OTTER CREEK, Maine — A recreational fishing boat was abandoned after it began taking on water and partially sank on Tuesday. The vessel drifted and came to rest on rocks near Thunder Hole in Acadia National Park during low tide, the Coast Guard reported.
“A salvage plan is being put together right now,” said Boatswain’s Mate second class Calvin Legge, officer of the day at Coast Guard Station Southwest Harbor.
A fishing boat called the Tiger Shark, which Legge estimated at 40 feet, began taking on water about 8:52 a.m. between Thunder Hole and Old Soaker Island, he said. Only the captain, who was not identified, was aboard.
The captain summoned another recreational vessel that was passing nearby, and it motored to the scene and removed him. The Tiger Shark was about 300 yards from shore at the time, according to Legge. The name of the vessel that provided assistance was the Reconnoiger.
Legge characterized the Tiger Shark as a head fishing boat, the type that takes out groups of people for recreational fishing and charges a fee per person.
Legge did not know the home ports of the two boats but indicated the Tiger Shark was local to Mount Desert Island.
The Coast Guard dispatched a 47-foot motor lifeboat to assist. When the crew learned a rescue was not required, it went to check the site for pollution.
The captain of the Tiger Shark was transported to Southwest Harbor.