SOS Falls of Clyde

Dear All

This is the latest in the Falls of Clyde saga.

[TEMPORARY] Recission of EPA Region 9's conditional concurrence for ocean disposal of FALLS OF CLYDE

All,

After I issued a conditional concurrence concerning disposal of the Falls of Clyde vessel on July 14th, it came to EPA's attention weeks later that the vessel had been designated a national historical landmark pursuant to the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). As EPA is obliged to consult with the National Historic Preservation Office (NHPO) and its state office under Section 106 of NHPA prior to authorizing actions that may affect a designated landmark, we hereby rescind our conditional concurrence. We are in contact with NHPO and will work with them and the vessel owners to complete consultation as quickly as possible. At that point, we will reconsider your request for ocean disposal if it remains necessary to pursue that disposal option - the same details (i.e., disposal site coordinates, proposed tow plan) should remain in effect for the ocean disposal option. In the meantime, please contact us if you have questions about this consultation process or if any urgent situations develop in regard to the condition of the vessel.


Allan .....
Oceanographer / Regional Ocean Dumping Coordinator
Dredging and Sediment Management Team (WTR-8)
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Region 9
75 Hawthorne Street
San Francisco, CA 94105​

This is a very significant development. I originally wrote to the National Parks and Wildlife Service about the ship. I have seen correspondence that indicates that they are currently unconcerned about the destruction of this National Historic Monument. It sounds like it might be well worthwhile for others to express their concerns regarding the proposed scuttling of the Falls of Clyde as this very critical time. I suggest you write or email Mary A. Bomar Director of the National Parks Service via the National Register email address nr_info@nps.gov. The more people object, the more likely the NPS may reconsider their earlier advice.

Best regards
Mori

 

Dear All

The latest word on the Falls of Clyde saga is that there are concerns that the Bishop Museum may not have been following due process in its plans to scuttle the Falls of Clyde. Apparently the proposed action is subject to what is called a Section 106 review. However, nothing will happen unless the spotlight is squarely shone on the US government to be proactive in their involvement.

The Falls of Clyde Group have launched a petition that can be viewed at:

http://www.savethefallsofclyde.com/FOCpetition.htm

The petition provides a relatively straight-forward method for you as concerned persons to express your views. Signing the petition will help provide a concentrated expression of public disapproval.

Also, the Bishop Museum has had discussions with an Australian regarding the possibility of acquiring the ship. While this could provide a safety net should attempts to preserve the ship in Hawaii fail, the negotiations are still far from fruition, and the ship still remains at threat.

Best regards
Mori

 

Has anyone thought of contacting Barrack Obama regarding this. Being from Hawaii and nbeing on the campaign trail may make it a good issue for him.

 

Dear All

The following news item that appeared in the Honolulu Advertiser on Monday indicates that the Falls of Clyde is still very much at risk. Some of you may have experienced problems signing the petition calling on the vessel not to be destroyed. I am told that the issues have now been overcome. So if there is a heritage-aware bone in your body, might I encourage you to act NOW and sign the petition at:

http://oahure.com/FallsOfClyde/petition.php

Best regards
Mori

The 130-year-old ship will be sunk unless a new owner is found by Sept. 1, according to Timothy E. Johns, president and CEO of Bishop Museum.

In a letter to Bishop Museum friends and family dated Aug. 14, Johns explained that three parties who expressed interest in adopting the ship are no longer factors. The Falls of Clyde needs extensive restoration work, which could cost $32 million, as well as ongoing maintenance of $1 million per year, Johns said.

In his letter, Johns said:

"Although we continue to meet with various community members to try and come up with additional ideas to save the ship, we must recognize at this point after six months of searching for a new caretaker that if a suitable adoption arrangement for the Falls of Clyde cannot be worked out with any interested parties by Sept. 1, we will have no other option but to sink the ship."

