Rescue suspended due to “complicated weather conditions.”
An operation to rescue dozens of white whales trapped in ice off Russia’s Far Eastern Chukotka Peninsula has been suspended because of “complicated weather conditions,” says this article on en.rian.
Some 100 whales have been trapped in the ice since at least December 13, when hunters working in the Bering Sea reported the sighting.
The whale’s lives are in danger because food in the area, which is separated from clear waters by up to 25 kilometers of ice, is limited.
The Rubin rescue tug, which was headed to the area to release the animals, failed to make its way through ice and is heading to port to refuel.
Admitting that the ice breaker couldn’t break through the ice doesn’t too complicated to me.
http://en.rian.ru/Environment/20111226/170499263.html
Thanks to E Stephens for this link
6 Responses to Dozens of whales still trapped in the ice
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I did send an email to the Russian Minister of
Environment ( when these whales first came to notice on IceAgeNow) and requested their help to free the whales as it was one of Mr Putin’s protective subjects. I have not heard anything back, which i’m not surprised about. It took me a while to find an email addess on Mr Putin’s website.
Good thinking carla.
and drat! greenbits is off in the wrong spot saving whales that have a chance of escape(some anyway)
Not sure what a “rescue tug” would look like, but it may have a high profile and wide beam, and running into head winds might slow it down enough so that it can’t build enough momentum to ride onto the ice and break it. It would depend on shape, I would think, as well as weight, but high head winds might be the complication. Actually, since the Rubin is listed as a “salvage tug,” it may not actually have the capacity to break thick ice accept under ideal conditions. She does stand pretty tall in the water, and designed for towing disabled ships, not for high speed. Just saw a picture of her.
A Tug is a Tug. In commercial work, as opposed to recreational Tug lookalikes,it mostly depends on size. Configuration details vary with the work to be done. A salvage Tug rescues stricken vessels in open ocean thereby requiring both weight, and large size for seaworthyness.
Headwinds would have little effect on the boats ability to break the ice as this is done with a slow advance using the Tugs tremendous engine(s) and weight. Tug boats are not designed for high speed. Slow and steady is the rule.
More about the wind: The boat is being helped by the surrounding ice to hold it steady. Bow and occasionally stern thrusters assist in directional stability. High winds pushing the entire sea ice pack could present a problem.
ah yes, that would be the no ice ever warming oceans would’nt it? seems someone forgot to tell the whales about that Gore effect…poor things.
I do wonder if? they cant manage an underwater 25 k dash, is there any evidence of whales dead in similar event prior? there would be thinner areas where they may be able to break and breathe?
I have always wondered if you could use explosives to blow breathing holes in the ice? Cut a path to clear water that way.