Ice Breaking in Antartica

[spartonboat1]

I consider this a serious matter and not a fallacious, "aren't we cute" media joke. I am referring to the Antarctic exploration by ship, which has become firmly stuck in the ice, plus I believe a Chinese Cutter is hung up as well. I do not appreciate that the vast majority of media is providing cover for this group of "global warming/climate change" scientists, by referring to them blandly as "passengers".

The has been no mention of this group of scientists naive belief that there was no ice, when in fact, ice has been building there and near recent highs of accumulation. Had they done their due diligence, they would not be in the middle of an ice pack. It should be noted that it has been reported that one of the reasons for their being ice bound, is that a small group of them was joy riding on snow-mobiles and either lost the sled in the ice or broke it. At any rate, their delayed return caused the ship to get underway well past the EDT and ergo, the Ice Man Cometh.

I reason for my ire is that the US is dispatching it's only "heavy", Antarctic capable, ice breaker, the Polar Star, at no insignificant cost to the USCG, i.e. the US taxpayer. It's sister ship is semi-decommissioned, the Polar Sea, due to budget cuts by Congress; also a medium ice breaker, the Healy, is also out of commission. In fact, the heavy breaker Polar Star is steaming, only because the USCG budgeted to have her go through a full re-fitout and she recently started running at sea.

So with a couple 25k shp gas turbines for power, I doubt she is getting 1mpg at 17.5kts, her current reported steaming speed. Besides being re-directed from another assignment, the cost for fuel and crew is being footed by the US.

So this little joy ride, with minimal planning for weather ( I won't be shoving off for Mack Isle in Jan), while un-professional,will go on the tab for the US taxpayer.

My question is, when does the USCG back bill for services. I know for a fact that they billed a cool $1M to a Tug boat museum, when one of their newly donated tugs broke free from her cable line, while being towed in a Lk Superior storm and fetched up on the shore (rocks?). The clean up cost for spilled fuel and lube oil, plus the response cost I believe, was billed to the Museum. I wonder who, if anyone, will be billed for this multi-thousand mile response by a US heavy ice breaker to this Antarctic "tourist/scientific" ship?

Thanks for listening.

 

[Avenger]

Never let facts get in the way of ideology.

I understand it's not just these clucks, but quite a number of people have been losing boats and requiring rescue because they're trying to make the Northwest Passage based on the idea that it's like summer up there.

http://www.cfact.org/2013/09/19/gullible-green-sailors-trapped-in-the-arctic/#

 

[bostonhatteras]

I can understand your anger with the cost of the expedition to break out the other ships. However it looks as if you want to break with an unbroken tradition of always lending assistance on the high seas. Yes the ship maybe trapped in ice and the passengers can be taken off the ship however it is still a ship and it is an ocean and to break with this tradition now will leave the potential of many US vessels in distress with no one to aid them. The camaraderie between ship captains does not know nationality or Borders In the same vein, our tax dollars pay for all the aids to navigation in our waters, we pay for the global positioning system that virtually the entire world uses, We pay for the Solas regulations and research. As much as I despise the political motivation of the people trapped on that ship I think this is just the cost of maintaining open navigation on the high seas

 

[Boatsb]

I can understand your anger with the cost of the expedition to break out the other ships. However it looks as if you want to break with an unbroken tradition of always lending assistance on the high seas. Yes the ship maybe trapped in ice and the passengers can be taken off the ship however it is still a ship and it is an ocean and to break with this tradition now will leave the potential of many US vessels in distress with no one to aid them. The camaraderie between ship captains does not know nationality or Borders In the same vein, our tax dollars pay for all the aids to navigation in our waters, we pay for the global positioning system that virtually the entire world uses, We pay for the Solas regulations and research. As much as I despise the political motivation of the people trapped on that ship I think this is just the cost of maintaining open navigation on the high seas

So when I need to get assistance I dont have to pay seatow? That's load of crap. They should be held to the zame standard we have here. We as pleasure boaters and our comercial counterparts have to pay for these services. The coast guard stopped free towing for us about 30 years ago. What makes these people different?

