Rough Bering Sea pounds fishing, log vessels

KODIAK (AP) -- Rough seas pushed by 70 mph winds broke wheelhouse windows out of several Bering Sea crab boats yesterday, including the 91-foot Pacific Mist of Kodiak.

Some of the boats called the Coast Guard to report they lost all power, but none of them required assistance from the Kodiak-based C-130 or two H-60 helicopters standing by.

''Nobody needed rescuing,'' said Marshalena Delaney, the Coast Guard public affairs officer. ''The Pacific Mist decided to go into St. Paul Harbor and make repairs. The Arctic Baruna II, a 126-foot vessel, said they regained their power and were going to continue fishing.''

The crew on the Centaurus, a 149-foot crab boat, set off the boat's emergency locator and donned survival suits when they lost power after a big wave knocked out their windows.

''The Aleutian I, Blue Dutch, and Constellation were all within 10 nautical miles and headed over,'' Delaney said. ''But they regained power and said they intend to complete fishing.''

The Coast Guard initially had launched a C-130 Thursday morning to the Bering Sea to assist the 551-foot vessel Leo Forrest. The Japanese freighter was about 240 miles northwest of St. Paul Island in 40-foot seas and 70 mph winds and listing after losing about a third of its load of logs.

''Two nights ago, they lost about 2,300 logs overboard, which put the ship in a 10-degree list to starboard,'' said Kevin Martin, the navigator on the C-130. ''They were very seriously worried about capsizing and were basically trying to maintain (stability).

''They weren't taking on water, but with the list, the waves were coming overboard, the screws were out of the water, the deck was totally awash.''

The 110-foot factory longliner Deep Pacific was flanking them, standing by to rescue crew members if the freighter capsized, Martin said.

Friday morning, the freighter was making its way to Adak or Amchitka, about two days away, to rebalance its load. The vessel is headed to Japan from Longview, Wash.

''Everybody is fine,'' Delaney said. ''They still have a little bit of stability problems. There are three fishing boats -- good Samaritans -- that have agreed to stay with the cargo carrier until it's out of trouble.''