LIFESTYLE

H.W. Hocks resurfaces

Scott Brand

The H.W. Hocks has been refloated in Brimley Bay after going down late last month from a series of waves washing over the gunnels. The partially submerged fishing tug was raised by a cable, while pumps removed the water after repairs were made underwater. It remains moored off of Bay Mills Point until arrangements are made to tow the boat through the Sault Locks to MCM Marine in the Sault.

Recovery and clean-up operations following the March 28 sinking of the H.W. Hocks continue in the waters of Brimley Bay off of Bay Mills Point.

“They ran a cable across the boat to raise it up,” explained Lt. j.g. Adam Saurin of the United States Coast Guard. “Then divers went under to patch the hole.”

Once the repairs were made, those involved in the recovery operation used pumps to remove the water from the vessel. Saurin explained the hull of the H.W. Hocks is still in contact with the bottom of the bay, while a visual inspection of the scene on Wednesday shows both a large rope and accompanying cable are securing it to the nearby shoreline to ensure it does not drift away from its current location.

The fishing tug, measuring 48’ x 13’ x 6’, sank late last month, according to Saurin, when wave action from Lake Superior rolled into Brimley Bay. The waves broke over the gunnels of the moored vessel, adding a little more water each time, until it eventually went down.

Only a small portion of the boat remained above water and an unspecified amount of diesel fuel spilled into the bay and washed up on the nearby shoreline.

Saurin credited a quick response from the Bay Mills Indian Community and the Chippewa-Ottawa Resource Authority (CORA) for containing most of the spilled fuel.

“It was contained right away,” said Saurin. “The initial response couldn’t have been executed more flawlessly.”

Saurin estimated approximately 100 gallons of diesel fuel were on board at the time the H.W. Hocks went down and the vast majority of that was contained at that site. Absorbent booms have also been deployed in the immediate area to soak up any additional fuel with some clean-up conducted along the shore.

“Every precaution was taken to ensure no more hazardous material was spilled into the water,” said Saurin.

The H.W. Hocks remains temporarily moored along Bay Mills Point, according to Saurin, as those involved in the project determine the best course of action. Saurin indicated the vessel will eventually be taken to MCM Marine in the Sault once a tow plan is submitted and approved. It is unclear if the fishing tug, originally built in Milwaukee, Wisc. in 1935 by Harry Hocks, will be repaired for future voyages or scrapped once it reaches the boat yard.