Wichito Marine Services acquired another barge this summer for an undisclosed amount. The purchase brings the Tofino-based tug and barge company’s fleet to five barges total.
“It’s gonna go to work for aquaculture,” said Wichito’s owner Steve Bernard.
Wichito’s past owner, Ed Hudson, came out of retirement to sell Bernard the old oil barge he bought on spec from its competitor.
“I don’t sit around and smoke an old clay pipe,” Hudson told the Westerly News.
Hudson, a longtime Ucluelet resident with over 60 years experience in the tugging industry, bought the old barge with his business partner, Nancy Van Heest.
“I bought an old tug, too,” Hudson said.
Hudson, above, hired a local crew, including Brandea Picketts and Brenda Chaplin, to repair it, paint it, and reconstruct parts of it.
Chaplin said it took them at least two months to repair the tugboat.
“I can’t even imagine how many hours it took,” she said.
“It took a lot of blood, sweat, and tears,” Picketts adds.
Bernard praised Hudson for restoring the old barge.
“He’s good at seeing value in infrastructure and upgrading it.”
