WOODS HOLE, Mass. — During a meeting with contractors to build a new boathouse in Chilmark, Mass., Coast Guard Station Menemsha crews responded to a call from the 46-foot fishing vessel Sherry Ann reporting they were aground in the surf at Squibnocket Beach in Chilmark, Mass., June 11.
Watchstanders from Sector Southeastern New England command center at approximately 11:40 p.m. from the 46-foot lobster-fishing vessel Sherry Ann. Coast Guard Station Menemsha, Massachusetts Environmental Police, Aquinnah Fire Department and Sector Southeastern New England personnel responded to the case. Air Station Cape Cod launched an MH-60J Jayhawk helicopter to assess the environmental impact and check for leaking fuel. All three crewmembers on the Sherry Ann were safe and uninjured.
The vessel reported they had approximately 800 gallons of fuel aboard, but no fuel or environmental concerns were reported by the Coast Guard helicopter crew. Commercial salvage will handle refloating the vessel with Coast Guard supervising the process.
When the call came in, the command at Station Menemsha was meeting with contractors, local government, and local media to discuss the way forward in the bidding process to build a new boathouse to replace the one that burned down in 2010.
"Today's case is a great example of how important it is to make sure Station Menemsha crews have what they need to perform their missions," said Lt. Joe Klinker, 1st Coast Guard District Public Affairs Officer. "The boathouse rebuild process is coming along and the sooner we have a place for those rescue boats to come back to, the better."
