The other evening up Mitchell Slough came a very long log boom with three tugs on it. We're just on the tip and as this boom was coming out of the slough they met up with another long log boom a bit longer than them. On the heels of that one on the south side of Mitchell Island was yet a third log boom being hauled up the river. The sport fisher managed to dodge his way through the me lee. 
Here you can see the Mitchell Slough boom and tugs zipping about to avoid the other two booms. At one point Evil Mark and I had counted 15 tugs out there, plus quite a blue streak of dialog coming across the water from the tugs. Oops. At this point you can see two tugs on the Mitchell boom...
And this third tug making some adjustments...some lovely logs got away and he had to turn back around to retrieve it. 
And shortly after all this kerfuffle, the Sea Witch was not far behind, pulling on some more logs that had gone astray. Seeing them haul without much freeboard always trips me out a bit even though I know it is a grunty little thing.
We all were quite entertained by it all. 
4 comments:
Theres always something going on, on your river, loved the Tug piccie! I can`t imagine what goes through the head of the tug skippers of a log boom. as the logs break away.
I watched a concrete oil rig being pulled out of a fjord in Sweeden with a couple of feet to clear on the bottom! the calm voice of the Tug controller was really something else as he instructed the ten tugs positioned around it to pull and slack etc, as required. I had enough trouble finding a miss positioned offshore outlet with divers on board (with a tug I might add)
Yes, THERE IS always something going on, be it the river, the boats or our roommates.
The fellows in their caulk (cork) boots who scramble over the moving log booms are a bit more impressive than the tug drivers in my opinion. Now THAT is very dangerous work. They have to be very nimble footed so as to not fall in between the logs, PLUS haul on the cables and pull on things with the pike poles.
The booms are held together with steel cables but they do quite often come apart. It is a job not suited to big burley men but smaller wirey type I understand.
Thats be out then(fat, slow, bald, old un-imble etc, etc ) Tee hee :o))you live in a lovely spot/country!
I'm with you, T. I think the little guys on back leaping nimbly about are the truly amazing ones. There was a tug here last night that gave a huge yank on the cable once it was hooked up and with the noise it made, I thought the cable had snapped (plus I couldn't see the guy on back anymore). Must have been wrong because no emergency procedures were instituted and they eventually pulled the boom upstream. Still, it's always sporty to watch!!
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