Winter rain brings big debris dangers to ships and boats in San Francisco Bay
SAUSALITO, Calif. - The heavy rains have put massive amounts of debris into the Bay, significant enough to do grievous damage to ships or boats plying the waters.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers boat, the Raccoon, picks up tons and tons of debris to prevent Maritime collisions.
The Army Corps of Engineers debris removal boat has been lifting and dragging hazards out of the bay for 65 years after 23 years of lifting Navy seaplanes.
The Raccoon and sister ship, the John Dillard, go out and hoist the hazards before they bash the boats or smash ships.
On Tuesday, the Bay was littered with logs, utility poles, trees, pilings, boat docks, abandoned boats, and all manner of dangerous objects; some poisonous or explosive.
"We see propane tanks in the water, barrels," said Captain Peter Brownell, Raccoon’s Master.
Brownell, who holds a UC Berkeley Doctorate in Sociology, prefers the sea life to the office life.
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"It's a lot of satisfaction of seeing what we do at the end of the day and the debris that we have taken out of the Bay," Brownell said. "On a really heavy day, when we've just had a lot of rain, it wouldn't be unusual to pick up, you know, eight to 10 tons of debris."
After atmospheric rivers or other heavy rains, especially at high tide, rivers that empty into the Bay, have picked up and dumped all kinds of vessel hazards into the Bay. Some debris floats on the surface; some just beneath the waters.
Whether container ships, oil tankers, fuel barges, or fishing boats, striking such debris, can cause severe damages.
The Raccoon's crane can lift as much as 20 tons. But if the object is too heavy or too long, crews lash it to the side of the boat, and haul it to the debris dock.
Ferries are particularly vulnerable.
"They would be a great risk of damage it they hit something large at 25 knots," said Brownell.
With four more storms coming to the Bay area by the day after Christmas, the Raccoon will be racking up lots of heavy lifting.