Crews haul tsunami debris off Oregon beach
GLENEDEN BEACH, Ore. - Workers pulled a 1-ton boat from the sand Wednesday and disposed of the tsunami debris in a landfill.
Biologists took samples of sea life found on the boat. The 27-foot vessel is believed to be debris from the March 2011 tsunami that hit Japan.
That theory got a boost Wednesday when crews found a safety warning written in Japanese afixed to the boat.
Biologists Steve Rumrill and Justin Ainsworth with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife inspected the boat, collected samples to identify the species, and gave clearance to Oregon Parks and Recreation Department staff to remove the debris.
The boat was about 200 yards from a beach access. Drayton Excavation out of Lincoln City used a piece of heavy equipment to excavate the debris and haul it off the beach.
Debris from the March 2011 tsunami continues to wash up on Northwest shores.
A large pipe washed ashore in late January on the Washington coast near the mouth of the Columbia River at Cape Disappointment State Park.
Two massive docks have washed ashore - one last December on a remote part of the Washington coast, another in the summer of 2012 on a popular Oregon beach that gave tourism a boost.
The stream of debris - which is expected to get worse - has turned beachcombing into a mystery for coast visitors.
People who sight unusual amounts of debris can report it by calling 211 (1-800-SAFENET), or by sending an email to beach.debris@state.or.us.
I can't believe they're not going to make a lasting memorial of this also. Wow! Quick action for a change? Getting debris off the shore should be immediate, not waiting for "experts" to offer advice! Or those who advocate efforts to save trash!Â
I can understand paying someone to remove a destroyed fiberglass boat off the beach, but in the case of the dock that washed up, why didn't they have  someone who wanted it pay to have it remove. They could probably removed it for a fraction of the cost to build a new one. The State of Oregon needs to approach this in a more logical way. Some of the stuff washing up does have scrap value. One man's junk is another man's treasure.
@MadMax64 they make way more money charging us for it though......
I'm still waiting for some soap to wash ashore.
 @special effects It might happen eventually. I heard some water from the Tsunami washed up near Seaside a while back.Â
LOL!
I think the big "unknown origin" objects are the ideas for these articles. Again - let's just say that all the large junk that comes onto the NW coastal beaches is actually tsunami related. Just find the Japanese writing, and be done with it.Â
If they do an article for ever bit of debris they remove from the beach it's going to be a long decade.
No kidding. Â Nice work guys but not every piece of flotsam is newsworthy.
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@negativerep If its on the beach it ain't "Flotsam".
 @tannin But it's a lot more fun to say flotsam than debris.
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 @negativerep Apparently it's newsworthy enough for you and Ralph to comment about. Actually, it's exactly what "newsworthy" means. The fact that you put up a straw man about "every piece of flotsam" is a classic misdirection technique. The article in question wasn't about "every piece of flotsam;" it was about a large and relatively intact piece of tsunami wreckage, something that doesn't wash up every day within 200 yards of a beach access. Which is what makes it newsworthy.
 @Ken Campbell We obviously don't agree on the importance of this particular news item.  My reason for commenting on it is because I'm on a public forum which gives me the right to do so as it does you.  Have a great day!
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