Tsunami debris arriving

[jackdale]

I am scheduled to go around Vancouver Island this summer and then do a delivery from Maui.

VANCOUVER - A 54-meter-long fishing vessel linked to last year's devastating earthquake and tsunami in Japan has been spotted adrift off the British Columbia coast.

Jeff Olsson of Victoria's Joint rescue Co-ordination Centre says an airline contracted by the federal government spotted the vessel on Tuesday about 140 nautical miles west of the southern tip of Haida Gwaii.

The vessel has been identified as coming from Hokkaido, Japan and officials say it's drifting very slowly towards shore.

Olsson says no one is believed to be on board and there's no risk of environmental damage.

However, a warning has gone out to mariners because the vessel poses a potential navigational hazard.

As much as five million tonnes of debris were swept into the ocean last March when a massive magnitude-9 earthquake and resulting tsunami struck Japan.

Japanese Fishing Boat In B.C.: A Tsunami Postcard Reaches Coast

[Bilgewater]

It actually might be quite salvageable, it's been bouncing around at sea for quite some time but it looks like it's basically intact.

Jack...There will be other stuff out there but this should show up on your radar.

[Izzy1414]

Another reminder of the immenseness of the disaster .... a 180 foot vessel washed out to sea without recovery early on ..... of course, also a reminder of the immenseness of the Pacific Ocean and the power of Mother Nature in general ....

[knothead]

[quote]

Originally Posted by jackdale

I am scheduled to go around Vancouver Island this summer and then do a delivery from Maui.

It's a big ocean Jack. Chances are, you won't see much, but hopefully you'll have a trustworthy crew that will keep a proper watch.

But it reminds me of an article I read recently about the occupants of the ISS that had to man the escape pods because of space litter.

Space junk misses ISS astronauts - Yahoo! News UK

There was a time, not too long ago that you only had to worry about hitting natural things in the ocean or space. Now we have to worry about hitting or being hit by our own debris.
It seems that man can affect his environment.

[jackdale]

Knotty - this will be my third Pacific crossing.

In 2000 a small piece of fishing net just below the surface took out our transmission in the middle of the Pacific High. No wind, no propulsion.

[Minnewaska]

They are making lemonade from the lemons of all the debris and studying ocean currents with it. Particularly the fate of garbage.

[knothead]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Knotty - this will be my third Pacific crossing.

In 2000 a small piece of fishing net just below the surface took out our transmission in the middle of the Pacific High. No wind, no propulsion.

That's even better. What are the chances of it happening twice?

[Armchairsailor2]

Originally Posted by knothead

What are the chances of it happening twice?

Oops, that's torn it!

[Brent Swain]

Looks salvageable. I wouldn't want to be out there in any boat which wasn't made of steel.