Penn Cove canoe races still on


May 18, 2012 · Updated 3:34 PM 

The popular canoe races that highlight the Penn Cove Water Festival won’t have to be altered today, May 19, due to cleanup of a sunken crab boat.

Coupeville Town Marshal Lance Davenport said in a memo that he talked with federal and state officials and the clean up contractor and that all three entities believe the event won’t have any impact on the clean up and recovery operations of the Deep Sea.

The Penn Cove Water Festival takes place today in Coupeville. It is a celebration of the area’s Native American heritage. The festival features canoe races, live music, Native American storytellers and children’s activities. Several thousand gallons of diesel fuel escaped from the crab boat before all leaks were plugged by divers, but it is not expected to interfere with the festival.

The Department of Ecology and the contractor will relocate their operations during the festival, Davenport said in the memo.

He stressed that the situation surrounding the crab boat is ever-changing. He encouraged festival officials to have a contingency plan in place should the situation change.

Comment on this story.

COMMENTING RULES: We encourage an open exchange of ideas in our online community, but we ask you to follow our guidelines for respecting community standards. In a nutshell, don't say anything you wouldn't want your mother to read. Please see our FAQ if you have questions or concerns about using Facebook to comment.

So keep your comments:

  • Civil
  • Smart
  • On-topic
  • Free of profanity

We ask that all participants own their words by logging in with their Facebook account. It's a simple process that will take seconds and helps keep our comments free of trolls, cranks, and “drive-by” commenters. We reserve the right to remove comments from anyone using screen names, pseudonyms or false identities. Please refer to our Terms of Use for full detail on participating on our site.