All I heard on the Titan Salvage barges Friday was: "You should have been here last night."

Yeah, I know. The sunset was beautiful. The next trophy, a 105-ton hunk of metal that held part of the keel and warped prop from the New Carissa, hung off the Big Red crane on the Karlissa B barge — a prize worthy of hanging overnight and letting the few visitors to the beach see and admire it.

Several of the Titan salvors said local photographer Gene LaRochelle got some great pics of the piece with the sunset in the background. Sometimes a photographer gets lucky and, if you have a good eye, like Gene, you get some outstanding photos you'll treasure forever.

On Friday, Titan Engineering Director Phil Reed and I visited the barges when the crew went out at about 7 a.m. For me, the sunrise was all that the sunset was the night before.

Salvage Master Shelby Harris gave a brief outline of the day's events on the Karlissa A barge, then crews got busy. Engines were turned on, pressure washers started.

But first, there was some staring to be done by the leaders of the crew. The wreck, nestled between the Karlissa A and B barges, was getting hit by waves. Harris, Reed and salvors Dave Grecho and Mike Pacheco stared at the wreck. Five minutes went by. Then 10. Then some discussion took place. Periodically, one would point to a part of the wreck. More discussion. Serious expressions. The sun came up over the eastern hills and soon, even the four were moving around and getting ready for action.

The first job of the day required making room for the 65-foot-or so piece of the prop and ship on the bow of the Karlissa B barge — the area commonly referred to by Titan guys as "Scraptopia." Crews were going to place it near the 170-ton engine pulled out just days before.

Jesse Harris and Big Red moved the big piece to the bow of the barge and lowered it down, prop end first. Metal, sand, plastic and other junk cascaded off the shaft and the part of the hull to which the propeller was attached. Clangs, clunks and thunks reverberated throughout the B barge.

Salvor Kenny Kruckenberg walked by and said hello. Apparently, he's moved up the ladder in Titan world, and now has more responsibility on the Karlissa B.

"I'm the 'Ayatolla of Scrapola,'" Kenny said, laughing and flashing his broad, toothy grin that's earned him the name "Smilin' Kenny" on the barges.

Back on the stern of the B, Reed and Shelby Harris were looking down at the wreck.

There's only a little of the New Carissa left -- but how long it will take for it all to disappear is anybody's guess.