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Month: September 2013

Fishing Chaos

Fishing Chaos

The 54 foot long fishing vessel Chaos went aground in a small cove in Unalaska Bay.   The Chaos was attempting to seek shelter after a heavy storm struck.   The vessel had dropped anchor and attempted to ride out the storm when the anchor line snapped and the vessel went ashore.   The crew of four on board contacted the harbormaster who relayed to the Coast Guard.  The Coast Guard dispatched a helicopter to the scene, but conditions were too rough to pick up the crew.   However, conditions worsen with winds gusting up to 83 mph and there was a risk that the vessel would capsize on the rocks.  The crew of four were able to swim ashore, but found the beach being assaulted with rocks being flung by the wind.  The crew decided the fishing vessel was a safer location and swam back aboard.   The crew was safely hoisted the following morning when conditions improved.  Authorities will work with the owner to assess the vessel and conduct any salvage operations.

 

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From the Archive: SS Harvard

From the Archive: SS Harvard

Photo: UCLA / Los Angeles Times
Photo: UCLA / Los Angeles Times

On May 31, 1931 the passenger steamship Harvard went aground off Point Arguello, California.   The Harvard was running its regular schedule between San Francisco and Los Angeles with 500 passengers when it went hard aground during the night in heavy fog.  The sea was calm and there was no panic among the passengers.  The Harvard’s lifeboats were lowered and stood by until a passing freighter arrived on scene.   The passengers would later be transferred to the U.S. Navy cruiser U.S.S. Louisville which had been at anchor at Los Angeles harbor.   The Harvard broke up and became a total loss before it could be refloated.   The 3700 ton Harvard was launched in 1907 at Chester, Pennsylvania.   The vessel served a short time in World War I as a troopship before going back into service as a passenger steamship.

 

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