Saltaire would have to be patched before she could float. The plan was to use a barge to raise her high enough to patch the damaged areas so that she could be towed to Puerto Rico for further repairs. This of course took months to happen. She was grounded against the dock the night of Irma, September 6, 2017. Irma was followed by Hurricane Maria ten days later. As if Irma’s damage to the islands weren’t enough, Maria’s visit made it worst. Communications and the ability to travel on or between the islands became even more difficult. Airports were closed for weeks as was ferry service between islands and salvaging any vessel, much less one 70 feet long, became a magnanimous task. Finally 134 days after the storm on January 18, 2018, a barge arrived to work on Saltaire. All fuels and bilge water had to be pumped off into containers to prevent leakage into the bay. The patching, pumping and general cleanup took several days. On January 26, 2018 Sea Tow arrived to tow them back to Puerto Rico. Saltaire Preparing for Her Next Adventure 
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Last updated: February 4, 2018