Here’s what we know about that partially submerged boat off Browns Point in Tacoma
Rolling On, a 36-foot blue-and-white cabin cruiser, is partially submerged off Tacoma’s Browns Point.
At 5:50 a.m. Monday, Pierce County Fire District 13 was dispatched to a water rescue near Browns Point Lighthouse Park after a fisherman notified them, said Scott Watkins, public information officer for District 13.
Tacoma fireboat Destiny and West Pierce fireboat Endeavor also responded to the scene, Watkins said. They found Rolling On submerged in the water while the man who owns the boat rode on a kayak, followed by his rescue boat.
The man was kayaking around the boat while he gathered his personal belongings, Watkins said. The fire department does not have information on the man’s identity because the scene was turned over to the Coast Guard.
The boat sank about 100 yards north of Browns Point, said Ty Keltner, communications manager for the spills program at the state Department of Ecology. No fuel was found on the boat other than a small sheen of oil that quickly dissipated.
Tacoma resident Silvia McClung, who lives near Browns Point, said she called 911 on the morning of the incident. The dispatch center told her they had already received several calls regarding the boat.
“We just kind of watched this gentleman in a red kayak,” McClung said. “He was just going around picking up debris from the water.”
Troy Wood, program manager of the state’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program, said they are giving the man a “reasonable amount of time” to deal with the boat. If it becomes obvious that he is not doing anything to remove it, Wood’s agency could remove the boat and bill him for the removal.
On a scale from one to six, with one being the highest priority level, Rolling On is a two, Wood said. The state Department of Ecology and Coast Guard deemed there was no pollution risk, so that lowered the priority level, he said.
“Plus it’s anchored, so it’s not going to drift around,” Wood said. “We’ll know where it is. Unfortunately, we won’t be able to get to it probably before it sinks.”
Wood said his agency is swamped, and they have to prioritize vessels that need to be removed based on the vessels’ threats to the safety of people and the environment around them. Rolling On is one of the 250-plus vessels on their concern list, he said.
“It’s not on a beach where kids can get on it and play on it,” Wood said. “It’s not posing an immediate threat. It’s not in a normal navigation channel.”
Wood advises boat owners to be responsible for their boats by taking them home or placing them in a marina. Those unable to deal with their vessels can contact the state’s Derelict Vessel Removal Program.
This story was originally published July 21, 2021 at 5:05 AM.
