ROCKPORT — One of Rockport’s resident fishing vessels, LaBoat III, took a hard turn this past week, as winter continued its relentless grip on Maine. The freezing over of harbors is rare, but Winter 2015 has been different: On Feb. 18, the ice was thick enough in Rockport Harbor to walk over it, which was helpful — at least in one way — because Danny Dodge needed to change the battery on LaBoat to keep the water pump working, and the vessel afloat.

On the other hand, the cold temperatures have been killing Dodge’s batteries. The cold has been locking the pump, causing it to run constantly, and wearing the battery charge down. Dodge had just last week replaced the battery. Now, it again needed a new one.

Water has been seeping into Laboat, a wooden/fiberglass vessel (formerly the Wandering Jew), and Dodge has yet to determine where the leak is. He was hoping to take LaBoat around to Camden, where the dock has electricity, and work on it; however, the harbor froze, making egress from Rockport impossible. 

The U.S. Coast Guard had warned local communities that it would not be breaking up harbor ice but once or twice this winter, because the Tackle needed to tend to the Penobscot River. Rockport’s harbor has been slowly turning to ice chunks, and then a sheet of knotty ice.

For LaBoat, and two other fishing boats in Rockport, the ice has slowly locked them in.

Then, as Dodge’s battery gave up, the pump stopped functioning, and LaBoat started filling with water. The starter itself got saturated with water.

But, just as the ice was causing the demise of LaBoat, it was also saving it; if not for the growing pack of ice, which has been clenching the vessel in a locked position, LaBoat just might gone down.

On Tuesday, the ice was thick enough to walk over it — a phenomenon that has not rolled around for at least 40 years.

Dodge, along with his sternman, Tyler Philbrook, took advantage of that, making their way, walking and sliding with the skiff as a safety precaution, to pump out LaBoat and install a new battery.

Rockport Harbor Master Abbie Leonard stood by while Dodge and Philbrook took care of LaBoat, making sure they had life jackets and throw ropes. If necessary, she would have called the Rockport Fire Department to help with a cold water rescue.

But, Operation Save LaBoat was over in 90 minutes, and everyone stayed safe.

Today, Feb. 19, Rockport Harbor is full of icebergs, as temperatures climbed into the 20s, and broke up the ice. There is no walking on ice, now. 

Reach Editorial Director Lynda Clancy@penbaypilot.com; 207-706-6657