The Columbia, a 90-foot fishing vessel which became a point of contention as it sat abandoned in Pemaquid Harbor for nearly two years, is drawing concern in its new home, Bremen’s Greenland Cove.
Doug Wood, of Bremen, towed the vessel to Greenland Cove on Nov. 9 and, subsequently, the Bremen Board of Selectmen and Bremen Harbor Committee received complaints and inquires relating to the vessel.
Following an informational meeting about the Columbia during the Bremen Board of Selectmen meeting Thursday, Nov. 19, the Bremen Harbor Committee met on Friday morning, Nov. 20 to discuss the vessel’s presence in Greenland Cove and talk with Wood about ensuring the safety of the shoreline in relation to the large boat’s presence.
In addition to the aesthetic and safety concerns pertaining to the vessel, the harbor committee addressed the legality of a mooring used by Wood.
Ultimately, the harbor committee decided to have Wood apply for a mooring permit, giving him a week to do so.
“We have our ordinances and they need to be followed,” said Jonathan Hull, the town’s attorney.
Bremen’s mooring ordinance requires the owner of a mooring to also own the vessel being moored.
Attempts to reach this requirement may be complicated by a lapse in documentation going back to 2011 for the Columbia.
According to Pemaquid Harbor Master John Stolecki, the Maine Department of Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry declared the vessel abandoned under state statute and gave Wood permission to move the vessel.
However, Hull said he believed that does not constitute ownership.
Wood said he did not intend to keep the Columbia in Greenland Cove indefinitely and intends to use the vessel to harvest seaweed once he obtains ownership, listing Rockland or another larger harbor as possible locations for the functioning vessel.
He said he brought the Columbia to its current spot because he believes the vessel will be safe in Greenland Cove.
“As far as Greenland Cove, I brought it there because it is the safest place I know and also because the darn thing draws 8 1/2 feet. It couldn’t make it to shore even if it broke loose,” Wood said.
Though not required by the harbor committee, Wood agreed to have the ship’s anchor ready in the event of bad weather.
As a harbor, Greenland Cove protects vessels from most weather, but harbor committee member Bruce Poland said the area can be vulnerable to weather moving from the southwest.
In response to this, Wood suggested using the vessel’s heavy anchor – he estimated its weight at 6,000 pounds – in rough weather.
“Anytime there’s weather, I’ll put a secondary point of attachment into the water,” Wood said.
Wood said the only threat from weather was from wind, not waves, due to the proximity of Ram Island. He said he could put the anchor on permanent attachment via a buoy to be utilized in rough conditions.
The town’s attorney said utilizing the anchor in the event of bad weather was a proper course of action.
“Your idea of putting down the anchor with a buoy and a pennant might be a very wise thing to do to assuage some of the local concerns,” Hull said.
Local concerns were a main reason the issue was brought to the attention of Bremen’s selectmen and harbor committee.
“They are concerned about this boat breaking free and doing damage to their docks,” Bremen Harbor Master Melanie Osier Gilbert said.
“We had to act because of all the complaints we have been getting.
These people are taxpayers and they are complaining every day,” Poland said.
During the committee’s meeting, Stolecki was adamant that Bristol had not tried to rid itself of a problem by handing it off to Bremen as he responded to inquiries from Bremen’s harbor master on why Wood was paid by the municipality to move the boat.
“Frankly, Doug is a young entrepreneur that is starting out and it looked like there is a chance he was going to make good with this vessel, and we were worried about its safety, just as you are, so we wanted to make sure he had the funds to at least start so there was a chance of it being successful,” Stolecki said.
Stolecki also said the boat was one of the last of its type made and that through Wood the vessel has a chance to be revived instead of destroyed.
“One of the things we were happiest about was the fact that the vessel wasn’t going to be destroyed. This vessel was built in Maine and it has a hell of a pedigree,” Stolecki said.