It was quite the spectacle at the Shilshole Marina boat ramp for much of the day as an enormous crane worked delicately to extract the float plane that flipped over off Golden Gardens this morning. (See our earlier story.)
The plane was upside down, most of it several feet underwater.
The crowd watched as the crane extended its arm to pick up the plane.
A diver worked to get the plane ready for transport, and he attached large air balloons at strategic points to lift the aircraft partially out of the water.
The pilot, Roger Collins (left) watched from the dock. When the plane flipped, he hit his forehead, leaving a bump and a few small scratches.
The process took several hours. Soon, the plane was mostly out of the water. A small amount of fuel was visible on the top of the water, and large, flat sponges were deployed to soak it up.
The crane, perched at the end of the boat dock, worked very slowly.
Finally, the plane was back on its feet, ready to be dismantled for transport.
Here’s a video clip showing the recovery operation.