Scotiadock II Update

1 Lady Shirleen rides over the boom after a day's work supporting divers.

2 Novadock's crane assists in some work on the sunken Scotiadock II. Diver's boats are within the dock walls.

3 As seen from Barrington Street early this morning, all that is visible of the dock is the cranes. In the background, HMCS Preserver sits in the Novadock, unaffected by the sinking next door.

As of today there is no apparent change in the situation at Halifax Shipyard. The (once) floating drydock Scotiadock II, continues to sit on the bottom of the harbour, surrounded by a precautionary oil boom. No pollution seems to have occurred when it sank yesterday morning during an attempt to drydock the tug Stevns Breaker (see Tugfax for more on the tug.)

Events are unfolding however:

• during the day divers from two companies worked on the dock, presumably looking for holes to plug and surveying for damage and recovery of materials. Connors Diving, worked from their boat Northcom and RMI worked from Lady Shirleen for most of the day. (That is Lady Shirleen sailing over the boom to exit the dock area at about 6 pm.)


• Atlantic Towing's tugs left port last evening to get barges to assist in the salvage operation. Atlantic Larch left for Point Tupper to fetch the barge Atlantic Tuna. Atlantic Oak also sailed sometime yesterday, destination unknown to me.


• Naval architects are arriving in Halifax to assist with the raising. As I explained on the CBC news today, stability and buoyancy are the two big issues when refloating. Naval architects calculations are essential to proper salvage planning.

There will be more news in the ensuing days. Stay tuned.