Overview
- A 58-foot fishing vessel named Lake Bay ran aground on North Beach early Friday, Aug. 21, and officials temporarily closed the beach so responders could work safely.
- A unified command led by the U.S. Coast Guard and the National Park Service is coordinating the response with Marin County Fire, NOAA and California’s spill‑response office.
- The boat held about 1,000 gallons of diesel out of a 2,800‑gallon capacity and crews are working with the vessel owner and a contracted salvage company to pump and remove the fuel.
- Local reports say Lake Bay is a 1975 fiberglass purse seiner registered in Smith River that became partially buried after a failed tow while carrying roughly 40,000 pounds of squid.
- Key questions remain about the cause of the grounding, the timing and method for salvage and fuel removal, and when the ecologically sensitive beach will be safe to reopen.