Alsatia Wreck - Dive Site Map of Florida & Bahamas from www.ScubaLessonsInc.com (sitios de interés)
Descripción del sitio
Baycon Industries, Inc. ("Baycon") was the owner of the dredge ALSATIA II which was approximately forty years old and had not been used since 1976. The ALSATIA II was moored at a Baycon facility in Bradenton, Florida where it was being held in storage. On August 21, 1981, the ALSATIA II was hooked up to the tug INDUSTRIAL STATE to be towed from Bradenton, Florida to Tampa, where it was to be examined by a prospective purchaser. The tow and barge were traveling on the main ship channel of Tampa Bay where the seas were calm. The weather was clear and the wind was two to three knots. At approximately 1:00 a.m. on August 22, the ALSATIA II began to take on water at a rapid rate. The water entered the barge faster than crewmen could pump it out and the barge began to sink. The tug captain, in an attempt to beach the tow, left the main ship channel and tried to get to shallow water. Halfway between the channel and the shore, however, the dredge sank in water approximately twelve feet deep. Though the hull of the dredge is submerged, twenty feet of superstructure and machinery remain above the water's surface. Neither party investigated the wreck to determine the cause of the sinking.
The marine superintendent employed by Baycon inspected the dredge before the voyage but admitted that he made no inspection of the external hull below the waterline. The testimony at trial revealed the marine superintendent had "no idea" regarding the condition of the outside below the waterline prior to the trip. The marine superintendent was aware that the dredge had been unused for approximately five years but limited his structural inspection to opening up the hatches to determine whether the inside was dry, looking into the holds with a flashlight to be sure "no light was shining through" and shutting all doors and hatch covers. The government contends that, under the theory of res ipsa loquitur, an inference of negligence regarding the sinking of the ALSATIA II is warranted from the facts.
The United States Army Corp of Engineers determined that the sunken dredge was a hazard to navigation and sent a "mark and remove" letter3 to Baycon. Baycon initially planned and agreed to conduct salvage and removal operations itself, but was informed by consultants that the cost would be between $200,000 and $400,000. The high cost persuaded Baycon to abandon the vessel, despite the insistence of the Army Corp of Engineers that Baycon remove it. The barge remains today in the place it sank over four years ago.
Although very shallow is marked by a red buoy and has lots and lots of life around it. Small life mostly.