To go to a more appropriate tone. Let Darwin choose if they are fit enough to survive. Thats the natural order.

 

[spartonboat1]

I went to the USCG site about the Polar Star, Polar Sea (heavy breakers) and the Healy (medium duty). The site showed that all three were de-commissioned or at least not sea-worthy. Somehow budgeting was approved to re-fit the Polar Star, so unless that was or had been funded, she would not be steaming at this time.

I do understand emergencies and rescue on the high seas, but I thought one of the licensed Captains or Masters on this site might provide some insight as to the maritime law, in this area of rescue, etc.

I also wish to note, as did someone above, that if you call the USCG, at least on the GL's, they will put out a call for a Good Samaritan to respond, maybe announce a Notice to All Mariners, if a hazard, possibly a Pain Pain, ask you to call Sea Tow, and only as a last resort, go to the vessel's assistance. I would assume they are greatly underfunded, in these times, so the current international response and circumstances, is of interest to me.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

I think they (US) are worried the Chinese may claim sqatters rights there if they were stuck too long...lol...

 

[spartonboat1]

Never let facts get in the way of ideology.

I understand it's not just these clucks, but quite a number of people have been losing boats and requiring rescue because they're trying to make the Northwest Passage based on the idea that it's like summer up there.

http://www.cfact.org/2013/09/19/gullible-green-sailors-trapped-in-the-arctic/#

This link is related to some serious minded people who believed the NW passage would be or would become ice free or capable of year round navigation. There were significant plans for shipping lanes, etc. To say that all that is on hold, more likely ceased, is to say the least.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

Have spoken to a few scientists who are firmly convinced that global cooling is the actual problem but seems that concept does not gather as much sex appeal as warming, after all, if cooling is the problem we will need more oil etc and possibly produce more carbon, politically unacceptable.

 

[Canuck Dennis]

Also, this is in ANTartica not the NW passage

 

[Avenger]

Have spoken to a few scientists who are firmly convinced that global cooling is the actual problem but seems that concept does not gather as much sex appeal as warming, after all, if cooling is the problem we will need more oil etc and possibly produce more carbon, politically unacceptable.

But more carbon/greenhouse gas would stop the cooling,... so this doesn't make sense,.... oh wait, none of it makes sense. Never mind.

Also, this is in ANTartica not the NW passage

Sorry, I didn't realize that "global" warming was so local.

 

[krush]

Needs more cowbell.

 

[spartonboat1]

This link is related to some serious minded people who believed the NW passage would be or would become ice free or capable of year round navigation. There were significant plans for shipping lanes, etc. To say that all that is on hold, more likely ceased, is to say the least.

I mixed two components in the story, which is yes, primarily the Artic. However, there is mention in the story of the NW Passage, which is to what I was referring, albeit poorly referenced. Sorry about that.

 

[gpellissier]

All,

Sorry for posting a response two months after the thread started, but my feeble excuse is I was just now able to to log onto this forum, as I'm on my way back to the United States from Antarctica aboard, you guessed it, POLAR STAR.

As you may know by now, the rescue of the Russian ship (and the Chinese) did not actually occur, as the winds shifted easing the pressure of the ice around both ships. That said, at the request of both the Russian and Chinese government we were indeed enroute to their aid (and registered up to 55 degree rolls crossing the southern ocean). If the rescue had indeed been needed, yes, the U.S. would have asked for some cost reimbursement from both.

Of the three icebreakers, POLAR STAR, POLAR SEA, and HEALY, both the POLAR STAR and HEALY are currently operational, POLAR SEA has been laid up due to budget restrictions.

On a side note, if I need to conduct heavy icebreaking on all three Main Gas Turbines, I can burn between 60,000 - 70,000 gallons of diesel a day. On one of my favorite days (not this year), we burned 70,000 gallons to go almost 3 miles...but that was through ice 20 - 24 feet thick.

Thanks,

George Pellissier

 

[Avenger]

Pictures man! We need pictures!

Video would be even better.

 

[gpellissier]

 

[gpellissier]

 

[gpellissier]

 

[gpellissier]

 

[gpellissier]

 

[gpellissier]