Jeff Thoreson at Erie Shipping News reported today that:
US Coast Guard Cutter HOLLYHOCK (WLB-214) arrived in Erie at 1445 hours this afternoon and secured at Coast Guard Station Erie to load the winter markers that have been stored at the station since May 4. Over the next two days the crew of the HOLLYHOCK will use the ship’s crane and lift each of the lighted summer buoys from its station in Erie harbor and replace them with the unlighted winter markers. This will prevent any ice build ups from causing severe damage to the lighted summer buoys. With snowy, cold weather expected over the next few days this will be a cold job for the crew.
When complete, the HOLLYHOCK will offload the summer buoys onto the pier at Coast Guard Station Erie, where they will remain until HOLLYHOCK returns sometime after May 1 to return them to the water. Any buoys that are currently found in need of repair will be taken to HOLLYHOCK’s home base in Port Huron, Michigan and repaired over the coming months.
