Diesel Sheen Traced to NOAA Ship

Jay Barrett/KMXT
An oily sheen in Women’s Bay has been traced to a NOAA research vessel docked at the Coast Guard base.
A Sector Anchorage spokesman said yesterday evening that the exact composition of the rainbow sheen had not been identified, but its volume has been estimated to be about 20 gallons. He said steps have been taken to contain the spill and that NOAA will be responsible for clean up.
According to the NOAA website, both research ships Rainier and the Fairweather are indicated to be tied up at Nyman Peninsula, but a NOAA officer at the ships’ homeport in Newport, Ore., says the web-based ship tracker is innacurate. The 231-foot Rainier is currently in Kodiak; the Fairweather is in Seattle.

The spill was first reported Monday to the Coast Guard, and again at noon yesterday. Comments from locals on Friends of Kodiak reported the smell of diesel fuel coming from the area for several days.