Nantucket Harbor Cleanup Effort Yields 3,500 Pounds Of Sunken Debris
Jason Graziadei •
What lurks beneath the surface of Nantucket Harbor? Now we know.
A large-scale cleanup effort over the past month has resulted in the retrieval of more than 3,500 pounds of sunken, hazardous debris from the seabed floor of the harbor.
The initiative, which was first proposed by Nantucket scalloper Bruce Cowan and spearheaded by the Nantucket Shellfish Association, began on May 9th, and the first phase concluded last Friday.
Two full engine blocks, an exhaust pipe, four boat batteries, two large fuel tanks, various wiring and piping, and a segment of a boat’s hull were among the large items that were hauled out of the water over the past month. Much of that debris is believed to be from an Egg Harbor vessel that sank over 20 years ago off Monomoy in the harbor.
The clean-up team included Cowan, along with Nantucket Shellfish Association executive director Kevin Korn, Nantucket Moorings owner Tim Reinemo and his mate Chris Bell, along with diver Chris Fuller and his assistant. They were supported on the water by Nantucket Harbormaster Sheila Lucey and on land by Scott Bamber.
“This debris has been out of sight for many years underwater in Nantucket harbor, however, it remained a major safety hazard to swimmers, fishermen, shellfishermen, and their gear," Korn said. "In addition, it was a hazard to the aquaculture environment, water quality, and our prized shellfish."
The debris was removed from the water with Nantucket Mooring's barge crane, then transported to a truck at the Children's Beach boat ramp, and will be transported off-island to Middleborough Recycling, where it will be sorted, shredded, and ultimately sold to vendors to be made into reusable aggregates.
The first phase is complete, but the NSA and its collaborators stated they are just getting started. The association is hoping for continued donations from members and others to continue funding the clean-up effort.
"NSA will continue this initiative as long as sunken debris remains in the harbor and funds are available to complete the work," the organization stated.
