The shipwrecked Golden Ray’s presence on the St. Simons Sound shrunk by about 104 feet and 3,100 metric tons Saturday morning, its recently separated bow hoisted from the water by the towering VB 10,000 crane vessel at around dawn.

The gargantuan chunk of the previously 656-foot-long shipwreck hung suspended in the arch of the crane vessel for several hours Saturday, prompting a steady stream of curious onlookers who braved constant rains from gray skies just to get a look at the three-ring spectacle from the St. Simons Island Pier. As the barge Julie B began patiently sliding between the VB 10,000’s twin hulls, a huge splash burst out of the water around 10:30 a.m.