Hawaiian Chieftain's Plans Change Course With Tower Bridge Work
SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A tall ship's plans have run aground in Sacramento due to some Caltrans construction.
The Hawaiian Chieftain is an annual visitor to the Old Sacramento waterfront.
"Our primary focus when we are here in Sacramento is our education programs," said the ship's captain Brendan Reed. "We take school kids out for field trips."
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But this year, the journey was cut short by about 200 feet. Caltrans crews are repairing the Tower Bridge, and the center deck that would normally raise for ships can't be lifted during the work.
Since the work is expected to stretch into December, the city scrambled to accommodate the ship. A dock that is normally removed in the winter was installed and new cleats were fastened for the ship to tie up.
Reed says kids will miss out on a highlight of the tour—a trip underneath the Tower Bridge.
"The drift under usually it only is about 15 seconds but there's usually kind of a hushed pause when everybody holds their breath and waits to see it. And so especially with the students on board. they get really excited," he said.
But he understands the need for preserving the 80-year-old bridge.