[Ian]

Had a call from Port Weller Coast Guard last night. The Tiller mooring was reported 3 miles off site and right in the middle of the shipping channel going into the Welland Canal. It was only 1.4 miles from shore. The CG sent their boat out to retrieve it in 6' waves and it was still attached to the bottom. They managed to get the buoy by undoing the shackle at the bottom of the chain. They left the shackle on the line to hopefully sink it far enough to be below the freighters.

If the bottom chain or shackle had of let go, the coasties should have been able to pull it up. As there is no way that the buoy has enough buoyancy to move the block, my fear is that the system was snagged by a freighter. Apparently there has been three days of 10 foot waves at this end of the lake with some periods of 14/15 footers thrown in. Several freighters have been at anchor waiting to get into the canal and at least one had to reset after dragging to within 1/4 mile from shore. Getting snagged by an anchor or hung up on a bulbous bow are both possibilities. The buoy itself and the solar light are both in good shape but the surface tag line is shredded and only about half its length.

If the weather lets up, I hope to get out and check for damage. If the block is still there, I'll reattach a line with just a jug for winter. If the block is missing, I won't attach anything to the wreck. At this point, there is no mooring on the wreck at all.

NOTSHIP C-906-09 has been canceled and NOTSHIP C-2189-09 (buoy removed for season) has been issued. Ian