Casting OFF: maritime news
Ships may slow down for whales
by Matt Winter
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
The Post and Courier
Three right whale loll in the ocean off South Carolina.
Feds may slow ships to save right whales
A federal agency appears poised to slow down container ships coming in and out of Charleston in the winter. The reason is the nearly extinct right whale.
The right whale is a 40-ton creature that was hunted almost to extinction. Fewer than 400 are known to exist, a number so perilously low that not only is it considered critically endangered, but researchers consider every living whale vital to the survival of the species.
Ship strikes are considered one of the leading causes of right whale deaths.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recently released an environmental impact statement on a proposed rule change that would slow down large ships to 10 mph within 23 miles of the coastline. That’s about half-speed for the huge vessels. Because cargo delivery puts a premium on timeliness, the rule might mean ships bypass some ports because of the extra time involved.
The hotly debated rule is now on track to become law by the first of the year, although industry interests say they will continue to fight it.
Lightning damage to Spirit costly
Despite heading north to escape the Atlantic storm season, the Spirit of South Carolina sailed into trouble in late July when lightning struck nearby and severely damaged the Charleston-based tall ship. An inspection last month
indicated the final repair bill is likely to be well above $100,000.
Coast Guard and insurance inspectors found no signs that lightning actually struck the Spirit — no charring, no melted wires. While the anti-lightning equipment on the boat seems to have prevented a direct strike, it appears the charge hit the water, traveled up the propeller shafts and damaged nearly all electronics onboard.
“It’s a very, very rare circumstance,” Brad Van Liew, director of the S.C. Maritime Heritage Foundation, told The Post and Courier. “It’s difficult and disappointing, but it could have been worse. Somebody could have been hurt.”
The foundation will be looking to donors this year to help defray the cost of the repairs.
Capt. Tony Arrow expects most repairs, which will include scheduled maintenance, to be done in the next few weeks.
Pygmy sperm whale washes up on Folly
Photo by Brad Nettles
The Post and Courier
Folly Beach resident Carol Linville looks at a 10-foot
pygmy sperm whale that washed ashore
A 10-foot-long, 800-pound pygmy sperm whale washed ashore on Folly Beach in August.
A surfer found the adult male whale at East Arctic Avenue and 6th Street East. Using a four-wheel vehicle, scientists dragged the carcass a half-mile along the beach to 2nd Street East. There, it was winched aboard a trailer and taken to a local federal marine lab for a necropsy.
The cause of the animal’s death remained unclear, but scientists determined that the whale was “heavily parasitized” and malnourished. Further lab study is planned, and tissue samples were sent to a veterinary pathology lab.
Pygmy sperm whales are deep-water mammals typically found near the Gulf Stream. The whale feeds on squid, and it dives 3,200 feet or more for its prey.
The Folly stranding was one of an unusually high number of pygmy sperm whale strandingsthis s ummer. In August, at least 12 such whales were found dead in Florida, South Carolina and North Carolina.
Shoring up a Lowcountry landmark
Photo by Tyrone Walker
The Post and Courier
The Morris Island Lighthouse went dark in 1962, but its future is looking much brighter now that the initial phase of foundation work has finished this summer. The brick landmark, which leans slightly to the east-northeast, sports a new $3.5 million cofferdam built around its base. The nonprofit group Save the Light Inc. hopes to proceed with the second phase of foundation work by year’s end. That phase involves injecting grout into the foundation timbers and filling the inside of the cofferdam with sand and a concrete cap.
Waterfront park taking shape
Four months after the ground-breaking ceremony for the $14 million Memorial Waterfront Park in Mount Pleasant, buildings and walkways are starting to take shape.
The foundations for the 1,400-square-foot open-air Sweetgrass Pavilion and the 6,200-square-foot Visitors Center are plain to see. And project designers predicted that, come this month, motorists driving over the Arthur Ravenel Jr. Bridge should be able to see the Visitor Center and Sweetgrass Pavilion sprouting out of the heaps of soil and pilings of stone pier railings.
One of the largest projects in the town’s history, the park below the Ravenel Bridge also will include a 1,250-foot-long pier that the state Department of Transportation built atop lopped-off pilings of the Silas Pearman Bridge, an 8,100-square-foot pavilion at the end of the pier, a War Memorial costing $400,000 and a playground.
The 19-acre first phase is expected to open Memorial Day weekend 2009.
Along with the issue of whether the project should include a dog park, which continues to be discussed, Town Council has yet to agree on a plan for the remaining five acres. The state Department of Transportation gave the town the land but required that it be used for a public park. However, a majority of Town Council voted in June to explore purchasing the acreage, which would allow it to be used for other, perhaps private, purposes.
