Coast guard hovercraft to remove undersea cable near Victoria

Coast guard using hovercraft off Victoria The Canadian Coast Guard is using a hovercraft to help remove an undersea cable off Victoria.

Victoria residents with a view of the waterfront are likely to get a look at a Canadian Coast Guard hovercraft this week as it works to remove a kilometre of undersea cable from the bottom of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Coast guard members aboard the hovercraft CCGS Siyay will be removing the power cable from the seafloor near Brotchie Ledge, a rocky reef located just south of the entrance to Victoria's harbour.

Divers will use the hovercraft as a work platform to relocate sea life, such as urchins and starfish, from the reef before moving the cable.

"Observers from the shore may also see float bags or small orange buoys on the water," Michelle Imbeau, a spokesperson for the coast guard, said in an email Monday.

"These will be used to mark sections of the cable to ensure workers don’t lose the cable once found, and to permit a return to the site, should parts of the operation require more time and/or equipment."

Sections of the cable that are fully submerged in the seabed will likely be left in place, the coast guard said.

The agency says the cable previously powered a marine beacon atop the ledge that is now powered with solar panels.

"The cable hasn’t been used in more than 25 years and wasn’t removed when the site was solarized in 1995," Imbeau added.

Vessel operators are asked to avoid the area while the work to remove the cable is underway.

"Depending on weather and any unforeseen circumstances, work is anticipated to take two to three days and should be completed by Thursday," the spokesperson added.