Every day we see something different in our front yard, the Intracoastal Waterway (ICW). Yesterday, we saw something never seen before and may never be seen again.
The Yokamu, a 271-foot long, 39 feet wide cargo ship was being pushed and pulled eastward from Mobile Bay to a business complex called Reefmaker in Orange Beach, AL. It is believed this is the "biggest thing ever brought up the intracoastal canal, as far as a ship goes." Some barges are longer, and are typically 35 feet wide, but this the largest single unit to use the waterway in Baldwin County.
The ship, built in Holland 40 years ago, will be deployed as an artificial fishing reef, which has been approved and partially funded by the Alabama Department of Conservation. This will be the first whole-ship reef for the State of Alabama.
A reality television show, named "Reefmaker," is being made to air on The Weather Channel. It will feature the Orange Beach business, Reefmaker, which has put in about 30,000 artificial reefs since its beginnings in 1986.
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| A view from our pier of the Yokamu being towed from Mobile. |
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| The 271-foot long Yokamu. |
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| 1,388 tons and 39 feet wide. |
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| There they go eastward on the ICW: two tugs and the Yokamu. |
This is very interesting... Your dock must provide lots of entertainment!
ReplyDelete...and.... Is there a Part 2?