February 4, 1970At 9:35 a.m., while Capt. George Anastassopoulos was bringing the "Arrow" to the end of its voyage, and while travelling at a speed of about 12 knots, the tanker ran aground on Cerberus Rock with 16,000 tons of Bunker 'C' oil on board. The front of the boat struck the submerged rock 200 feet from its pinnacle.
Following the procedures laid-down by his company, Capt. Anastassopoulos immediately made contact with the local shipping agent at Port Hawkesbury. He asked the agent to arrange through the "Arrow's" New York managers for a barge and tug to be sent to the scene to assist him in getting off the Rock.
Still at 9:35 am, Abel LeBlanc, the lighthouse keeper on Isle Madame's Jerseyman's Island, noticed the "Arrow" aground and contacted Canso radio who had not been advised of the grounding. When the Coast Guard vessel "Narwahl" contacted the "Arrow", her Captain advised them that no assistance was required.
It was not until 12:36 p.m. that Canso radio could confirm: "Tanker Arrow 5LHI reports aground Cerberus Rock in Chedabucto Bay, no immediate assistance required STOP loaded with fuel oil." The Royal Commission could not believe it took three hours after the grounding before any information was given to Canadian government officials. Surprisingly, this communication gave no real hint of the potential pollution hazard that had been created.
Canso radio asked the "Arrow" whether she was planning to unload any of her oil cargo. The answer was negative and this reply was relayed to government officials in Halifax. Around this time, the Department of Transport received unofficial information from the "J.B. Nickerson", a fishing trawler nearby, that the "Arrow" may be planning to unload her cargo.
From this, officials and the Captain believed nothing should be done but wait for the tides to rise and float her off the Rock. Shortly after, Canso radio monitored a conversation between the pilot boat and the "Arrow" indicating that the "Arrow" was leaking oil into the sea, on her starboard side. Canso radio made contact with the tanker at 3:50 p.m. and asked if she required assistance. The answer was, "Not at this moment, will call if I do." By 4 p.m., William O'Connell of Imperial Oil Ltd. received a report indicating slight oil leakage.
At 5:25 p.m. Canso radio monitored a message from the "Arrow" to the pilot boat asking for immediate assistance to remove her crew. They contacted the "Arrow" who verified this message. At 6:40 p.m., it was reported that the "Arrow" had now turned 100° to port, was rolling on its side but was still aground despite the climbing tide. Capt. Anastassopoulos at 7:15 p.m. made contact with the "Narwahl" which was 2.5 miles away and asked that she come closer since weather and sea conditions around Cerberus Rock were worsening. At 10:30 p.m., Art Langley, operator of the Pilot Boat, received a message from the "Arrow" indicating that the crew was leaving the forward end.