Raising the RHEA I BOUCHARD, New Orleans, 28 September 2005

Sent from New York to New Orleans for new engines and an Intercon coupling system, tug RHEA I. BOUCHARD was in drydock when Hurricane Katriina struck New Orleans. The drydock was carried away, traveling nearly two miles up the Mississippi, under two bridges without hitting, finally dropped on the concrete levee of the West Bank. Removing the tug from the drydock was delayed by the arrival of hurricane Rita. Finally, on the 28th of September, one month after the hurricane, a daylong preparation resulted in the RHEA being lifted by a Bisso floating crane, itself guided by a pushboat. The tug was carried stern-first out of the drydock, the entire rig finally swung around to set the boat into the water facing the land. I have other Katrina/Rita pix in other sections on shipspotting.com. If you're interested, easiest way to get to them swiftly is to click the "other photos" button to the right of my name above. That will lay-out what I've posted so far.