Vision veers off course

David Symes was just pulling out of the Shoppers Drug Mart parking lot and heading along Marine Drive when he saw the Atlantic Vision pulling out of dock last Monday around 7 p.m..

He pulled over by the IMP store to watch the ship leave. When he did, he noticed something strange.

"When I was on the wharf I said, 'Jeeze! It looks like she's coming over this way,'" said Mr. Symes.

He and dozens of others stopped what they were doing to watch as the Vision headed straight for the government wharf. Ferries usually veer left after leaving the wharf to stay in the channel of deeper water on the way out of the harbour.

Mr. Symes went so far as to back his truck off the wharf.

He said the ship's bow ended up right between the government wharf and the IMP store, on the shore side of the bouys that mark the way out of the harbour. At the time he was sure the ship had run aground.

The captain managed to get the ship stopped and reversed it back to dock.

"He was some lucky, I'll tell you," said Mr. Symes.

Trudy Hayward thought with the high winds that day, the ship would be stuck in port.

"I said earlier - when I came into work - I said to the girls, I don't think she's going to go out today in this wind," said Ms. Hayward.

She later watched as the ship headed towards the wharf.

Environment Canada's weather data for last Monday lists winds of over 40 kilometers an hour coming straight out of the east. The government wharf is west of the ferry terminal.

Marine Atlantic Spokesperson Tara Laing could not say for certain if high winds played a role in the incident on Monday.

The incident is currently under review, and she said once the review is complete Marine Atlantic will release more details about what may have caused this incident.

After returning to the dock and assessing the situation, it was decided to try again for North Sydney. The ship left without incident the second time.

Once in North Sydney, divers went below to see if the ship had sustained any damage. Ms. Laing said it does appear the ship rubbed bottom, but no significant damage was sustained.

"They had done a review prior to leaving port [in Port aux Basques] anyway and this was more of another check," said Ms. Laing, adding that it is not an abnormal thing for divers to be sent below the ship for inspections.

- With files from The Telegram reporter@gulfnews.ca

• 
• 
• View the gallery