F/V Jimmy & Charlie
F/V Jimmy & Charlie Jr. went aground Nov 10, 2020 at the entrance of the Altemaha River in the Tybee National Wildlife Refuge, near Turtle Island Wildlife Management Area. Vessel fuel capacity was 30,000 gal, with an expected 15,000 gal on board. The vessel was hard aground on the sandbar at the river entrance, with breaking surf surrounding it at everything except a 3’ tide or lower. Flooding conditions following Hurrucane Eta raised the river level 3 to 4 feet, eliminating the low tide sand bar access for multiple days.
The team first attempted to defuel the vessel by bringing a small flexi barge alongside the casualty, but breaking waves created unsafe conditions for securing the barge. After weighing local capabilities, a helicopter was called in to fly fuel totes off the sand bar once flooding subsided. Working only during the narrow low-tide window during daylight hours, the team successfully defueled the vessel.