What was that mystery ship off Yachats on Sunday?? Mystery solved!
What lurks behind that mysterious golden silhouette off Yachats Sunday?
Ken Gagne photo
Although the ship has a near identical silhouette as NOAA’s R/V McArthur II (they’re sister ships in a former life) the ship is the U.S. EPA Ocean Survey Vessel “Bold” which was caught by photographer Ken Gagne has it headed up the Coast to Seattle. Here’s a little descriptor of the vessel from its website:
The Ocean Survey Vessel (OSV) Bold is EPA’s only ocean and coastal monitoring vessel. It is a converted naval monitoring vessel acquired by EPA from the Navy on March 31, 2004. Measuring 224 feet long and 43 feet wide, the OSV Bold is equipped with state-of-the-art sampling, mapping, and analysis equipment, including: sidescan sonar, underwater video, and water and sediment sampling devices.
Scientists use the OSV Bold to conduct many different types of surveys, including: monitoring of ocean dredged material disposal sites and wastewater ocean outfalls, assessment of water quality in sensitive and important ecosystems, and evaluation of critical coral reef habitat. These surveys are performed in U.S. coastal waters, including the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Florida Keys, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
Ocean Survey Vessel Bold
U.S. EPA
Headed for Seattle
