Morro Bay Harbor Logs
For the Month of December, 2009
During the month of December, 2009, in addition to their normal course of duties the Morro Bay Harbor Patrol responded to 89 calls for service, including 15 true emergencies. Patrol personnel engaged in 10 enforcement actions and 63 maintenance actions. Highlights include:
Tuesday, December 1
·Assisted the fishing vessel David and Chris get turned around at the south T-Pier.
·Retrieved a 4x6 piece of lumber and a paddle found adrift in the bay.
Thursday, December 3
·Emergency response to a report of a surfer in trouble surfing off the end of the south jetty. On-scene it was found that he was just fine.
Saturday, December 5
·Searched the bay for the reported overdue sailing vessel Abraham on a voyage to Hawaii, which had been in Morro Bay earlier in the week. She was now gone.
·Served boat marshal and vessel safety duties for the annual Christmas Lighted Boat Parade sponsored by the Chamber of Commerce. There were no major incidents in the event of over 30 vessels this year, despite the number of boats and a heavy ebb tide.
Monday, December 7
·In a day that will live in infamy, responded to the emergency report of the vessel Glowing Star low in the water at the State Park Marina. On scene the vessel was in fact very low in the water and in danger of sinking. Pumps were put aboard and the vessel dewatered. A thorough search was undertaken with no apparent water flowing in anywhere. The cause was attributed to slow seeps due to the boat's age and construction (built in the 1960's of wood) and having not been plugged in to keep the batteries charged and onboard pumps operational. The owner and marina manager were both notified.
Tuesday, December 8
·Got underway to advise the outbound sailing vessel Chrysanthemum of the hazardous harbor entrance conditions due to large swells. The operators opted to give it one more day before departing.
·Stood-by at the harbor entrance for the fishing vessels Rita G, Zeppelin, and Heavy Metal enter the harbor during hazardous conditions. All entered without incident.
Wednesday, December 9
·Retrieved an adrift windsurfing board found floating down the bay. Fortunately it was not because of a windsurfer in distress, but a simple lost and found.
Saturday, December 12
·Emergency response to a report from the State Park Marina of the motor vessel Impulse with a heavy list and possibly taking on water. Patrol Officers gained entry to the vessel and discovered nothing amiss, only that all the ship's batteries were stacked on one side and the fuel possibly transferred to one side tank. The owner was notified.
·Returned to the State Park Marina at the request of the owner's son from the motor vessel Lone Star, which had taken on excessive water previously, to check on the boat. It was just fine.
·Emergency response to a report that the sailing vessel Delite in the anchorage had drug her anchor and was aground. The vessel was safely towed off and placed on a dock until the weather abated.
Sunday, December 13
·Began an emergency response to the back bay for a report of some kayakers stuck in the back bay. It turned out to be waterfowl hunters in no distress, and the effort was called off.
Monday, December 14
·Towed the derelict motor vessel Shogun, slated for demolition, to the launch ramp on her last voyage.
Tuesday, December 15
·Towed the derelict fishing vessel Restless C II to the launch ramp for hauling and demolition. By day's end she was high and dry and the ramp and being scrapped and recycled by a contractor. The Shogun met a similar fate.
·Towed the fishing vessel Dorado, which lost power in the harbor, back to her slip.
·Relieved the fishing vessel Three Sons of the tow of the fishing vessel Golden Girl, which she had towed from several miles out due to engine problems.
Thursday, December 17
·Stood-by at the harbor entrance during hazardous conditions for the ocean-going tug Pacific Mariner as she towed the fishing vessel David & Chris on her final journey to a scrap yard. Both departed without incident.
·Advised two transient sailing vessels and one small sport boat heading for the harbor entrance that steep and breaking waves were beginning to appear at the entrance. All wisely turned around and decided to wait for the swell to drop.
·Advised three surfers who had walked out from the base of the South Jetty with the intent to jump off the end to surf the large waves that this maneuver was less than intelligent given the conditions. They walked back about half way and got into the water from there.
·Stood-by at the harbor entrance for the fishing vessels Rita G and Janus enter the harbor, both did without incident.
Friday, December 18
·Emergency response to the City's launch ramp slips for a bilge alarm sounding on the fishing vessel Janus. No high water or other problems were noted, and the owner was notified.
·Emergency response to a day sailor at the harbor entrance not making way with a strong ebb tide and hazardous breaking surf conditions. The boat and its one person aboard were safely towed back into the harbor.
·Urgent response to a report from the fishing vessel Aguero that she had struck the dredge pipeline that had inadvertently floated to the surface near Target Rock. No damage to either was noted and the situation remedied by the dredge contractor.
Tuesday, December 22
·Emergency response at the north T-Pier for an adult male in mild diabetic shock. He was stabilized then treated by MB Fire personnel.
Wednesday, December 23
·Towed a small Bayliner motor vessel dead in the water near the harbor entrance. It was towed back to the launch ramp.
Saturday, December 26
·Assisted Fish & Game Wardens with an allegedly illegal live rockfish receivering operation on the waterfront. It is still under investigation.
Sunday, December 27
·Emergency response to a report of a surfer in large surf in trouble at Spooner's Cove in Montana de Oro State Park. The effort was called off before arriving on scene as the surfer had made it back to shore safely.
Tuesday, December 29
·Emergency response to two capsized kayakers in the harbor off of the fuel dock. Both were pulled from the water and transported back to their starting point.
Thursday, December 31
·Assisted with a head-on traffic collision on the Embarcadero in front of the Harbor Hut restaurant.
·Helped the owner of a lost dog locate said pooch. It was found up near City Hall.
The Osprey on banner image by Cleve Nash
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