Johns said the Falls of Clyde has been uninsured since February, posing a liability to personnel and property at its Honolulu Harbor berth site. "If the ship was to sink at this time, the cost to bring it out of the water would place the museum in direct jeopardy of its continued operation," Johns said.

In conclusion, Johns wrote, "We are saddened by the prospect of sinking the Falls of Clyde. We wish we could do more, but we neither have the finances nor staff resources to undertake the significant fund-raising campaign that would be necessary to restore the vessel."​

 

Dear All

1. The "Friends of the Falls of Clyde" has just been incorporated.

2. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) have apparently SIGNED OFF on scuttling the ship after having spoken to Tim Johns, the President of the Bishop Museum.

3. The Friends of the Falls of Clyde have today sent the Bishop Museum a letter asking to be included in the Section 106 process, so that they can provide community input.

4. The fear is that the Bishop Museum could scuttle the ship NEXT MONDAY 1st of September. If this happens, recriminations won't bring her back.

I have just written to nearly all of the people listed on the webpage www.boatregister.net/FallsOfClyde.html highlighting the fact that the Falls of Clyde is still threatened even though there have been two good offers to take the ship on.

Please forgive my mentioning it again, but don't forget to sign the petition on http://oahure.com/FallsOfClyde/petition.php and perhaps take the opportunity to mention it to your friends, families and work colleagues.

The current statistics of the petition are given below. Thank you to those who have participated.

Best regards
Mori

25 Aug, 2008
Total number of signatures: 165

Australia 55
USA 63
UK 14
Canada 4
Singapore 2
Scotland 3
Belgium 2
The Netherlands 5
Denmark 1
Sweden 1
New Zealand 1

 

Dear All

The Friends of the Falls of Clyde have a meeting scheduled with the President of the Bishop Museum for Wednesday Sept. 3rd.

I interpret that to mean that the Falls of Clyde will not be scuttled on Monday prior to such a meeting. So at the very least, everyone who has expressed an opinion to save the ship should be pleased that there is an 11th hour stay of execution.

However, may I suggest that you keep up the pressure because agreement has not been reached and ownership has not been transferred. Even if the Bishop Museum decides to pass on the ship to new owners, there are still questions regarding the artefacts from the ship, private trust funds set aside for the ship, and restitution for any vandalism that may have occurred (institutional or otherwise).

So please don't forget to sign the petition on http://oahure.com/FallsOfClyde/petition.php and tell others who might be similarly concerned.

Best regards
Mori

 

FALLS OF CLYDE GIVEN AN 11TH HOUR STAY OF EXECUTION!!!

Dear all

The president of the Friends of the Falls of Clyde (FFOC) Bruce McEwan reported that the meeting held between representatives of the FFOC and the Bishop Museum on Wednesday 3 September had gone well. The FFOC presented how they intended to meet with the specified criteria set by the Bishop Museum including insurance. The Bishop Museum undertook to provide the FFOC with the document that would be used to convey the ownership subject to the FFOC meeting all their terms.

Mr McEwan said "We are encouraged that we were well received by the CEO (Timothy Johns) and COO of Bishop Museum, but they made it clear that the final decision to transfer ownership rests with their Board of Directors, which is scheduled to meet on 25 September.

"We still have work to do, but we are optimistic at this time that we will be successful.

"We will need approval from the Bishop Board and the State Harbors Division to leave the ship at its current berth until we have
drydock availability later this year.

The outcome of this meeting, while very positive, does not yet guarantee that the Falls of Clyde would not be scuttled in the near future.

Please keep watching what is happening to the Falls of Clyde, spreading the word to your friends and others about her plight, and of course encouraging people to sign the petition. It is important that when making their decision on the 25th, the board of the Bishop Museum have a full appreciation of how much the ship is valued by people in Hawaii, the USA and the rest of the world.

