Six boats are sunk or beached in area during high winds

The pre-Christmas storm was unkind to boat owners in Lubec and Campobello, with six boats either sinking, coming ashore onto rocks or dragging their moorings.

Two Campobello fishing boats sank at the Head Harbour wharf in the December 21 storm that lashed the island with gusty winds and drifting snow. Harbourmaster Calvin Malloch reports that Joe Howlett's boat, Hard Times, and Scott Mitchell's Pippy's Pride, both 35-foot to 40-foot boats, sank during the storm. They were recovered using Blake Mitchell's 85-foot purse seiner and then pumped out. Inquiries are being made as to why the two boats sank. Several other boats nearly broke free from their moorings during the storm, remaining tethered by a single line each.

At least four boats in Lubec broke loose or dragged their moorings during the storm, with two winding up ashore behind the Bayview Apartments near the town garage and two others having come loose and drifted, one onto the rocks along North Lubec Road.

"We were notified of the boats [near the town garage] and spoke to the owner and verified there were no pollution issues," says Boatswain's Mate Cameron McCabe of the Eastport Coast Guard Station. "We were over there Monday night just to be on scene when he tried to refloat the vessels. He did not have enough tide to do so. That is the only involvement we have had -- we have not been asked for any kind of assistance. At this point, the Coast Guard is not authorized to do salvage. We are not sure of what the owner's plans are right now."

Bruce Porter of Cutler, owner of the two draggers, Bad Company and Allison J IV, says, "The boats broke free when the winds changed directions." He says otherwise the boats would have gone into Globe Cove on North Lubec Road, where the boats were moored. "I think what it done was, it got them whipping in different directions. They told me to go down, and I went down and went looking for the boats and they weren't there. It is hard to see them from the other side [of the harbor]. I'd say it happened Sunday night."

Porter says that he will likely have to wait until early next year to refloat the boats. "The way the tides have dropped off, the high tide will not come to them until the fifth of January. One boat we might be able to tow off -- I am not sure."

From his observations, his boats are in good shape. "I think there is but minimal damage."

Porter says that he believes two other boats had been pulled loose during the storm from Globe Cove. "There is another boat in the cove that belongs to the Knoxes. The other one belongs to Derrick Lyons. I am not sure if they dragged the moorings or broke loose. There's one on the rocks there at Globe Cove."

Coastguardsman McCabe says that, generally, damage was limited. "This storm was short and sweet. It came in and went out. We were released from storm conditions at 6 p.m. Monday night. There were no other storm casualties that we have been notified of in this area. We are basically back to operations normal."

Though concerned about his boats, Porter is philosophical. "There's nothing you can do. Like I always say when something like this happens, a human life never got lost and no one got hurt or anything."