BRUNSWICK, Ga. - Responders continue preparations to remove Section Three of the Golden Ray wreck from the wreck site by dry-dock barge on Saturday. Shoreline teams observe minimal environmental impacts on local beaches and continue to treat oil impacts to marsh grass.
REMOVAL UPDATE
Preparations to remove Section Three of the Golden Ray wreck from the wreck site continue. Once the VB-10000 lifts Section Three onto a dry-dock barge, wreck removal personnel will prepare the section for transit to a response facility near Mayors Point Terminal.
Weight-shedding crews removed 41 vehicles and a few movable decks from Section Three on Friday. Weight-shedding is a multi-strategy approach which includes tactics such as vehicle and deck removal and using water streams to mitigate increased weight in the sections due to large accumulations of sediment.
The 150-yard safety zone around the EPB is increased to 300 yards for recreational vessels through July 4, 2021. The Unified Command (UC) advises mariners to please steer clear of the perimeter to ensure the safety of our responders and the public.
Response managers are closely tracking the projected path of Tropical Storm Elsa and will take appropriate action in advance to secure personnel, vessels, equipment and facilities in accordance with the response Heavy Weather Plan.
Any unauthorized usage of drones (unmanned aerial vehicles, UAVs) around the wreck site and near response facilities is discouraged due to safety. UAVs are distractions that can lead to near misses, mishaps and injuries. Responders will report any sightings of drones and drone operators to local authorities.
Weight-shedding crews remove vehicles from Section Three of the Golden Ray wreck during preparations to lift the section onto a dry-dock barge on Friday. Any reduction in weight ensures a safer overall lifting operation. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
ENVIRONMENTAL UPDATE
A shoreline clean-up team recovers oil globules from a shell rake in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck while other personnel use sphagnum moss to treat oiled marsh grass on Friday following an entrained discharge of oil from the wreck site on Thursday. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Shoreline clean-up teams apply sphagnum moss to oil bands on the perimeter marsh grasses in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck on Friday following an entrained discharge of oil from the wreck site on Thursday. Sphagnum moss is an industry-standard, natural adsorbent coating that promotes the natural breakdown of oil while also significantly reducing any potential transfer of oil onto wildlife. St. Simons Sound Incident response video.
Shoreline clean-up team applies sphagnum moss to oil bands on the perimeter of marsh grasses in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck on Friday. Sphagnum moss is an industry-standard, natural adsorbent coating that promotes the natural breakdown of oil while also significantly reducing any potential transfer of oil onto wildlife. St. Simons Sound Incident response photo.
Pollution response teams continue to observe very light oil sheens near the Golden Ray wreck site. Shoreline survey teams observed and continue to treat oil bands on the perimeter of marsh grasses in the vicinity of the Golden Ray wreck and continue to remove oil globules from shell rakes in adjacent areas along the impacted marsh. Clean-up teams use sphagnum moss when mitigating oil impacts to marsh grasses because it is an industry-standard, natural adsorbent coating that promotes the natural breakdown of oil while also significantly reducing any potential transfer of oil onto wildlife.
Shoreline surveys of beaches along Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island observed minimal amounts of oil with no additional treatment required after initial recovery during each survey. If you encounter residual oil on the shoreline or in the water, please call the National Response Center hotline at (800) 424-8802. For current beach and fishing safety information, please visit the Georgia Coast Health District website at the Georgia Coast Health District website.
Shoreline survey teams continue to recover debris related to the Golden Ray wreck removal from the shorelines of Jekyll Island and St. Simons Island. All debris is sorted, catalogued and disposed of according to the response debris plan. If you encounter what you believe is debris from the Golden Ray wreck, please do not handle the debris. Call the Debris Reporting Hotline at (912) 944-5620. Responders evaluate each report, survey the vicinity and recover any shipwreck debris in addition to their daily surveys of the water and the shoreline. To learn more about the response debris program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – Debris Removal Operations
On-water response teams maintain a 24-hour watch around the Golden Ray and they deploy pre-staged equipment and personnel to mitigate any oil discharges, sheens and debris observed. Natural Resource Advisors continue to monitor areas around the wreck site and the Environmental Protection Barrier for any wildlife activity or impacts. To learn more about the response on-water oil recovery program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – On-Water Oil Recovery Operations
Safety personnel continue air monitoring in the community using stationary and mobile air monitoring equipment. Community air quality analysis and water sample analysis continues to confirm no exceedances of air and water quality standards. To learn more about the Air and Water quality monitoring program, watch this video Subject Matter Expert Overview – Air and Water Quality Monitoring
The Unified Command (UC) developed a multi-layer approach for observing, surveying, documenting and mitigating any releases of oil or debris during cutting and lifting operations. Recovery personnel are on-station at the Environmental Protection Barrier, at the shoreline and on the water around the Golden Ray shipwreck. Responders are maintaining protective boom at sensitive locations around St. Simons Sound.
The St. Simons Sound Incident Unified Command is the official source of information for the motor vessel Golden Ray response operations.
For more updates, please subscribe for email alerts at https://www.stsimonssoundincidentresponse.com/subscribe
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