Because of some incoming tide and a tugboat, a beached commercial fishing boat was successfully returned into the water.
Capt. Gavin had about 600 pounds of scallops onboard when it ran aground in Point Pleasant Beach on Wednesday. It became a tourist attraction, with both children and adults taking photos of the vessel.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer Gavin Kozak said that it was unclear how the ship ended up onshore. His agency got a call early in the morning that a boat ran aground in the borough's south end.
Several attempts were made to get the 77-foot boat off the water on Saturday, but this failed when low tide did not provide a sufficient amount of water to float the vessel off the beach.
By 11:30 p.m, however, the boat was successfully pulled into the ocean with the aid of a Donjon Marine Co. Inc. tugboat as the tide came in. High winds and bad weather were attributed for the failure of previous efforts.
Coast Guard spokesman Petty Officer Nick Ameen said that Capt. Gavin was towed to Tottenville Marina in Staten Island carrying six people, including the captain of the boat, four people from the salvage company and one crew member.
U.S. Coast Guard Petty Officer John Kelly, who was present at the beach during the efforts, said that the effort was very well-organized and that the boat was tugged off the shore before the tide reached its highest.
"Between the tide coming in and the momentum of the vessel pulling, it had enough water underneath of (sic) it that they could safely pull it from shore and out to the ocean," Kelly said.
Capt. Gavin is based in Atlantic City, but it also has ties in Point Pleasant Beach. The boat was fishing for scallops on this particular trip.
Point Pleasant Beach First Aid Squad Capt. Jerry Meaney said that the state Department of Environmental Protection was informed in case some type of leaks from the vessel. Ameen, however, said that there was no damage nor pollution that was reported. There was likewise no injury.
Marine animals also get beached on shores. In California, hungry and sick sea lions get stranded ashore in record numbers. The animals, pups in particular, are being cared for by various marine organizations until they are well enough to be released into the water.
Photo: Christopher Lotito | Flickr
