NORWALK, Conn. -- As the rain pelted and winds gusted at their strongest yet Monday, a half-dozen cops and firefighters in this seaside town puzzled over what to do about a 110-foot, three-story riverboat called the Island Belle.
It's been tied up in Norwalk's harbor, with some controversy, for nearly two years. And Hurricane Sandy's winds were threatening to break the enormous boat loose from its pilings, which could have sent it plummeting into a seafood restaurant or other nearby docks across the river.
The pilings for the dock were already bent significantly by mid-afternoon, and the driving winds were putting continuous pressure on the gigantic boat.
Norwalk police Chief Thomas Kulhawik said the city had asked the owner of the boat to move it in advance the storm, but that did not happen.
By early evening Monday, police and firefighters donning orange rain suits and yellow helmets were out in punishing winds, running extra lines out of the boat and fastening them to a sturdier main dock in hopes of preventing it from breaking loose. When that failed, emergency workers got a tow truck with steel cables to try repositioning the boat.
The Island Belle, a 110-foot riverboat, was threatening to come loose from its pilings Monday afternoon, as Hurricane Sandy's winds put pressure on the massive boat.
The original dock where the boat was attached still broke due to the pressure, Kulhawik said, and emergency workers had to cut all of the lines from the main dock to avoid destroying the whole thing.
The captain was on board the boat, and managed to redirect the vessel to an open space on the opposite side of the harbor, where workers tied it down again. Kulhawik said the motor was running on the boat, but wasn't powerful enough to go up against the wind and waves.
"The wind pushed it across, thankfully, into an open area, where there's an open parking lot," he said.
That will buy some time, but the pilings on the other side are much shorter than the original dock. That means as water rises, the lines could become unhooked from the dock. The hope, Kulhawik said, is that the boat will be pushed up into an adjoining parking area, and not out into the open harbor.
"We're looking at it, and we're going to see what happens," he said. "It's secure, until the water rises."
The riverboat was situated at the top of Norwalk harbor, a fairly narrow channel surrounded by commercial fishing docks, police boat docks, a seafood restaurant and a few sailboats.
"If that boat came loose, we'd have a major concern with commercial fishermen, the docks in that area, and the bridge," Kulhawik said.
Residents snapped photos on the nearby bridge and gawked at the immense party boat, built in the style of a Mississippi River paddlewheeler from the 1800s. As afternoon wore into evening and the waters began to rise, more than a dozen residents had come to watch the rescue operation unfold.
Hurricane Sandy isn't the first time the Island Belle has caused friction with the city of Norwalk. In recent months, city officials have pleaded with the owner, Sound Charter Group LLC, to get the boat out of the harbor, according to local newspaper The Hour.
The Army Corps of Engineers had told city officials that the boat was too large for Norwalk's harbor. The city sent a letter to the owner in September, asking for the vessel to be moved as soon as possible, according to the newspaper. A lawyer for the boat owners wrote back to say they were having trouble finding an alternate location, and asked for more time.
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.