Under the agreement with the DOT, the town will not own the 19 acres that make up the first phase of the project, but it will own the improvements.
Subway cars added to reef
Forty-four retired New York City subway cars were dropped onto the Bill Perry Jr. Artificial Reef in late July. The subway cars were added to existing artificial structures to help create a diverse habitat for recruiting marine life on an otherwise hard-bottom ocean floor.
The reef, located 25 nautical miles offshore Murrells Inlet, is named after the son of Bill and Caroline Perry, a sea captain who died in an automobile accident in 1994.
The subway cars are the first artificial structures to be added to the reef in about 10 years. Existing structures include a 115-foot landing craft, a 65-foot tugboat, a 56-foot landing craft and 20 shipping containers.
The S.C. Department of Natural Resources has been in partnership with the New York city Transit Authority since 2001, and to date has received 200 retired subway cars for placement onto coastal artificial reefs.
Aquarium to host penguins
A new attraction planned for the South Carolina Aquarium next spring won’t feel at home in the Piedmont exhibit or the mountain forest area or even the salt marsh display.
But misfits or not, penguins attract crowds and make money.
The aquatic, flightless birds are expected to occupy a habitat in the “Great Hall” near the main entrance. That will make them a visitor’s first sight at the locally focused attraction.
Details are still in the works, but the penguins will be a warm-weather species. Their purpose: to convey educational messages about global warming and conservation.
The aquarium is consulting with some of its counterparts from around the country before finalizing plans in advance of the March opening date.
Invasive species bill stalls
A pending bill that would set standards for how many invasive organisms can be in a ship’s ballast water when it arrives at port has reached an impasse on the U.S. Senate floor in recent weeks.
Two powerful Senate committee chairmen—Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., who chairs the Environment and Public Works Committee, and Sen. Daniel Inouye, D-Hawaii, chairman of the Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee—are at odds over how to address aquatic invasive species that hitch a ride to U.S. shores and disturb local ecosystems.
Boxer is blocking the bill, passed by Inouye’s committee, which would set the first federal clean-up standards for the large ships, over concerns it would preempt stronger standards in California and other states. Inouye believes a single national standard is needed.
Under Senate procedures, opposition from a single senator is enough to stop a bill. Time for passing laws is quickly running out in this election year, but Boxer said in an interview that she still hoped for a deal.
Training becomes real rescue
A fishing charter drifting 25 miles southeast of Edisto Island called in a mayday in late July after a Charlotte man fell inside the 25-foot center console and broke two of his bones.
After a wave hit the Cold Beer fishing vessel about 1:30 p.m., the man lost his footing, slamming against the boat and breaking his right leg and left shoulder, and cutting his forehead.
A crew from the U.S. Coast Guard Air Station Savannah, which was operating from Coast Guard Air Facility Charleston, got the call as they were flying over Charleston Harbor. Originally scheduled to perform a training mission to practice hoisting a man aboard, the crew threw Rescue Randy aside and set out to help Rick Knack.
Within 20 minutes, a rescue swimmer was at his side. Knack was hoisted into the helicopter and taken to a hospital.
At the time, Knack’s rescue was the 48th assist for the Coast Guard Air Station Savannah since January. The station is responsible for 450 miles of shore line from as far north as Myrtle Beach and south to Port Canaveralin Florida.
Deepwater corals vulnerable
Deepwater corals, such as ones found 60 to 70 miles off the South Carolina coast, have been named one of the planet’s four most vulnerable marine ecosystems by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.
A 2007 assessment found that ocean acidification constitutes one of the biggest threats to the deepwater ecosystems.
Sea-ice ecosystems along the disappearing Arctic ice cap and the cold Southern Ocean were among the other most vulnerable marine ecosystems.
New site explains coastal laws
Kim Diana Connolly, a University of South Carolina School of Law professor, and two graduate students have developed a comprehensive Web site to assist individuals, business owners and municipal officials sort through the many state and federal laws that govern coastal development.
The site explains specific regulatory processes involved in building docks, marinas, houses, sewer systems, septic tanks and other projects. It also features links to permitting resources and contact information for state and federal regulators.
The Regulatory Pathfinder was created with support from the S.C. Sea Grant Consortium.
To learn more, visit www.lawsc.edu/pathfinder/coastal_develop....
