PORT ANGELES — A Sequim man is willing and able to rescue Montana Gasper’s sinking boat, but first he must find a safe place to take it.
Jay Ketchum, owner of Affordable Services of Sequim and a professional diver, said he has the equipment, personnel and willingness needed to pump the water from the Montana Drifter, which has been sinking in the Port Angeles Harbor just off the Rayonier property at the end of Ennis Street.
The 36-foot boat has been hitting rock bottom for a couple days now and has holes in the hull.
“Just pumping the water out and getting it afloat is no longer enough,” Ketchum said.
“We’ve got to have a place to tow it to.”
Gasper’s boat washed up on the rocky shores near the Rayonier mill site during the Dec. 14 storm.
Although he managed to get it back out to sea and anchored, it had been damaged, and has taken on water until only the cabin was above water on Thursday.
Working with officials
Ketchum said that he and others who want to help have worked for a couple of weeks with the Port Angeles Fire Department, which made contact with the Coast Guard, state Department of Ecology and state Department of Natural Resources.
The group needed a liability release in case pollutants were released from the boat, he said, adding that the anchor is wedged on something at the bottom of the harbor, possibly one of the city of Port Angeles’ outflow pipes, Ketchum said.
“The law says you have ownership of the boat as soon as you pull it out, and we just don’t want to take on the liability for it,” Ketchum said.
Gasper has said he wants the boat towed to City Pier, but because it is not authorized for that use, Ketchum said he won’t do that without permission.
“We just need a place that we can tow it that it can get repaired,” Ketchum said.
“We’re happy to help — and to offer our services free — but we need a little bit of joint effort.”
Gasper, who could not be reached for comment on Thursday, has been pleading for help from anyone who will listen, he has said.
Port Angeles resident Steven Burnham paddled an inflatable kayak out to the boat on Wednesday to help retrieve a radio, Gasper’s clothing and a few other items.
Burnham said he would be willing to help unhook the anchor, or at least help cut the chain on the anchor, if need be.
Ketchum said that even if the boat were to sink completely, his team has the equipment to get it out.
“We do that all the time, going on marine dives and raising boats up,” he said.
Effort on hold
Ketchum said that, until he can find a safe location for the boat, the rescue effort is on hold.
Port Angeles Fire Chief Dan McKeen said that the department has been monitoring the situation.
“We had a couple of firefighters who went down there [Thursday] to look at the situation and see if there were any pollutants that Ecology would need to come look at,” McKeen said.
“But we don’t believe they will be coming down.
“They will rely on our assessment of the situation, and it doesn’t appear that there is anything significant that will be, or has been, a pollutant risk.”
Gasper has said that the boat contains about five gallons of fuel.
His was one of three boats that were grounded during the storm.
The Esther Marie was removed from Hollywood Beach by its owner, Doug Zimmerman of Sequim, with the help of another boat owner, and is now anchored in the harbor.
An unnamed boat owned by David Reese of Port Angeles was removed from the shore near Oak Street on Sunday.
__________
Reporter Paige Dickerson can be reached at 360-417-3535 or at paige.dickerson@peninsuladailynews.com.
