salvage team on scramble time.
Keith, a retired medical officer for 30 years with the US Navy, had taken on fuel and anchored his custom trawler in front of the Dinghy Dock Pub. The next morning he ran the 72 foot long 70 ton vessel aground just before low tide, on a reef 1,000 metres in front of the Nanaimo Shipyard.
Arriving on the scene, in calm and clear conditions, 57 minutes after departing from home base in Silva Bay, the Vessel Assist saw that a barge had been positioned on the starboard side to prevent the vessel from rolling over.
A distraught Keith - a resident of Redding, California, whose yacht is moored in Port Orchard, Washington - watched on in dismay at his disabled pride and joy seemed destined to sink.
An order was immediately signed that Gray would assume control.
Pumps were unloaded, along with pollution containment booms, environmental pads, lift bags and assorted gear. "Everyone - including Victoria Coast Guard Radio and Rescue Centre, Environment Canada and the Nanaimo Harbourmaster - was very concerned about the threat of a spill of oil and 2,000 gallons of diesel fuel," recalled Gray. "We remained in close contact with all parties throughout the day."
After activating pumps, an internal hull inspection was undertaken revealing that the hull was "very seriously holed" and the salvage team began to install lift bags and to position more pumps.
To help stem the threat of a spill, fuel lines were shut, all vents were closed and deck scuppers were stuffed with rags.
Working with the shipyard crew, a Wardill Marine barge was placed in position. More pumps were delivered and employed and eventually four divers would install collision pads under the boat, creating a barrier to ensure pumps worked efficiently. Enormous amounts of water were flowing, clearly visible from shore.
When the tide raised enough to conduct a thorough underwater inspection it was determined that the keel was bent over and a very large breach extended about 40 feet!
The scope of the operation is difficult to comprehend, even in the many photos taken by Gray, his crew and many observers.
"The damage was more extensive than anything I have seen in 12 years," said Tyler Gray who drove the dive boat.
His brother, Jonas Gray, the first diver on the scene reported: "the gash in the hull was two feet wide in the stern and until we could get the Breanna off the reef and wrap the hull, we were just recycling tremendous amounts of seawater."
Jonas said a dozen pumps were put into service and he used several boxes of rags to plug the zigzag tear in the hull. "Nothing is available that is as effective as cushions, towels and other materials we usually find on board, soak in water and wrap in plastic to seal a leak."
"The transfer of fuel is always risky, so we towed the M.V. Breanna to the marine ways at Nanaimo Shipyard, still attached to barges on both sides, installed blocks to shore up the hull and removed the salvage lift bags," Paul reported
In an interview with the Sounder, Nanaimo Harbourmaster Andrew Pitcher recalled that he had asked if something could be done to more clearly identify the channel, three or four years ago.
At that time, Nav Aid, a branch of the Coast Guard, concluded that any changes would likely result in even more confusion.
"It is a strange situation; boaters must have the right chart and the right equipment, as well as read and be familiar with the literature," said Pitcher. "If they do, it's a piece of cake, obvious when you look out the window of a boat and proceed on the port side of two green markers."
The problems are most frequent in the summer and 80 per cent of the incidents involve American boaters, unfamiliar with local waters.
Because the incident had such a high profile in the media and was watched by many onshore, a meeting was held on Monday with Pitcher and one of his staff, familiar with the problem, Nav Aid representatives, Transport Canada officials and members of the local Yacht Club.
"It was a big event, front and centre, made more concerning because there was a great deal of fuel onboard the Breanna, which was sitting on its stern and made many people sit up and take notice," said Pitcher.
He said that while Nav Aid officials were inspecting the site, Monday, a sailboat caught its stays on the fixed buoy and ripped off its mast.
Pitcher looks forward to a Nav Aid report on improvements. In the meantime, he says: "If boaters had the proper local chart - #3447 - I would be a happy man. It only costs $20, much cheaper than losing your boat."
"It was an extremely difficult operation and resulted in a success only because resources and highly trained personnel were readily available," concluded Gray.
By Bruce Mason - Gabriola Sounder
- September 2005