PEI

Another lobster boat gets stuck returning to Covehead harbour

Troubles navigating the waters coming into Covehead Harbour continued for lobster fishermen Thursday afternoon.

Transportation Safety Board investigating earlier incidents

This lobster boat was stuck outside Covehead Harbour for several hours. (Submitted by Chris Misener)

Troubles navigating the waters coming into Covehead Harbour, on P.E.I.'s North Shore, continued for lobster fishermen Thursday afternoon.

A boat got hung up on a sandbar.

Fisherman Richard Roberts saw it there not long after he managed to get into the harbour himself.

"We were just leaving the harbour to go home and somebody was down at the end by the bridge there watching," said Roberts.

This lobster boat can be seen backing into Covehead Harbour earlier this week, in order to bypass the sandbar. (Julien Lecacheur/Radio-Canada)

"I pulled up and he said the boat had been stuck for about an hour and a half at that point, or an hour, and then we stayed about half an hour and he wasn't moving, stuck there on the bar."

Fisherman Chris Misener told CBC News Friday morning the boat wasn't able to break loose until the tide came in at about 8 p.m.

Surveys for dredging

Earlier in this week boats had to head for North Rustico when they couldn't get into the harbour.

Misener said the trouble is adding extra stress on fishermen who have to watch the tides and rush back before the channel becomes impassable.

The Department of Fisheries and Oceans is continuing a dredging survey of Covehead Harbour and of Hardy's Channel, where a lobster boats got stuck Monday.

The Transportation Safety Board continues to investigate the incident that led to a rescue Monday, during setting day when a boat that was hung up on a sand bar swamped with water, sending all five crew into the water. The TSB has had two investigators at Hardy's Channel since Tuesday.

A spokesperson said they're still gathering and assessing the information.

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With files from Laura Chapin