Beachgoers witness history as the Dali leaves the Port of Baltimore
BALTIMORE -- Nearly three months since a container ship left the Port of Baltimore, striking the Key Bridge, the Dali left again, just after 8 a.m. Monday morning.
The departure was carefully planned and executed with multiple escorts, not only as it passed the wreckage site, but as it headed south down Chesapeake Bay.
"It's wild," Sarah Kelly said, as the Dali passed by the same Key Bridge site it collided with in March.
20 miles down the bay, and 2 hours later the Dali approached Sandy Point State Park.
"I'm excited to get to see it," Sarah Keller said as she and other beachgoers witnessed a glimpse of history. "It's amazing to see how big it is."
"There's still some concrete on it, on the top, and you can see some crushed containers," Joe Ruzzi said while looking through binoculars. "Under escort with at least three, maybe four tugs."
Joe Ruzzi wouldn't miss it.
"I'm sure all of those tugs are going to make sure it goes straight through the center span," Ruzzi remarked.
Tugs were escorting the damaged ocean liner under the Bay Bridge and all the way to Norfolk for repairs.
"To me, it's amazing that it's floating," said Anne Vail, another bystander. "Look at the damage. It's terrible."
"There's also a coast guard ship at the stern of it," said Ruzzi.
The coast guard had a 500-yard safety zone around the ship during its trip.
"We're wondering how bad it's going to affect bridge traffic from them shutting it down," Keller said.
State officials had shut down both spans of the Bay Bridge as the ship approached.
And just like that, the Dali's days in Baltimore are done.
Right now, the Dali is located just off Pax River Naval Air Station.
The trip to Norfolk is expected to take another 8 to 12 hours.
