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Gloucester Harbor/Annisquam River....As of midnight tonight 8/8/07 the Blynman Bridge will be closed to all boat traffic! The earth below the bridgehouse has developed a sinkhole and is in danger of collapsing the bulkhead.
rparkssos - 8/8/2007 7:50 PM Any guesstimates on how long? Timing couldn't be worse.
Don't have a clue! But from what I hear a crew will be in place in the morning and begin to explore the extent of the damage. 1st reports are that earth behindthe bridgehouse bulkhead has developed a sinkhole andthreatning the bridgehouse itself. The Coast Guard fears that furtherdamage will occur from the wakes of boats passing and could cause a catastrophic collapse.
We have a similar situation down here in Padanaram. The turnstile apparently is slowly sinking causing the steel bridge to bind where it meets the fixed road on each side. Several years ago they jury rigged some hydraulic jacks to lift the bridge-its been problematic at best and caused much delay to boats and vehicles. When it is down for long periods they actually yank it open with the harbormasters boat - we heave been told that it must be available to boat traffic over vehicular traffic by the Coast Guard - wonder why that's not the case in Gloucester?
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1967 BW Nauset w/ 88SPL Johnson
It may not be the case in Gloucester because there is another way for the boats to get out. Here's an article from the local paper:
Blynman Bridge ordered closed at midnight Wednesday
Richard Gaines
The Cut bridge over the Annisquam River was ordered locked down indefinitely starting at midnight Wednesday night after divers found general structural deterioration of the seawall along the east side of the Blynman Canal that put the tender's house in risk of collapse.
The tender house is "unsafe to occupy," said William Bernard, a bridge expert from the Massachusetts Highway Department.
The bridge will be crossable for drivers -- full-time for now, without the interruption of an opening for boats.
The lockdown order was made by the Massachusetts Highway Department, which owns the bridge with the concurrence of the Coast Guard and city public safety officials.
The Coast Guard prepared an emergency broadcast announcing the lockdown to boats and ships at sea anticipating travel through the Annisquam River.
MassHighway said it would post a public message on Route 128.
The decision closes the second busiest drawbridge on the East Coast, according to an official of NEL Corporation, which operates drawbridges for the state, as traffic is peaking for mid-summer.
Bridge tender John Aiello said the drawbridge was opened 1,295 times last month and up to 60 times a day for commercial fishing boats, recreational boaters, whale watch and fishing party boats, moored at the Cape Ann Marina a few hundred yards north of the steel bridge.
The closure will force enormous adjustments by boaters and public safety officials.
The Coast Guard arranged to move its 25-foot rescue boat from the station in the inner harbor to the marina to allow for rapid deployment north into Ipswich Bay.
Executive officer Paul Wells said the guard could call in help from the station in Newburyport.
The shoaling in the river mouth off Wingaersheek Beach further complicates river travel into and back from Ipswich Bay.
Whale watch and fishing boats moored in the river will have no choice but to go north and around Cape Ann to reach waters they typically reach with straight shots through the canal.
The cause of the structural deterioration of the eastern seawall on which the tender's house is secured with braces was laid to the constant tidal flushing at 7 to 8 knots, according to tender Aiello.
"Concrete, cement and saltwater don"t mix," said Aiello
I just sent out an email, to my boating friends, titled "F'n MN bridge collapse gives these guys the bright idea....."
And wrote:
"WTFF, I thought there was one too many MA agencies jumping the "bridge inspection bandwagon" this past week! I seriously doubt this bridge is any worse today than it was last year, or the year before! They couldn't wait 3 weeks till Labor Day goes by!!! AARRGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
Jay lets see a pic of this big sinkhole collapsing structure.
And the fact that they're running cables underwater to fuk up the small boat traffic as well.
These guys need to have their friggin heads examined closing the bridge for 3 weeks with 3 weeks left to summer!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Jay, How much of a ride is it to exit at the other end from the HS ramp?
Probably 30 to 40 minutes at "No Wake" speed.
And that's just to make it out to open water. If you had planned to get to the outskirts of Gloucester Harbor I'd imagine a run from the HS ramp up the Annisquam, around Halibut point and south to the harbor is easily a 1.5 hour ride each way depending on the speed you travel when out in open water. The pink line shows the new route you'll need to take...
Thanks for the reminder FireFly......my boat is at Cape Ann Marina which is in site of the bridge.........Looks like its time to find some new spots off of Rockport. It will be interesting to see if they let the harbor master to go through the cut to patrol the river traffic speed? Lets hope this is a big nothing and were back in operation shortly.
IOS has been producing tuna lately. Not for me though but I'll give it another try this weekend. Wife heads to RIO tomorrow so I may have to do a solo beach day on Sunday
Joe
Thanks for the info......I have been to the beach the last few weekends as the striper bite has been slow. I have company to entertain this Sat. and not sure what's up for Sunday. If I see yo at the beach I will make sure and stop by......What side of IOS do you usually fish? Tell me 10 mile south of them..
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