Kings Bay dredging, Fernandina Beach renourishment starting soon Sand dredged from Kings Bay to be used at Fernandina Beach

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. - The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced start dates on Friday for the upcoming dredging of U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay and a sand placement project at Fernandina Beach. The Corps said the sand dredged from Kings Bay will be used in the Fernandina Beach project, saving about $13.5 million. 

Nassau County residents and visitors will begin seeing construction equipment and dredging pipes on Fernandina Beach around the first week of January in preparation for the next scheduled maintenance dredging of U.S. Naval Station Kings Bay and sand placement at Fernandina Beach, which is scheduled to begin mid-February. 

Dredging St. Johns River

Dredging St. Johns River - Dutra Group

Body of Tugboat Crewmember in Houston Ship Channel Accident Recovered

The body of the tugboat worker who had been missing since the vessel sank this week, has been found. The vessel, JR Nichols sank on Wednesday night. There were five workers on board and four were rescued from the water. The fifth crewmember had been missing for a few hours. The next morning, his body was recovered by salvage workers. The Coast Guard says it is continuing its investigation into the sinking of the tugboat. The vessel was operated by Kinder Morgan

Coast Guard Medevacs seaman from tug - Andy Syska

Coast Guard medically evacuates man from tug boat JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – The Coast Guard medically evacuated a 47-year-old man Sunday night from a 92-foot tug boat near the entrance of the St. Johns River near the Mayport, Fla., jetties. A Coast Guard Station Mayport 47-foot Motor-Lifeboat crew evacuated Andy Syska, hometown unknown, from the vessel Peggy Winslow. A crewmember aboard the vessel sent a radio distress call to Coast Guard search and rescue coordinators at Sector Jacksonville around 7 p.m. to report Syska suffered a leg injury and was in severe pain. The Coast Guard crew transported Syska to awaiting EMS at the Mayport boat ramp. Syska was reportedly in fair condition.

Jacksonville, Florida Boat Accident Still Being Investigated

This article indicates that the investigation into the fatal Jacksonville boating accident is still under investigation. This case will likely be under investigation for years by governmental agencies and in discovery in the lawsuits. There has been a lot of comment and judging of the facts in the press and on the blogs. It is hard to piece one of these together only based on what one reads or hears in the press and blogs. The facts and conclusions will come out over time with diligent investigation. Dwayne

Jones Act Article

Here is a short blog post on the Jones Act.

This firm like ours at Clark & Watson specializes in Jones Act cases. We have spent our entire careers learning the law and how to protect the rights of seamen who work on tugs, ships and other craft, on the water.

Dwayne Clark and Kristen Watson

Palm Valley Jacksonville Boating Accident Faults Design of Boat

Here is the Times Union - Jacksonville.com story on the suit that has been filed against the boat manufacturer in this boating accident. This is another article about the design defect case that has been filed in Federal Court. Dwayne

State agency to probe fatal Jacksonville Intracoastal Florida boating accident - Posted by Jacksonville Boating Accident Lawyers

MIAMI, Florida (CNN) -- Florida Law enforcement officials said Monday they had launched an investigation into a tragic boating accident near St. Augustine, Florida, that took the lives of five people and seriously injured seven others.

According to FWC investigators, a 22-foot boat with 12 people on board rammed into the rear and right side of a 25-foot tugboat. "We are still investigating and haven't come to any conclusions yet," said Carol Pratt, spokeswoman for FWC. She said they still do not know who was driving the boat. They also are waiting for victims' next of kin to be notified before releasing any of their names and ages.

St Johns County Intracoastal Waterway Boating Accident Leave 5 dead and nine injured - Boat / Tug Posted by Jacksonville Florida Maritime Lawyers

This is a report of a boating accident where a pleasure boat struck a tug and/or barge in the intracoastal waterway. The title to this post links to the Florida Times Union. The Times Union article raises many possible issues including potential overloading, speed, lookout, alcohol consumption, and others. The facts are rarely clear in the beginning of an investigation like this. The reporters, victims and even authorities have a hard time sorting out the actual facts. There could be questions of where and how the tug and barge were moored and whether they were in the proper and safe place under the rules of navigation. Also, this report raises lighting issues although some reports say it happened before dark. In many of these cases issues also arise as to the proper placement and permitting of docks under construction. More and complete facts should come clear as the investigation proceeds. Dwayne Clark

St Johns County Intracoastal Waterway Boating Accident Leave 5 dead and nine injured - Posted by Jacksonville Florida Maritime Lawyers

This was a terrible accident where a boat apparently struck a tug in the intracoastal.