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Bridge scrapes involved different captains
A catamaran shuttle to a gambling ship in the gulf has hit the John's Pass Bridge fenders.
By Times Staff Writer
Published April 27, 2005
ST. PETERSBURG - The captain of an 80-foot catamaran that twice struck the fenders of the John's Pass Bridge last weekend was not at the helm when the same boat crashed into the same fenders earlier this month.
Jim Shaw was piloting the Friendship IV, which ferries passengers to the Ocean Jewel gambling ship, when it struck the north side of the bridge barriers about 9:25 p.m. Friday and again at 10:45 p.m. Saturday, records show.
The weekend accidents caused minimal damage to the barriers, said Kris Carson, transportation department spokeswoman.
A similar incident on April 9 caused about $50,000 in damage to the barriers. Witnesses said it appeared Capt. Rick Turner slammed into the barriers to avoid hitting a 25-foot power boat that cut in front of the shuttle.
On Friday night, bridge tender Rick Robinson said Shaw asked for the spans to be opened as he was returning to the docks from the Ocean Jewel in the Gulf of Mexico. Robinson said in his report that Shaw came through before the bridge spans were fully opened and struck the north side of the barriers with the left rear of the boat.
On Saturday, Shaw hit the same barriers about 10:45 p.m., according to a report by bridge tender Jeanne Moro. She said she did not get a return call from Shaw until 11:30 p.m., when he said he was waiting for the Coast Guard to inspect the boat.
The boat, which suffered minimal damage, was not cleared by the U.S. Coast Guard until Monday.
The Coast Guard is still investigating all three accidents.
Carson said officials with the Transportation Department have notified the Coast Guard of their concern about the boat's continued problems with the bridge barriers.
The 2,200-passenger Ocean Jewel is based at the Port of St. Petersburg. Because casino gambling is illegal on land, it sails to international waters.
High-speed catamarans take passengers from the port and John's Pass to the ship, weather permitting, seven days a week.
[Last modified April 27, 2005, 00:47:14]
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