The petition web address is at: http://oahure.com/FallsOfClyde/petition.php

By the way, I noticed in a post on another forum that there was a comment that the Bishop Museum is no longer taking donations for the ship. For those who might be interested in donating to save the Falls of Clyde: the Save the Falls of Clyde webpage at: http://www.savethefallsofclyde.com/page2.htm states:

If you want to contribute directly to the effort to save the Falls of Clyde, please send your donation to The Caledonian Society of Hawaii, P.O. Box 4164, Honolulu HI 96812-4164.​

Thank you to those who have already acted to help save the Falls of Clyde. To others, it is not too late to do something that will make a difference.

Best regards
Mori

 

Dear All

One week to go before the Board of the Bishop Museum meet on the 25 September to decide the fate of the Falls of Clyde.

The President of the Friends of the Falls of Clyde is due to meet with the principals of Bishop Museum on 18 September at 3 p.m. to hopefully finalize an agreement of sale.

The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Philip, as well as the Chairman of the World Ship Trust, Lord Greenway are reported to have expressed considerable interest and serious concerns at the proposed destruction of the vessel.

There has been a strong response to the petition at:
http://oahure.com/FallsOfClyde/petition.php

Mahalo to all who have signed it. The tally of 305 on 5 Sept was as follows:

USA 142
Australia 97
UK 30 including 4 from Scotland
The Netherlands 6
Canada 4
Belgium 4
Singapore 2
Denmark 1
Sweden 1
New Zealand 1
South Africa 1
Finland 1
Nevis 1
West Indies 1
Switzerland 1

For those of you that have not yet taken the opportunity to sign, it is not too late to make a difference. For others, don't forget that you might have friends or family that might like to help.

Meanwhile, notwithstanding the concerns of people around the world, the US Coast Guard have declared the following Temporary Final Rule to facilitate the scuttling of the Falls of Clyde should negotiations fall through:

The Coast Guard is establishing a temporary 500-yard moving safety zone around the S/V FALLS OF CLYDE and her tow vessel(s) during transit within the Honolulu Captain of the Port Zone. The safety zone is established at the request of the Hawaii Maritime Center to protect vessels and persons from approaching too close to the dead-ship tow of the S/V FALLS OF CLYDE. Entry of persons or vessels into this temporary safety zone is prohibited unless authorized by the Captain of the Port.

SAFETY ZONE: This safety zone, in U.S. navigable waters within the Honolulu Captain of the Port Zone (See 33 CFR 3.70-10), from the surface of the water to the ocean floor, includes all waters extending 500 yards in all directions from the S/V FALLS OF CLYDE and her tow vessel(s) during transit from the Honolulu Harbor main channel commencing at a line between channel buoys no. 1 and no. 2 to 12 nautical miles off shore of Oahu, HI. This safety zone moves with the S/V FALLS OF CLYDE and her tow vessel(s) while they are traveling and becomes fixed when the S/V FALLS OF CLYDE is anchored, position-keeping, or moored.

EFFECTIVE DATE: This rule is effective from 12:01 a.m. on September 2, 2008 until 11:59 p.m. on October 2, 2008.​

Grim, isn't it! Lets cross fingers that Friends of the Falls of Clyde meet with the success they trying so hard to achieve!

Regards
Mori

 

Falls of Clyde at Risk -- Tomorrow is the big day!

Dear All

The 25th is the day that the Bishop Museum Board will decide whether to give the Falls of Clyde a chance for a future or whether to destroy a 130 year old US National Historic Landmark.

The outlook for the Falls of Clyde appears to be improving, though nothing is certain till the Board meeting.

Bruce McEwan president of the Friends of the Falls of Clyde stated "At the meeting on September 22nd, it was agreed that Bishop Museum would allow the ship to stay at the current berth until she goes to drydock without charge or any change in the lease agreement between Bishop and DOT Harbors Division.

"We have provided Bishop Museum with one of three documents they want by the September 25th Board meeting. I’m working with our insurance broker to get the second one and am waiting for a confirmation of drydock letter from Marisco...

