Lunenburg boat is in danger of breaking up in winter storm

A wooden sailboat has washed up on the rocks outside of Lunenburg, and is at danger of breaking up in the storm.

The Schwalbe broke free from its mooring in Lunenburg Harbour, and drifted across the water to Feltzen South on Sunday.

"It came in at high tide, so it's up on the rocks pretty good," said Tim Wentzell, a lobster fisherman and president of the Feltzen South Harbour Authority.

Several local people were actively trying to salvage the boat, but it was still stranded on the rocks when the storm began. The worry is that, if the boat breaks up, the fuel in its tank and the lubricants in the engine would pollute lobster grounds and a nearby lobster pound.

"The wind was out of the east all afternoon, pushing the waves right on the hull, so if that kept up, it would definitely break up," said Wentzell. "Luckily, it was supposed to come around to the south, so the boat would have been in the lee of the land."

Keith Laidlaw, a senior response officer for the Canadian Coast Guard, said he plans to travel to Feltzen South this morning, and look at the boat when weather permits.

Boat arrived in June 2014

The Coast guard will put a boom around the boat, to try to contain any spills. If it's possible to remove the fuel and engine lubricants, Laidlaw says he will do so, but the hull will be left for salvage.

The Schwalbe is a 17 metre boat that arrived in Halifax in June of 2014, after losing part of its mast in a storm.

British owner Charlie Holland and his Thai partner Somporn Chiangmanee were blown off course 1,600 nautical miles, and spent 32 days trying to get back to land.

Holland told CBC News at the time that he experienced "paralyzing fear" during that storm. "Winds in every bloody direction," he said.

The couple took the boat to Lunenburg for repairs, which were estimated at $75,000, but left the province, without the boat.