[KWlocate] Sunken 50-Foot Fishing Vessel Near San Juan Island -8/13/2022 @ 1755

[Byers, David (ECY)]

Ecology was notified at 1:40 pm yesterday.  As you know, this was first a search and rescue case – and I’m not sure what time that initial rescue call was made.

From: Meg McDonald <megmcdonald at centurytel.net>
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2022 5:53 PM
To: Scott Veirs <sveirs at gmail.com>; Byers, David (ECY) <DBYE461 at ECY.WA.GOV>; Noviello, Donald T (DFW) <Donald.Noviello at dfw.wa.gov>; Grace Ferrara - NOAA Affiliate <grace.ferrara at noaa.gov>; locate at orcasphere.net
Cc: Mike Moore <mmoore at pmsaship.com>; Susan Berta <susan at orcanetwork.org>; pmacc at uw.edu; Veentjer, John <jeveentjer at marexps.com>; Fred Felleman <felleman at comcast.net>; Howard Garrett <howard at orcanetwork.org>
Subject: RE: [KWlocate] Sunken 50-Foot Fishing Vessel Near San Juan Island -8/13/2022 @ 1755


THIS EMAIL ORIGINATED FROM OUTSIDE THE WASHINGTON STATE EMAIL SYSTEM - Take caution not to open attachments or links unless you know the sender AND were expecting the attachment or the link
The Coast Guard should be able to tell us when the vessel sank.

Prayers for the SRKWs,
Meg

From: Scott Veirs<mailto:sveirs at gmail.com>
Sent: Sunday, August 14, 2022 5:33 PM
To: david.byers at ecy.wa.gov<mailto:david.byers at ecy.wa.gov>; Don (Donald) Noviello<mailto:donald.noviello at dfw.wa.gov>; Grace Ferrara - NOAA Affiliate<mailto:grace.ferrara at noaa.gov>; locate at orcasphere.net<mailto:locate at orcasphere.net>
Cc: Mike Moore<mailto:mmoore at pmsaship.com>; Susan Berta<mailto:susan at orcanetwork.org>; pmacc at uw.edu<mailto:pmacc at uw.edu>; John Veentjer<mailto:jeveentjer at marexps.com>; Fred Felleman<mailto:felleman at comcast.net>; Howard Garrett<mailto:howard at orcanetwork.org>
Subject: Re: [KWlocate] Sunken 50-Foot Fishing Vessel Near San Juan Island -8/13/2022 @ 1755

David, Don, Grace and other members of locate@ list and original recipients --

Regarding the 2600-gallon diesel spill today between County Park and Smuggler's Cove, San Juan Island, I am offering my opinion as an oceanographer ASAP --

Based on the UW Live Ocean model of Puget Sound surface currents<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=https%3A%2F%2Ffaculty.washington.edu%2Fpmacc%2FLO%2Fp5_PS_speed_top.html&data=05%7C01%7CDBYE461%40ECY.WA.GOV%7Cbf83dc217a784f8bc1cd08da7e5882a7%7C11d0e217264e400a8ba057dcc127d72d%7C0%7C0%7C637961215874620206%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=Pn85TcMvItBZ6JPA5XwIufG4ZI7%2FD3f%2FInRSDUMnA4U%3D&reserved=0> (animation of today and forecast for next 2 days) and many sightings today of J, K, and L pod members until sunset from Whale Sightings in San Juan Island and other Facebook groups (summarized at acartia.io<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Facartia.io%2F&data=05%7C01%7CDBYE461%40ECY.WA.GOV%7Cbf83dc217a784f8bc1cd08da7e5882a7%7C11d0e217264e400a8ba057dcc127d72d%7C0%7C0%7C637961215874776005%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=f%2BU5KnzDHU9kMmVZynqgUt0c4Xu%2FazeMdgzLjAelzfc%3D&reserved=0> where any hearings tonight will be added in real time as red circles) suggest to me that now/tonight and tomorrow would be optimal times to be deterring the SRKWs from northward travel in Haro Strait, if the spill has not been contained and the surface concentrations in air or water are deemed deleterious. The first ebb is peaking now and there will be a bigger one tomorrow (8/14) from 10:00-17:00, and in the interim there will be a low-exchange tidal cycle in which surface diesel concentrations should be expected to peak above the sunken vessel. In any of these tidal phases, it would be non-optimal were the whales to travel north through the spill from their last known position off Eagle Point at 21:15.

Please see screen grabs for a visual synopsis, including photos taken by the Marine Monitor system of the responding USCG vessel Swordfish.