'We are still hoping for the transfer on September 29th...

I am sure that many of you who have been reading the posts on the Falls of Clyde will join me in wishing the Friends of the Falls of Clyde every success for this important day.

The tally for the petition is now over 600.

I will keep you all updated as and when more news comes to hand.

Best regards
Mori

 

FALLS OF CLYDE - SAVED!

I just received the following terrific news!

On Fri, Sep 26, 2008 at 3:57 PM, Chris Woolaway wrote:

Hi Mori, I talked to Blair Collis and this evening the Bishop Museum Board agreed to the proposal that the Friends of FALLS of CLYDE submitted and ownership will be transferred at a signing ceremony Monday Sept.29th at the FALLS with Pipers!. I will be talking to Blair for more of the details. I will send more information as we get it, Mahalo for all your support, Chris

Chris ​

Thanks to everyone who provided support. Of course, the ship has a long way to go before she is out of trouble. But it is certainly an important first step!

Regards
Mori

 

The Falls of Clyde was transferred from the Bishop Museum
to the Friends of the Falls of Clyde on Tuesday 30 September 2008

Jeanie Ainlay attended the ceremony and wrote:

"Just a quick note to let you know that ceremony went well. It was well attended. A bag piper, Scottish dancer and singer entertained us. Of course there was lei giving and hugs. Speeches were made by Bruce McEwan, Ginger Krauss and State Representative Corinne W.L. Ching. Finally I shall be allowed aboard the ship as of to-day. I have not been aboard her since January. I miss her! This will be my 21st year working on her. There are tow lines attached to her bow. That is how close she was to be taken out and scuttled.....We got the ship. This is not the first time she has been saved in the 11th hour. What character she is".​

To view photos taken by Kevin Williamson at the handover ceremony go to:
http://www.boatregister.net/FallsOfClyde_Handover_2008-09-30.htm

Thank you to those who contributed to this most excellent outcome.

Regards
Mori

 

Well done. Are you raising funds if so let us know how and when.
Regards
Butch

 

Dear Butch and others in this forum

I am not directly involved in the organisation that has saved the vessel. It is to those people involved in Hawaii that credit is really due. Without their rapid response creating the Friends of the Falls of Clyde, and subsequent navigating the negotiations with the Bishop Museum, the ship would not have been saved.

Regarding donations to the Falls of Clyde, I am sure that the Friends of the Falls of Clyde would be only too happy to speak with you. Their new website is at:

http://www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org/home

I notice that they have yet to create the page regarding donations, however, I would suggest that you contact them directly.

I intend to do the same.

Best regards
Mori

 

Dear all

You might be interested in the final results of the petition for the Falls of Clyde provided by Ling Ong who is with the Friends of the Falls of Clyde.

Aloha all,
The petition ran from Aug 11 to Oct 3. The final tally is a total of
718 signatures from 23 countries.

Australia 162
Belgium 5
Canada 18
Cyprus 1
Denmark 2
Finland 2
France 4
Germany 4
Hong Kong 1
New Zealand 6
Norway 4
Poland 2
Singapore 2
South Africa 1
Sweden 1
Switzerland 1
Thailand 1
The Netherlands 15
UK 77
USA 392
West Indies 2
Philippines 1
Malaysia 3

The support provided from people all over the world reinforces the assertion that the Falls of Clyde really has an international significance. Thank you all who signed the petition.

Best regards
Mori

 

The FOC still in distress

Aloha, this is my first post and it's very urgent.

Mahalo to mflapan for keeping everybody here up on the saga befalling this grand vessel, but there is still major help needed in re-securing the many unique and irreplaceable artifacts that were allowed by the Bishop Museum to be taken and spread accross the states prior to the planned scuttling.

www.friendsoffallsofclyde.org
www.honoluluadvertiser.com/article/20081201/NEWS01/812010334

If you are aware of anything belonging to the FOC, please do what you can to help return them to her.

Thank you!