Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
Serving Gogebic, Iron and Ontonagon Counties
WORKERS USE a 140-foot crane with a 100-ton lift capacity to raise the wreckage of Neil Gilbertson's 42-foot boat Wednesday from the entrance of Saxon Harbor. The boat sunk during the July 11 storm that saw a flood destroy Saxon Harbor.
SAXON, Wis. - Workers at Saxon Harbor on Wednesday retrieved the final sunken boat they had locations for as they continued to deal with the aftermath of the July 11-12 storm that flooded Saxon Harbor.
Shortly after 4 p.m., a team comprised of T&T Marine Salvage, Cheyboygan, Michigan-based Durocher Marine and Great Lakes Diving and Salvage loaded the hull of a 42-foot 1978 Hatteras, owned by Neil Gilbertson, of Saxon, onto a barge for transport back to the harbor.
The operation was overseen by a three-person team with the U.S. Coast Guard sent from Duluth to oversee the recovery of the sunken boats to prevent pollution issues.
As pollution mitigation is the Coast Guard's mission, Wednesday's recovery signals that the Coast Guard's mission at Saxon Harbor is drawing to an end.
Wednesday also featured a visit by State Rep. Beth Meyers, D-Bayfield, who toured the damage to the harbor while recovery efforts were under way.
"(It's) unbelievable. Tthere's lots of photos out there but unless you see it, it's really hard to comprehend," Meyers said. "I appreciate everything the Coast Guard is doing, and the sheriff's department, and the forestry - everyone in Iron County - to stabilize the situation and what they're doing to plan for the future."
She promised to work to bring whatever aid the state had available to help the recovery effort in the eight counties under a state of emergency declaration from Gov. Scott Walker.
"I'm a member of the Department of Transportation committee, so if there is anything going forward the transportation committee can do to help repair the roads ... (and make) sure we're prepared in the future for anything that might happen, I will do that," Meyers said.
She also praised Walker - who both declared a state of emergency and visited the area July 12 - for his prompt response to the disaster.
"The governor's office has been very cooperative with everyone involved and I applaud them for their quick response," she said. "This is not a time for any political stripes and I haven't seen that. I'm very impressed with everyone from the federal level to the local level."
Gilbertson's boat that was recovered Wednesday was just one of the boats docked in the marina that were swept out into Lake Superior by a flooded Oronto Creek during the heavy rains last week.
County officials believe at least 29 boats floated out of the harbor during the storm, with 17 washing up on the harbor's western shoreline.
Almost all of the boats that remained in the harbor were damaged, some severely.
Along with the recovery of Gilbertson's boat, the Iron County Forestry Department was informed Wednesday that its pontoon "barge" lost in the storm had been found.
According to Iron County Forest and Parks Administrator Eric Peterson, the Coast Guard reported the boat was floating 11 miles off the west coast of Michigan's Keeweenaw Peninsula - between Ahmeek and Eagle River - roughly 90 miles northeast of Saxon Harbor.
Debris and a boat had previously been found in spots along the Michigan coast, including in the Porcupine Mountains State Park and the Ontonagon area.
With the discovery of the pontoon boat and recovery of Gilbertson's boat, officials continue to search for one more boat, two cars and a camper trailer that were washed away by the flood waters.
