Short on Fuel, Alaskans Now Burning Their Stuff

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

http://news.yahoo.com/short-fuel-alaskans-now-burning-stuff-142639075.html

By Adam Martin | The Atlantic Wire – 3 hrs ago

Most winters bring news of a particularly bad Alaskan deep freeze, but this year's is so harsh that residents running out of fuel are burning their stuff because it's too cold to even go outside and get wood. A Russian tanker trying to deliver diesel and gasoline to Nome got hung up on thick sea ice and won't get there until Thursday or Friday, and in villages nearby it's too cold and snowy for planes to land with heating oil. This stuff is endlessly fascinating to those of us living below the arctic circle, where the worst winter storms result in streets left unplowed for days. Days! "My husband and I are using our fish rack woods to heat up our home because it's so cold to go out and get wood," a woman named Hilda Booth, of the inuit village of Noatak (where the low's hovering around -45 degrees), told the Anchorage Daily News. Can you imagine if you had to burn your Ikea coffee table to keep warm? What would you even burn it in? The natural gas-powered "fireplace" you'd like to someday install in your apartment? There's a reason the Discovery channel folks wrap all those Alaska shows sometime around November.

http://news.yahoo.com/relief-nears-nome-u-icebreaker-opens-sea-lane-001500675.html

Relief Nears Nome as U.S. Icebreaker Opens Sea Lane

By Charles Simmins | Yahoo! Contributor Network – 17 hrs ago

Since Nov. 1, Nome, Alaska, has been cut off by sea ice of various thicknesses. The last scheduled delivery of heating fuel, gasoline and diesel by barge had to be canceled due to the ice. This left the community short of supplies for the winter.

The Goal

Battling sea ice and temperatures well below zero, the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Healy is slowly making its way north from Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Following the ship closely is the MV Renda, a Russian tanker chartered to transport 1.3 million gallons of fuel to the ice bound community of Nome.

The mission was delayed late last week when the Renda suffered an engineering failure after departing Dutch Harbor. It was forced to return for repairs before resuming its voyage. MV Renda has a double hull and is rated to perform in sea ice as thick as four feet.

Progress

The convoy has made its way through about 110 miles of ice with an additional 190 miles to go. The Healy will convey the tanker to about one-half mile from Nome where the water becomes too shallow for the cutter. The Renda will then force its way through the remaining sea ice to just outside the harbor at Nome. A thick ridge of ice across the mouth of the harbor prevents the tanker from moving any closer.

Arrival Plan

The convoy is due to reach Nome on Jan. 9 or 10. On arrival, the tanker may have to offload its cargo using hoses stretching from the ship to shore facilities. Officials from various government agencies and supplies for any potential spill cleanup are on hand for the arrival.

Historic First

The USCGC Healy is the United States' only operational polar icebreaker. It is based out of Seattle and its primary mission is research in the Arctic and Antarctic. If this mission is successful, it will be the first fuel delivery to the western Alaska coast by sea during the winter.

Edited January 10, 2012 by Why_Me

[^_^ 5,021]

A taxpayer funded icebreaker is breaking through ice to get supplies to these fools?

#######?

If they can't afford to live there (that means funding your own damn icebreaker, ya leeches!) then they shouldn't.

[bigdog 376]

Never slipped on sunshine in AZ once. Burr

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

A taxpayer funded icebreaker is breaking through ice to get supplies to these fools?

#######?

If they can't afford to live there (that means funding your own damn icebreaker, ya leeches!) then they shouldn't.

Heads should roll in Nome. All of us this far up on the coast are iced in for the winter and we always make sure our fuel storage tanks are topped off right before the ice comes in. I have no idea what's up with Nome this year, but a lot of people up there should be losing their jobs over this one if not serving some time in jail also as it would be justified.

I say let em freeze for a bit to learn them a lesson or two. It would serve them right.

[^_^ 5,021]

Heads should roll in Nome. All of us this far up on the coast are iced in for the winter and we always make sure our fuel storage tanks are topped off right before the ice comes in. I have no idea what's up with Nome this year, but a lot of people up there should be losing their jobs over this one if not serving some time in jail also as it would be justified.

I say let em freeze for a bit to learn them a lesson or two. It would serve them right.

I feel my compassionate side kicking in right about............now.

You're a fukcing barbarian. You know there are women and children there, right?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

...it's too cold to even go outside and get wood.

Odd Alaskans. I can get wood without going outside.

[Susita 175]

Can you imagine if you had to burn your Ikea coffee table to keep warm? What would you even burn it in?

Poor Inuits

[Bad_Daddy 2,209]

Poor Inuits

Nome has more whites than natives living there. It was a gold mining town back in the day founded by whites. Any natives living in Nome are ones that moved there from somewhere else.

[Susita 175]

Nome has more whites than natives living there. It was a gold mining town back in the day founded by whites. Any natives living in Nome are ones that moved there from somewhere else.

Fixed!

Poor Inuits People. I don't know why anyone would want to live up there in the freezing cold, but I'm sure they have their reasons. Hope they get their heat back soon.

[Ban Hammer 13,403]

Odd Alaskans. I can get wood without going outside.

[SMR 368]

I speak from experience when I say that -45 is not so cold that you can't go outside. Go chop a tree down. That's what people have done for thousands of years.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

I speak from experience when I say that -45 is not so cold that you can't go outside. Go chop a tree down. That's what people have done for thousands of years.

Green wood doesn't burn that well.

[SMR 368]

Green wood doesn't burn that well.

A sufficiently large tree won't be that green that you can't burn it. You'll have to dry it from the snow a bit, but it won't take more than a couple days.

[I AM NOT THAT GUY 5,715]

A sufficiently large tree won't be that green that you can't burn it. You'll have to dry it from the snow a bit, but it won't take more than a couple days.

I cut all my own firewood, and nothing is worse than trying to get green wood to burn. It usually takes 3-6 months before the wood is seasoned enough to burn properly. Stuff I cut in the spring is usually okay for the next winter.

[Harsh_77 718]

A taxpayer funded icebreaker is breaking through ice to get supplies to these fools?

#######?

If they can't afford to live there (that means funding your own damn icebreaker, ya leeches!) then they shouldn't.

Not completely true, they do pay a higher per gallon price, which does include the transportation cost.

As per your analogy Katrina victims should had been made to pay the cost of transport helicopters and personal involved in operation.