OP
1 of 2 Vandenberg antennae secured
Key West awaits bid submissions for more equipment
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff
tohara@keysnews.com
Crews have secured an antennae on the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg and are waiting on more chain, cable and other equipment to secure the second antenna on the shipwreck off Key West.
The goal is to have both antennae on the artificial reef secured before hurricane season ramps up in the Florida Keys in September. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary officials recently raised concerns about the antennae being loose and possibly being blown into the fragile coral reef during a tropical storm or hurricane.
The ship-sinking organizers enlisted the help of local dive shop operators, marine salvage experts, dive masters and former treasure salvors to develop a repair plan. A group of volunteers spent last week securing the smaller of the two antennae to the hull of the ship with a turnbuckle, galvanized chain, cable and shackles.
Capt. Jon Hazelbaker, who has coordinated the project, still wants to install two more cable runs of the galvanized chain and cable to the small dish, calling it only "preliminarily" or "temporarily" secured.
"It really had only one chain holding it in place and it was tethered to one side of the superstructure," Hazelbaker said. "That one needed attention first."
Hazelbaker and others are waiting on the city of Key West, which holds the permit for the Vandenberg, to purchase more supplies and equipment. The city, which is ponying up $10,000 for the project, has rules about purchasing such equipment that requires city officials to solicit three bids and accept the lowest one, Port Director Jim Fitton said. The city has received one bid and is awaiting two, he said.
Once the supplies arrive, crews will begin working on the larger of the two antennae, Hazelbaker said.
Fitton hopes to have the project completed by the end of the month or the first week of July, he said.
"We just want to make sure it's done by the time hurricane season heats up," Fitton said.
The antennae broke free when the ship initially was sunk, but crews reattached them several days later. Since then, the antennae have been a concern for the sanctuary.
The wreck has attracted more visitors to Key West, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) economist's study released last month. The report states the Vandenberg generated $7.3 million in sales and $3.2 million in local income and created 105 new jobs in the first 12 months after the 520-foot ship was sunk six miles offshore in May 2009.
The Vandenberg also generated $239,649 in local sales tax revenue and $378,920 in state sales taxes in its first year, NOAA economist Bob Leeworthy said. The increased revenue came at a time when the national economy was down 12 percent, Leeworthy said.
tohara@keysnews.com
Key West awaits bid submissions for more equipment
BY TIMOTHY O'HARA Citizen Staff
tohara@keysnews.com
Crews have secured an antennae on the USNS Gen. Hoyt S. Vandenberg and are waiting on more chain, cable and other equipment to secure the second antenna on the shipwreck off Key West.
The goal is to have both antennae on the artificial reef secured before hurricane season ramps up in the Florida Keys in September. Florida Keys National Marine Sanctuary officials recently raised concerns about the antennae being loose and possibly being blown into the fragile coral reef during a tropical storm or hurricane.
The ship-sinking organizers enlisted the help of local dive shop operators, marine salvage experts, dive masters and former treasure salvors to develop a repair plan. A group of volunteers spent last week securing the smaller of the two antennae to the hull of the ship with a turnbuckle, galvanized chain, cable and shackles.
Capt. Jon Hazelbaker, who has coordinated the project, still wants to install two more cable runs of the galvanized chain and cable to the small dish, calling it only "preliminarily" or "temporarily" secured.
"It really had only one chain holding it in place and it was tethered to one side of the superstructure," Hazelbaker said. "That one needed attention first."
Hazelbaker and others are waiting on the city of Key West, which holds the permit for the Vandenberg, to purchase more supplies and equipment. The city, which is ponying up $10,000 for the project, has rules about purchasing such equipment that requires city officials to solicit three bids and accept the lowest one, Port Director Jim Fitton said. The city has received one bid and is awaiting two, he said.
Once the supplies arrive, crews will begin working on the larger of the two antennae, Hazelbaker said.
Fitton hopes to have the project completed by the end of the month or the first week of July, he said.
"We just want to make sure it's done by the time hurricane season heats up," Fitton said.
The antennae broke free when the ship initially was sunk, but crews reattached them several days later. Since then, the antennae have been a concern for the sanctuary.
The wreck has attracted more visitors to Key West, according to a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) economist's study released last month. The report states the Vandenberg generated $7.3 million in sales and $3.2 million in local income and created 105 new jobs in the first 12 months after the 520-foot ship was sunk six miles offshore in May 2009.
The Vandenberg also generated $239,649 in local sales tax revenue and $378,920 in state sales taxes in its first year, NOAA economist Bob Leeworthy said. The increased revenue came at a time when the national economy was down 12 percent, Leeworthy said.
tohara@keysnews.com
