REGION 10 DIVE TEAM www.epa.gov/region10/dive EPA Region 10 Dive Team Sinclair Inlet Abandoned Vessel Diver Search in Support of the Puget Sound Initiative, February, 2009 What: The Region 10 dive team was asked by the Washington State Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and the US Coast Guard (USCG) to conduct a search for scuttled vessel(s) in Sinclair Inlet near Port Orchard. Why: As part of the Puget Sound Initiative and under its own regulatory authorities, EPA is partnering with local, state, and federal agencies to further Puget Sound cleanup. Information from these dives will be used by the EPA, DNR, and USCG to assist with a determination on whether the vessel poses an unacceptable environmental hazard that requires clean up. Where: Puget Sound, Sinclair Inlet, near Port Orchard, Washington (across from the Bremerton Naval Shipyard). When: February 25, 2009. How: Divers utilized sector scan sonar to quickly survey a number of locations before and during diving and find the abandoned vessel(s), as was heavily utilized for the Shuttle Columbia Recovery and Crow's Nest Investigation. Divers were then directed via sector scan directly to the vessel for a visual survey. Equipment: The divers were fully enclosed in full face masks, drysuits, and drygloves using a potable water post-dive rinse as a preventative exposure measure. Divers also utilized tethered SCUBA to assist with clear communications to direct the search and to assist with navigation in low visibility. Sector scan was used as described above. The EPA vessel Wooldive was used as the dive platform. Results: Photos were provided to DNR and USCG of the one vessel found, in an advanced state of decay (see photos below). The sailboat found was without a mast. More Details: DNR Derelict Vessel Program Contact: Sean Sheldrake, (206) 553-1220, Sheldrake.sean@epa.gov ------- Photos: Diver Rob Rau preparing Sean Sheldrake to enter the water using tethered SCUBA. ------- View of the abandoned sailboat looking from the bow to the stern (starboard side). View of growth on the stern of the vessel. ------- View of decking deterioration. View of the sector scan sonar, mounted on its tripod (black item on top of grey cylinder on a gimbal), being retrieved. ------- Sector Tools Menu Sailboat Zoom Screen shot of sector scan images showing the diver and "target" which allows the diver to be directed to the vessel. Return to EPA Region 10 Dive Team homepage. ------- |