Although we have had no direct communication with Save Falls of Clyde International, a supporter, John Ewald, has kept in contact with Friends of Falls of Clyde and has been active in letting us know that there are people who still want to see the historic ship saved. He has offered ideas and has agreed to help with communication with Save Falls of Clyde International to see how we can work together to make sure the ship is saved and moved to a safe haven outside of Hawaii. FFOC is still committed to providing whatever assistance we can to help with the plan to move the ship.
Another interested person with whom we have been communicating is Art Mitchell, who has a connection with Falls of Clyde, through his late brother, who was on the Ketchikan city council and was involved in bringing the ship from Alaska to Seattle in the 1950s. He was trying to raise the funds to restore the ship at the same time that Bob Krauss and John Wright were successful in purchasing the ship to come back to Hawaii. Art has contacted Harbors Division to determine what he could do save the ship by finding a place in the Northwest U.S. The Harbors Division was not open with him and suggested he contact FFOC or SFOCI. He plans on pressing them for details about what is needed to move the ship. Unfortunately, it appears that Harbors may have reinstituted the $1.5 million performance bond requirement that we already know is a non-starter for anyone who wants to move the ship. FFOC is also open to working with Art should a viable plan develop. He is currently trying to find an alternative site with accompanying funding and potential repurposing plan for the ship.
FFOC continues to monitor the agencies that Harbors Division must contact before they can take any negative action against the ship. We do not know what Harbors Division will do after the pandemic is over, but we still are prepared to take legal action once the Harbors Division gives us cause.