Icebreakers Kept Busy

[Dean Porter]

Last update from vocm news on the radio, there are now 120 boats stuck in very heavy pack ice the worst fisherman has seen in years.
The boats are being watched very closely by helicopter from the icebreakers. Food is being brought in by helicopter in which they would land on the ice next to the stuck vessel and drop what they need, it may be fuel in some cases.
The icebreakers in the area working really hard are the Henry Larsen, Des Groseilliers, Ann Harvey, George R. Pearkes and the Sir wilfred Grenfell.

[Dean Porter]

A further update from CBC news. The icebreaker Ann Harvey was stuck in the ice last night and was still stuck this morning.

[Michael Martin]

Hey, Dean...do you have a personal photosite other than Shipspotting.com? I'm curious if you've been up on Signal Hill or been around some of the bays near town and taken some photos. I know you can't show them here and was wondering how it looked this year with so much extra ice blocking up the coast. I've seen one picture overlooking Torbay, but it was on a news story and it is so small it's next to useless.

[Dean Porter]

I haven't lately, we have been having some pretty miserable weather, rain, drizzle and fog. The weather is suppose to change, I may on the weekend or Monday.
I have heard though its starting to spill into Conception Bay.

[Dean Porter]

Sorry I don't think I answered your question. I don't have a website.
A further update the Terry Fox is leaving Dartmouth today for Newfoundland.

[Michael Martin]

Well, if you want, you can have up to 5 Gb free at eSnips.com. I've been using it lately transferring high res pictures I have taken of the shipyard to one of my bosses. It's handy to sometimes refer people to pictures which help explain your commentary here but normally wouldn't be allowed to post.

For example, here's Torbay full of ice in 1995.



http://www.pbase.com/pinemikey/image/24720936

[Dean Porter]

Thanks very much, I will check it out.

[Dean Porter]

Ice is still causing problems. Vocm news reported this moring there are stll 33 vessels stuck and even the heavy icebreaker Terry Fox is having trouble. They could only watch last night as the pressure got so bad that three vessels ended up on the ice out of the water.
The Henry Larsen is trying to assist the Jade Star out of Lewisporte, she is stuck.
The Coast says they are going to use the two large icebreakers to escort the smaller icebreakers which in turn will escort the fishing vessels.

[Stefan Niederer]

Thanks for keeping us updated! Even here in europe we heard about the ice and all the problems. I hope the ice will be gone in mid of june.

Stefan

[Dean Porter]

Your welcome, it should be gone but we have ice block harbors in June before, lets hope this is not a repeat.

[Dean Porter]

There are still 7 fishing vessels stuck in ice in which some have been stuck three weeks.
The Coast Guard are trying to get a tanker out of Lewisporte, read it on vocm.com a paper carrier trying to get to Botwood has sustained rudder damage.
Coast Guard says its the worst in 15-20 years for ice.

[Dean Porter]

The Coast Guard has all vessels now escorted out of the ice, the last three were escorted Friday pass. I read on the coast guard website that the Terry Fox has been released back to the Maritimes and the Ann Harvey is now in St. John's, although today they are getting ready to escort a ship out of Botwood.

[mooringman]

hi,after a two weeks visit in a local hospital i'm back and saw the bad news about the ice.does anybody know which vessel bound for botwood had the rudder damage in the ice?i couldn't find out.brgds mooringman

[Dean Porter]

I'm sorry I did not hear the name. However in the past two days two local ferries have been damaged, the Capt. Earl W. Winsor and Inch Aaran, both have damaged propellers.
If I hear what ship recieved damage I will advise right away.