It appears the large barge grounded at Vancouver’s Sunset Beach will continue to delight onlookers and inspire social media gags for a few more days.
A floating crane was observed near the barge Wednesday, which — along with a high tide of over five metres — prompted some observers to theorize attempts were underway to move the structure, which has been lodged at the beach since breaking free during rough weather on Nov. 15.
The City of Vancouver told Global News the crane was actually on-site to do preparation work for an eventual move, and was forced to halt work due to strong winds.
“In the coming days the barge will be assessed and repaired as needed in preparation for its removal,” the city said in a statement.
“The barge doesn’t pose a safety risk to the public, however, the city is asking as a precaution that the public and people on the seawall keep a safe distance from the barge and abide by the signage and barriers in the area.”
Security is also watching the barge around the clock, the city said.
“(It’s) the biggest star I’ve protected,” security guard Lovepreet Singh told Global News, laughing.
“Sometimes people do crazy things, like jump from the top of this into the water, but in the night time it’s pretty quiet.”
Since washing up on the beach, the barge has become something of an attraction, inspiring its own Tripadvisor page and parody Twitter account.
The barge was not transporting anything hazardous and has not been leaking any fuel or other materials into the ocean.
Its owner, Sentry Marine, tried once last month to refloat it but was unsuccessful.
According to the city, the barge’s owner has filed a recovery plan with Transport Canada but hasn’t finalized a date to move it.