Dragger goes aground on Lobsterville Beach

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The Betty B lay hard aground on Lobsterville Beach after she broke free of her mooring in strong winds Thursday morning. — Photo by Lisa Vanderhoop

The Betty B out of Hyannis, a 46-foot wooden dragger built in 1943, lay hard aground last Thursday, on Lobsterville Beach in Aquinnah, just west of the entrance to Menemsha Harbor, after she broke free of a mooring ball in heavy wind earlier in the morning.

The Betty B. was under tow, enroute to Hyannis late Wednesday night, October 11 from Falmouth, when the captain of the tow vessel Artemis decided to place her on a mooring ball and lay over in Menemsha Harbor, according to a Coast Guard spokesman.

The Artemis chose a route through Quick’s Hole rather than Woods Hole due to tide conditions. When the wind increased Captain John Christensen decided to divert to Menemsha.

There were no fluids on board and no injuries. Battered by wind and waves, the Betty B. sustained heavy damage to her starboard side.

The Betty B. was broken up and trucked off the beach Friday.