The Orcasound<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Flive.orcasound.net%2F&data=05%7C01%7CDBYE461%40ECY.WA.GOV%7Cbf83dc217a784f8bc1cd08da7e5882a7%7C11d0e217264e400a8ba057dcc127d72d%7C0%7C0%7C637961215874776005%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=7g5LZFHkeWGgIUjRZiz2vMKxvGc6ESFNkbi%2Bb%2F7dLgA%3D&reserved=0> listening community has been activated and along with the sighting networks, we will continue to add points to the Acartia map as they come in from visual or acoustic observations tonight.

Does anyone know what time the vessel sank, or more specifically, when the diesel slick began to form? If it was much before today's big ebb set in around 8am, the SRKWs may have already been exposed...

Best of luck (to the SRKWs),
Scott (in Seattle)

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On Sat, Aug 13, 2022 at 7:50 PM Susan Berta <susan at orcanetwork.org<mailto:susan at orcanetwork.org>> wrote:
Boom is there on scene but not being effective due to high current, from WDFW. They will be doing another overflight in about an hour.
Update/correction - the dive team is en route and won't arrive until this evening and then will work tonight to remove remaining fuel and or tow the boat out of there.
sb

Susan Berta,
Orca Network
Connecting Whales and People in the Pacific Northwest
Programs include the Whale Sighting Network, Langley Whale Center, Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network, Free Tokitae Campaign, Educational programs, Advocacy and Events






On Sat, Aug 13, 2022 at 7:38 PM Howard Garrett <howard at orcanetwork.org<mailto:howard at orcanetwork.org>> wrote:
Thanks Fred, Roger that. Very scary. Js, Ks and Ls just came in from the Ocean to the south end and are shuffling northward up SJI.
Last seen a few minutes ago of Edward Point, 1 mile south of Landbank's Westside Preserve.
Stewart is at CWR and will watch and listen for blows.
Divers are trying to plug leaks, but so far there isn't a boom around the sheen that is blowing north at last report.
Fred are you on island to watch and listen for whales?
Howard



On Sat, Aug 13, 2022 at 7:06 PM Fred Felleman <felleman at comcast.net<mailto:felleman at comcast.net>> wrote:
>
Subject: Fwd: Sunken 50-Foot Fishing Vessel Near San Juan Island - 8/13/2022 @ 1755
rVessel Near San Juan Island - 8/13/2022 @ 1755


Resource Partners – Ecology is responding to a sunken 50-foot fishing vessel, the ALEUTIAN ISLE, on the west side of San Juan Island.  This incident started as a search and rescue, and reportedly all persons on board were rescued safely.  The vessel sank in approximately 100 feet of water at lat/lon: 48.552778/-123.1725.   The fishing vessel has a fuel capacity of 4,000 gallons and was reported to have 2,500 gallons of diesel on board at the time of the sinking.  The Coast Guard performed an overflight of the area and is reporting a two mile oil sheen traveling north from the sinking location.

Ecology, the US Coast Guard, and San Juan County are responding, and two response contractors are enroute; Global Diving and Salvage and Tow Boat USA.  Global Diving is mobilizing a dive team tonight and will attempt to either remove or secure the diesel fuel on board.

I have attached a draft ICS-232 Resources at Risk.  Please let me know if you have any comments on the resources and potential strategies identified.

This is all the information I currently have on this incident, and I will provide updates as additional information is available.  Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.

Best Regards,

David Byers
Response Section Manager
Washington Department of Ecology
PO Box 47600, Olympia, WA 98504-7600
Cell: 360-790-6899 | Email: david.byers at ecy.wa.gov<mailto:david.byers at ecy.wa.gov><mailto:david.byers at ecy.wa.gov<mailto:david.byers at ecy.wa.gov>>





--
Howard Garrett
Orca  Network
info at orcanetwork.org<mailto:info at orcanetwork.org>
www.orcanetwork.org
<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.orcanetwork.org%2F&data=05%7C01%7CDBYE461%40ECY.WA.GOV%7Cbf83dc217a784f8bc1cd08da7e5882a7%7C11d0e217264e400a8ba057dcc127d72d%7C0%7C0%7C637961215874776005%7CUnknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLCJXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C1000%7C%7C%7C&sdata=1IbMKsxPE1xQtNBj5Bq7TWPQ0r%2FQ1vpW%2FYiUME3MdO0%3D&reserved=0>1-866-ORCANET

Orca Network - Connecting whales and people in the Pacific Northwest
Dedicated to raising awareness about the whales of the Pacific Northwest, and the importance of providing them healthy and safe habitats.
Projects include the Whale Sighting Network and Education Programs, the Langley Whale Center, the Retire Tokitae/Lolita Campaign, and the Central Puget Sound Marine Mammal Stranding Network.

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