CAPE ELIZABETH, Maine — One of the images that captured the power of last Saturday's historic storm was the fishing vessel that ran aground in Cape Elizabeth.
This week, Portland-based salvage company Determination Marine, along with crews from Scott Dugas Trucking-Excavating, worked Friday to remove as much gear off the Tara Lynn II as possible.
Parker Poole, the owner of Determination Marine, said Friday morning that the boat was leaning at a 60-degree angle and it needed to be tilted to as level as possible to remove the mast and other parts still on board.
While the cold winter weather this week makes for tough working conditions, Poole said it has benefits for land preservation.
"It's actually helpful that it's a little colder, the ground is frozen up better. It allows us to get [trucks] across stuff, we don't have to worry as much about tearing land up," Poole explained.
Crews left the scene on Reef Road Friday evening, and Poole said he and some workers will return Saturday to continue cleaning up debris before the heavy machinery returns Monday morning.
Poole added this effort is a recovery and an environmental clean-up project "at this point."
Maine Department of Environmental Protection officials did a walk-through of the scene Friday. Poole said about 500 gallons of diesel fuel spilled into the water, but environmental impacts are believed to be minimal.
This recovery plan involves not just the crews on the scene, but local public safety officials, the owner of the fishing boat, the insurance company, property owners, and the Cape Elizabeth Land Trust.
The organization manages and conserves land across town, including the Trundy Point Preserve, a few hundred feet from the fishing boat, and a 3/4 acre parcel of land on Reef Road, where the vessel has sat for six days now.
“The community is obviously very interested in what’s going on," Cape Elizabeth Land Trust Executive Director David Briman said Friday. “We have an obligation, which we take seriously, to protect [the conservation land] and steward them, forever.”
Briman took time to compliment the landowners who have cooperated with recovery crews who have had to use their land to move in trucks and other equipment
The constant communication between involved parties, Briman added, has been helpful during this near week-long process and it will continue in the days ahead.
Concerned residents would be happy to know that Briman said the impact on the property was minimal.
Many residents took time Friday to check out the vessel's remains, but public safety officials want to remind Mainers that it is an active work zone and to please respect the no parking signs and restrictive tape that will be in place this weekend.