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June 30 Rough seas kept the barge and tug off-site at the storm anchor location. UESI and MRI crew members were able to use the smaller boats to install exclusion buoys, and also resupplied the fresh water and provisions during the weather delays. NOAA staff spent time measuring site 1A, in preparation for a meeting with the contractors later in the day to develop the work strategy for restoring this site, the largest in the project. July 1 The barge returned to the work site in the morning. The crew focused on placement of perimeter rock to construct the wall around site 1A, in accordance with the options and strategy decided the previous evening. Late in the day, the barge had to leave the site and return to the storm anchor due to 35 knot winds. July 2 The barge was back on site today, and with calm seas, twelve large boulders were placed in site 1A. July 3 With good weather and flat seas, the restoration team spent the day filling Site 1A with large rock, some 3 times larger than the restoration modules. The rock fills the depression and builds the perimeter wall that will hold the concrete pour. Some rocks may require the "Hudson boulder holder" -- designed by FKNMS Restoration Biologist Harold Hudson during the restoration project at the Columbus Iselin grounding site. July 4-5 Placement of large rocks was completed and the 1st level of concrete pour for Site 1A initiated after reinforcing bars were placed. All the work site "exclusion" buoys have been reestablished to help alert boaters in the area of the on-going construction hazards. More modules are being transported from shore to the barge. July 6-7 Over the weekend the crews made a lot of progress on site 1A. The perimeter wall was completed, merging 1A with originally planned sites 4A and 15A, andthe first of 3 concrete pours was completed with 20 cubic yards of concrete. Altogether there are 13 modules now placed on the bottom at the grounding site, 10 of which are in site 1A and awaiting another concrete pour. The following photos show the unique and exciting progress toward restorating the reef. In addition to all the excellent work the contractors completed Sunday, Joe Fredrickson, UESI site superintendent, spotted two recreational divers who were having trouble with the currents outside of the work area. The two divers had drifted quite far from the recreational dive buoy and were struggling against the strong current. Joe sent a small craft to the divers aid and returned them to their vessel with the assistance of the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commissison. Also over the weekend, UESI filed another incident report of project vandalism to the FWCC. They found a two inch hawser line spliced to the Storm Anchor Buoy had been cut. They found the problem during their routine buoy check Saturday evening. An investigation of the recurring vandalism at the site is continuing. July 8 The work on-site was rained out today. July 9 Rain and wind conditions kept the barge off-site again today.
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