While enroute to become an artificial reef in the Gulf, the Nekton Rorqual got stuck under the Marler Bridge in Destin on Friday morning.
It was a sight to see, as many boats were passing by and passengers looking at the 75-foot vessel wedged between the pilings at the highest point of the bridge. The waterway traffic was blocked from going under the bridge at that spot for about two hours.
“It was a momentary mishap,” said Nick Tomecek, Okaloosa County public information officer.
The Rorqual is one of two Nekton scuba boats that have been acquired by the county to be deployed as artificial reefs. The other is the Nekton Pilot, an 80-footer.
The Nekton Rorqual was the first of the two to be deployed and was headed out the morning of Aug. 15 when it took a turn for the worse.
The contractor who was taking the vessel out slowed down “and got caught up in the current” and wedged the boat between the pilings, Tomecek said.
“It hit the bumpers on the side,” Tomecek said, noting there was no damage to the bridge or to people.
Coast Guard Destin and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office responded and were able to assist in dislodging the boat from under the bridge.
Traffic on the bridge was closed for approximately 10 minutes, according to Nicole Hodskins, public information officer for the sheriff’s office.
“FDOT responded to check for any damage and there were no injuries,” Hodskins said.
“It was impressive how quickly multiple agencies got out there to help,” said Tamara Young, public information officer for the city of Destin.
“They did shut down traffic on the bridge to ensure safety while the boat was being moved, but the closure was less than 15 minutes,” Young said.
This article originally appeared on The Destin Log: Here’s how that boat got stuck under the Marler Bridge in Destin on Aug. 15
Reporting by Tina Harbuck, The Destin Log / The Destin Log
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
