A partially submerged boat leaking diesel fuel at the Porpoise Bay government dock was hauled out of the water by crane Thursday morning. Oil spill pads surrounded the boat and area, absorbing the diesel from the water. The Helifor Industries crew boat was lifted up by 10:30 a.m. after its stern sunk just before 6.
"As soon as we realized it was sunk, the two goals were to get it out of the water and clean up," said Helifor logging foreman Nick Whyte, who is the acting manager for a nearby helicopter logging camp.
Oil patches were visible in the water surrounding the government dock.
"One drop disperses across the water like a sheen," Whyte said.
The crew noticed a leak in the boat Wednesday night and were controlling the leak with a bilge pump, maintaining it above water, Whyte said. The steering of the boat had also failed. One of the crew members, Jim Perkins, stayed with the tied-up boat overnight to monitor it. He left the boat for 10 minutes to go pick up Whyte and when they returned at 6 a.m. the stern was submerged. The fuel tanks were spilling diesel out of the stern, but Whyte did not know how much oil had come out. Whyte said they then tried to contain everything and put the spill pads in the water. The tide was rising at the time, he said, and throughout the morning the tide carried some pads further out from the dock.
"We can't put the pads on every square inch but we'll get as much as we can and we'll keep doing it," he said. Don Mackenzie of Mackenzie Marina mechanically lifted the boat from the water. Mackenzie has been cleaning up spills since 1958.
"This is a very, very minute spill as far as spills go," Mackenzie said. He said he was not concerned. He did not see any wildlife caught in the contained area. He expected the spill would be cleaned up by early afternoon Thursday. The boat was to come completely out of the water the same day to be dried out.
"Helifor was very good about it," he said. "They're well trained in spills."
The District of Sechelt's wharf manager for the Porpoise Bay dock Bruce Haynes also attended the scene. He said the clean-up being done would be fine and there may be some residue but that the spill was minor compared to other spills. The Sechelt Indian Band and local Department of Fisheries and Oceans (DFO) were contacted and informed of the spill. The Sechelt volunteer fire department also attended.
"We're going to keep an eye on it," Haynes said.
Sid Quinn, who attended from the Band, and Grant McBain of the DFO could not be reached for comment before Coast Reporter's press deadline Thursday.
