TUFF-E-NUFF Almost Realtime updates – STOPPED. Placed 01/17/2011@16:52EST

TUFF-E-NUFF has left port this morning around 6am EST on her way to her new duty station.

Sea conditions were as predicted, and are getting rougher. I have received a number of calls from the guys hitching a ride on TUFF-E-NUFF and the ride is making them nervous. Sea and wind conditions are picking up and a storm is on the horizon.

TODAY
 SOUTHEAST WINDS 10 TO 15 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTH 15 KNOTS LATE
 IN THE AFTERNOON. SEAS 3 TO 4 FEET WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD 9 SECONDS.
 A MODERATE CHOP ON THE INTRACOASTAL WATERS. SHOWERS AND CHANCE OF
 THUNDERSTORMS.

TUFF-E-NUFF is being pulled to the site and they have a good couple of hours of travel time remaining, if they do not abort due to bad sea conditions. The site is located at 27 12.6 – 80 00.2  (New GPS coordinant to be given).

Visit this post often today for updates. As soon as the men report to me, I’ll post it here.

UPDATES:

11:30AM EST. I seem to be the middleman for both TUGS, TUFF-E-NUFF and Dawn Star. The crew on TUFF-E-NUFF has been phoning me and I’ve been conveying the message to the Captain of Dawn Star via Facebook, then conveying the Captains message back to the boyz via cell. They are reporting 6 foot seas, waves crashing over the bow and the stern. TUFF-E-NUFF is taking on water but not enough to be concerned with at this time. The pumps are not running and they have about 2 hours remaining to get on site.

12:45PM EST. I have been chatting back and forth with the crew on TUFF-E-NUFF and the seas have picked up to about 6 feet. The concrete anchors have been sliding/slipping around the deck, waves crashing over the bow and coming over the fantail. They’re holding on, toughing it out and are all wearing their life jackets (there’s a first). Should be about 1 hour or less left in travel time.

13:05 EST. The captain of Dawn Star just reported they are approx 3.5 miles away from the site. 8 foot seas. Kerry Dillon is reported on his way out. Kerry is suppose to dive the vessel to report on it’s placement on the bottom. Ed reports they are taking on water due to the boat being so low to the water. No other vessels have made it out.

13:35 EST. They almost made it to the site. 1 mile out. Now, to get the anchors ready to be placed overboard and hope the line does not fowl. Once the anchors go, the opening of valves will come very shortly after and then the crew will need to transfer off TUFF-E-NUFF and onto Dawn Star, all in 8 foot seas, before TUFF-E-NUFF goes down. I’ll update once I hear from the crew. They are a little busy at the moment urgently attempting to secure her in position for placement.

14:05 EST. Sea Conditions as reported by NOAA

THIS AFTERNOON
 SOUTHEAST WINDS 15 KNOTS BECOMING SOUTH 15 TO
 20 KNOTS LATE . SEAS 4 TO 6 FEET WITH A DOMINANT PERIOD 9
 SECONDS. SHOWERS AND CHANCE OF THUNDERSTORMS. WINDS AND SEAS
 HIGHER NEAR STORMS

14:20 EST. They are onsite and are coordinating the two vessels positions and preparing the concrete anchors for deployment. The information is arriving via phone calls or text messages. Ed, butt dialed me and I was able to listen in for awhile, then his butt decided to hang up on me.

14:50 EST. I just received a text. The crew is off TUFF-E-NUFF. Anchors are placed and values opened. It’s a waiting game now on how long it takes for her to flood.

16:00 EST. No update from the boats as of yet. It’s been over an hour. They must be very busy.

17:04 EST. Ed phones me after over 2 hours and tells me she went down. As title transfered over to the county, at 4:52pm EST a new reef was born, the Kyle Conrad Reef. The crew are on their way back to Harborview Marina. Ed also told me why they didn’t contact me for over two hours. For that story you will have to read the post The placing of the memorial: Kyle Conrad Reef.

Thanks for hanging in there with us and this project.

Larry

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