New Carissa, Feb. 5

Wednesday, Feb. 4, marked the 16th anniversary of the New Carissa shipwreck on Coos Bay’s North Spit. No one was injured during the grounding, but the environmental impact was deep and the recovery has taken many years. The 600-foot long chip ship broke into two pieces and the bow section was eventually towed out to sea for a burial. However, a storm dislodged the 400-foot section and it drifted back to the Oregon Coast where it finally lodged at Patterson State Park, Waldport. The seeping of bulk oil was evident from the South Coast to the Central Coast. The stern section, which included the power plant and the Bridge remained on the North Spit until 2008 when an international salvage company removed it following a successful lawsuit between the State of Oregon and the ship’s owner.