Fish Boat Aground; Pillar Point, California

Pillar Point, California | 1999-Mar-30

Initial Notification: A 40-foot fishing vessel ran aground at Pillar Point, California at about 2130 hours on March 3, 1999. The vessel, estimated to have 500 gallons of diesel fuel onboard, started leaking at about 1700 hours on March 31. Weather at the time of the incident was northwest winds 20 to 25 knots. The RP hired a cleanup contractor to remove a small amount of sheen. This area is inshore of the boundaries of the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary. Also, the James Fitzgerald Marine Reserve is located in the vicinity, starting at Pillar Point and extending along the coastline north about 2 miles, and offshore about 0.5 nm. There is a boat ramp and a hoist inside Pillar Point Harbor and numerous access points. Recreational boating is common in this area, and there are several recreational beaches to the south of Pillar Point Harbor. Half Moon Bay Airport is located within a mile of the Harbor. USCG district 11. Keyword: evaporation, sorbent boom, threatened specie.