Monday, November 18, 2013

Whitby to the rescue



When the ferry Princess of Acadia lost power on November 7, it was making its approach to the Digby, NS terminal and ran aground by the stern, not far away. The ship regained power and was able to berth at the dock two hours later. After several days of diver surveys, investigation and perhaps repairs, the ship was able to sail again on November 10.
Nowhere in the media coverage I saw, was the name of the tug Whitby mentioned, but it was on the scene and appeared in several media photos, alongside the ship's stern as it finally reached the dock. Normally the nearest tug to Digby is in Saint John, NB - several hours steaming time away.
Granted Whitby is not powerful, (474 bhp) if it figured in the "ungrounding" or was used as a precaution while the ship finally reached its berth I do not know, but its presence was fortuitous. Its owners, McNally Construction Ltd are finishing up work at the Digby terminal and it was only by chance that the tug was in the neighbourhood.
Built in 1978 for McNamara Construction, the tug worked in Halifax on the Halterm extension in 2010-2011 and left Halifax for Digby aboard the Canadian Argosy March ,11, 2013..


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