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Contact: Gus Martinez, 907-697-2230 GLACIER BAY NATIONAL PARK-Alaska. The Holland America cruise ship Statendam provided assistance to 102 tourists from a tour vessel experiencing mechanical problems in Glacier Bay, Friday. On Friday afternoon, August 2, Glacier Bay National Park headquarters received word that the 79-foot daily sightseeing vessel Baranof Wind was experiencing mechanical troubles and had lost power in the remote,upper reaches of Johns Hopkins Inlet in Glacier Bay. The Holland America cruise ship Statendam was nearby and Captain Jochem Bakker and crew quickly responded to a call to assist. Using two tenders the ship collected all 102 passengers and one interpretive ranger from the tourboat and loaded them onto the Statendam. By 8:00 PM the ship arrived near Bartlett Cove where the day passengers were safely off-loaded to the public dock. The Statendam continued to Seward where it arrived on Sunday, August 4th. The Allen Marine vessel St. Juvenaly reached the troubled tour boat later that evening and repairs were made. The Baranof Wind returned to Bartlett Cove and successfully provided the Glacier Bay tour for the next day. "I want to express deep gratitude to Captain Bakker and crew of the Statendam. I also want to extend my thanks to Captain Cook and crew of the Baranof Wind," said Glacier Bay Superintendent Susan L Boudreau, "thank you for ensuring the health and safety of our visitors." The Baranof Wind provides full-day excursions daily during the summer for a 7-hour, 130-mile sightseeing journey through Glacier Bay. The 79-foot catamaran has a passenger capacity of 149. The 1,260-passenger Statendam was on the 5th day of a 7-day "Glacier Discovery" voyage from Vancouver, British Columbia to Seward, Alaska at the time of the assist. |
Last updated: April 14, 2015