Sources: The Post and Courier and The Associated Press
U.S. COAST GUARD REPORT: AUGUST 2008
The U.S. Coast Guard reported the following incidents for August 2008. Reports and “lessons learned” have been edited for length and content:
AUG. 2: Sector Charleston received a VHF call at 4:47 p.m. regarding a 21-foot vessel that hit the Ravenel Bridge, knocking three people into the water. A Coast Guard smallboat was diverted to the scene, and Sector Charleston issued an urgent marine information broadcast. Sea Tow Charleston responded and retrieved all three people from the water. The Coast Guard smallboat ensured everyone made it safely to shore. Lessons learned: Maintain a safe speed and know your surroundings. If you are unsure of current, water depth or any obstructions, immediately slow down.
AUG. 3: An eyewitness reported seeing a vessel hit a rock wall on the Cooper River near the former Navy base about 12:40 a.m. The witness said the vessel hit the wall, went in circles and then began running down river. Sector Charleston launched a smallboat and located the vessel at a pier. The passengers were uncooperative and arguing with Charleston County authorities. One female passenger had cuts on her face from the collision. The operator of the vessel was charged with obstructing a revenue officer.
AUG. 6: Sector Charleston received a report at midnight about an overdue recreational fishing vessel. The caller said five people left the marina at 4 a.m. to go fishing 50 miles offshore and were supposed to be back by 9p.m. The caller also said the party lacked an Electronic Position Indicating Radio Beacon (EPIRB). Sector Charleston conducted radio call-outs for the vessel with no result. At 1:36 a.m., one of the anglers called the Coast Guard to report that the vessel had made it safely back to port. Lessons learned: Always make a float plan and stick to it, have a VHF marine radio and take a cell phone for emergency communications. It’s also a good idea to purchase and register an EPIRB before going offshore.
AUG. 8: A call came in to USCG Station Georgetown at 2:45 p.m. from a vessel in Winyah Bay regarding a sick female passenger. Station Georgetown launched a smallboat to assist and arranged for an ambulance to meet them at the dock. The woman was suffering from heat exhaustion. Lessons learned: Be sure to take enough food and water on the water, and make it a point to stay hydrated. If you have a pre-existing medical condition, be sure to bring your medication onboard.
LOWCOUNTRY MARITIME EVENTS: SEPTEMBER 2008
Know of an upcoming maritime event you’d like to see listed in Tideline magazine?
Contact staff writer Abi Nicholas at 843-958-7375 or abi@tidelinemagazine.com.
SOUTH CAROLINA AQUARIUM VOLUNTEER ORIENTATION: Sept. 6, 9 a.m.-12:30 p.m. Aquarium volunteers can interact with hundreds of visitors each day, reach into the discovery tank, assist visitors or serve as an aquarium ambassador at community events. S.C. Aquarium, 100 Aquarium Wharf, Charleston. Free. To register, call 579-8553 or 795-8560.
CHARLESTON COUNTY BOATER EDUCATION: Sept. 9, 5:30-9:30 p.m. You must preregister at www.dnr.sc.gov. Bring a No. 2 pencil and snack. Ft. Johnson License Building, 217 Ft. Johnson Road, James Island.
SEAFOOD, JAZZ & BREW FESTIVAL: Sept. 12, 5:30-7:30 p.m. and Sept. 13, 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at Shelter Cove Community Park in Hilton Head. Relax and enjoy the sounds of jazz as you indulge in the best seafood the Lowcountry has to offer. Visit www.hiltonheadhospitality.org.
FOLLY BEACH BIRD WALK: Sept. 12, 8:30-10:30 a.m. Birding experts will explore Folly Beach’s northern shoreline and maritime forest. Free. Meet at Folly Beach Coast Guard Station. Pre-registration required. Call 795-4FUN or visit www.ccprc.com.
SEWEE SHELL RING TRAIL INTERPRETIVE WALK: Sept. 13, 10 a.m. Archeologist Olga Caballero will detail the history of the Sewee Shell Ring, and guests will caravan to the trail for a ribbon-cutting and tour of the trail and 120-foot boardwalk. Meet at Sewee Visitor Center, 5821 U.S. 17N, Awendaw. Free. Call 928-3368 or visit http://seweecenter.fws.gov.
YEMASSEE SHRIMP FESTIVAL: Sept. 18-21. Yemassee invites visitors and locals to celebrate everything shrimp. With the Lighted Boat Parade, Mud Run, fireworks display and more, this year’s shrimp festivities are sure to impress. Visit http://yemassee.net/festival for a complete schedule of events.
BULLS ISLAND BEACH SWEEP: Contact Coastal Expeditions, sponsor of this annual work day on Cape Romain National Wildlife Refuge. Transportation to and from the island is provided. Registration required. Call Coastal for more information at 884-7684.
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