Catalina Express rams pier at Two Harbors. Two injured

[MaxBottomtime]

From: owner-chmbrcrew-l@usc.edu [mailtowner-chmbrcrew-l@usc.edu] On Behalf Of Karl Huggins
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 7:19 PM
To: List Chamber Crew
Subject: WMSC Dock Activity



It has been an interesting couple days and things look like they are going to get more interesting before they settle back down.

Yesterday a Catalina Cruises boat rammed into the pier at Two Harbors (TWH).

Two people on the boat were injured.

The damage to the pier at Two Harbors caused the pier to be shut down to all traffic.

Until the pier is repaired the Catalina Express and other commercial passenger boats will be coming into our dock.

Hopefully the impact on our operations will be minimal, but never the less there will be an impact.

At a meeting today between the impacted groups the following were some of the items agreed upon:



· WMSC will handle only the commercial vessels – No private vessels – Private vessels coming to our dock will be told to get on Channel 9 and talk to Two Harbors Harbor Department for instructions on how to get to shore

· Two Harbors Enterprise (THE) will bus passengers over to WMSC to catch the boat and bus the people coming to the island back to TWH – Anyone picking up people from the boat need to pick them up at TWH

· For the time being, the bus will park in the parking area up by the Admin building to drop off and pick up passengers – Once the paved road is repaired a determination will be made as whether regular bus use on the road will be too much stress

· The Sheriff Deputy on duty (Jim or Ken) will be at the entrance of the lab when the bus and gear haul truck are heading our way to prevent head-on traffic on the road and will be at the campground preventing vehicles from heading towards the lab when the bus and truck are heading towards TWH

· A gear haul truck will take the service road down to the end of the mole (the helipad side of the red and white line on the pier), but not onto the pier

· Passengers will be directed to place their gear in the truck and walk directly up to the bus – We need to make sure that people do not wander into the dive locker or Chamber areas – This also means the bathrooms (there are heads on the boat)

· All boats will be coordinated by THE Visitor’s Services and the WMSC office – If an unscheduled boat is set up when either office is closed and a boat needs to come in before either office opens again, then the Chamber Emergency line will be called to inform us of the arrival of a boat

· Gerry will be trying to make sure that we have someone here at the waterfront anytime one of these boats comes in

· TWH Harbor patrol will send people over to handle each commercial vessel landing

· Any people walking or biking to the campground or TWH will be asked to take the dirt service road up from the waterfront



· If Baywatch Isthmus (BWI) is bringing a patient in (diving or med-evac), then everyone not on the passenger boat will be moved up the hill and those who are on the boat will remain on the boat

· BWI will dock on the inside of the outer dock to off-load their patient

· If an additional boat is participating in the medical emergency (e.g. Baywatch Avalon), then the passenger boat will be asked to clear the dock so that the addition boat can be received

· If a helicopter is coming in, everyone not on the pier will be moved up the hill and everyone on the pier of boat will remain there (behind the red and white lines)



How will this impact Chamber activities?

1. We won’t have to pick you up in TWH

2. As long as you have your ticket, or your commuter book is stamped, you will not need to check in at TWH

3. If you do not have your return ticket, or your commuter book is not stamped, you will need to get it done at TWH

4. We will arrange our training runs so that they do not overlap with the arrival of the boats

5. If a boat comes in while we are running a case we will switch to High Pressure air and shut down the compressors until the vehicle traffic is gone

6. We will need to deal with crowd control in cases of patients being brought to us and helicopter landings – Just like during Associates Days and Family Camps

7. When dealing with moving people from the area, in case of a medical emergency or helicopter, be firm but polite – There are going to be some people may get upset – If they do not want to comply do not get into a confrontation - Ask the Sheriff Deputy (who should around) to talk to the person

8. Anything we can do to help Gerry and his staff out will be greatly appreciated



I am sure that there will be other concerns that come up as things pick up.

If you have any questions or issues that come up, just contact Gerry or me.

TWH is getting the pier evaluated tomorrow and as conditions change I will let you know what is going on.



I can’t wait for Friday afternoon when there will be 400 Indian Princesses and parents getting off the Catalina Flyer… :-o



---

Karl E. Huggins - Program Manager huggins@usc.edu
USC Catalina Hyperbaric Chamber (310) 510-4020 Office
P.O. Box 5069 (310) 510-4023 Chamber
1 Big Fisherman's Cove (310) 510-1364 FAX
Avalon, CA 90704 USA "Knowledge is Good." -Faber
http://wrigley.usc.edu/hyperbaric/chamber

Chamber Day 2005 - Wednesday, May 4th, 2005

 

[Mo2vation]

From: owner-chmbrcrew-l@usc.edu [mailtowner-chmbrcrew-l@usc.edu] On Behalf Of Karl Huggins
Sent: Tuesday, May 10, 2005 7:19 PM
To: List Chamber Crew
Subject: WMSC Dock Activity



It has been an interesting couple days and things look like they are going to get more interesting before they settle back down.

Yesterday a Catalina Cruises boat rammed into the pier at Two Harbors (TWH).

Two people on the boat were injured.

The damage to the pier at Two Harbors caused the pier to be shut down to all traffic.

Until the pier is repaired the Catalina Express and other commercial passenger boats will be coming into our dock.

Hopefully the impact on our operations will be minimal, but never the less there will be an impact.

I was booking our tickets for the 2 Harbors Wine Tasting event in June, and she was telling me all about it. It sounded pretty heavy. She said a 10 ton boat just demolished the thing. She said the only people injured were on the boat.

She said they were going to replace the pier this winter - looks like it got demo'ed a little earlier than anticipated. It should be an interesting summer.

---
Ken

 

[drbill]

I heard about it yesterday here in Avalon but have yet to see any pictures of the damage. Wonder if either of our newspapers will print some.

Will be interested in the findings of the investigation.

Dr. Bill

 

[headhunter]

The title of this thread says that the Catalina Express rammed the pier, but the reprinted info "on behalf of Karl Huggins" says it was a Catalina Cruises boat.

Aren't these two different companies?

Christian

 

[kelpmermaid]

The title of this thread says that the Catalina Express rammed the pier, but the reprinted info "on behalf of Karl Huggins" says it was a Catalina Cruises boat.

Aren't these two different companies?

Christian

I thought that Catalina Express took over Cruises, but I could have that wrong.

 

[drbill]

Just noticed that discrepancy re: the title and e-mail. The Catalina Express and Catalina Cruises are two different companies (unless something happened while I was in Florida). The Cruises are the larger red-and-white boats formerly operated by Crowley Maritime. I didn't even realize the Cruise vessels went into Two Harbors. They are currently used for lightering some cruise ship passengers into Avalon and for charter to camps and coves on the island.

Dr. Bill

 

[Mo2vation]

Just noticed that discrepancy re: the title and e-mail. The Catalina Express and Catalina Cruises are two different companies (unless something happened while I was in Florida). The Cruises are the larger red-and-white boats formerly operated by Crowley Maritime. I didn't even realize the Cruise vessels went into Two Harbors. They are currently used for lightering some cruise ship passengers into Avalon and for charter to camps and coves on the island.

Dr. Bill

I would think the boats operated by the Express are considerably more than 10 tons.

But she specifically said the red and white boad did the damage.

Ken

 

[ChrisA]

I would think the boats operated by the Express are considerably more than 10 tons.

But she specifically said the red and white boad did the damage.

Ken

A "ship ton" is a measure of a ship's ability to haul cargo, not the size of the ship.
It is computed using the interior size of the hull. Still 10 tons seems to small.
I think someone dropped a zero.