Monday, March 18, 2013

Two Years after the Tsunami in Crescent City



The Tall Ships, Hawaiian Chieftain and The Lady Washington come most years to visit our harbor, but had to pass us by two years ago this month when the harbor was destroyed by the same Tsunami that devastated Japan. Last year and this they get to return because some repairs have been done, but the progress is very slow. 

 Before the Tsunami, the harbor was a thriving, busy place filled with boats taking turns in the various seasons with trying their luck for the dungeness crab and the prawns and tuna hauls that kept the fishing community afloat, both literally and financially.



This is a picture I took of my TV screen when they were showing how the water from the harbor was being sucked out of the harbor and then came flooding back in 10 minute cycles




This blog has previous posts about tsunamis in Crescent City









 This is the boat my son, in high school when the tsunami hit, now works on as a crabber, but even though it still is listed as being out of Crescent City, It has to dock elsewhere except for loading and unloading as there are not enough places to tie up the fleet now, so as the season winds down my son is heading south from Eureka to Bodega Bay.
boxes filled with crab are unloaded

 Here is the edge of the harbor parking lot as crab season finishes up and the pots come in to be stored and repaired
Many rocks are piling up as the silt and rocks in the harbor are removed to try and make the boat basin deeper and more usable


This barge and crane are in the same corner today that Is shown in that screen shot from the TV news above with the docks sitting on the mud




 nets spread in the parking lot with floats attached
 pipes waiting installation to replace the old, damaged concrete ones




 The rectangles are docks which were damaged and need replaced in the water once the heavy machinery finally leaves





Last year the family of Dustin Weber, the young man who was swept to sea here and recovered 400 miles north when his body washed up in Washington, had his ashes returned as his family completed the walk between those two location.



  I haven't seen anything in the local news this year mentioning the anniversary, just the reminders that work is ongoing and repairs are not expected to be completed until at least 2014. Still, life goes on, and the wreckage transforms again into a working harbor.

2 comments:

  1. We still have people here who are recovering from tornado damage of two years ago. It's very sad that the tsunami rebuilding process can take into 2014. My best wishes to everyone who is still recovering physically, emotionally and economically. I'm sharing your post on G+1.

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    1. Thank you for reading and sharing this and for your good wishes. Best of luck to your hometown as well.

      Dixie Goode

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