“Ugly Duckling”

Wow, Alaska made the national news' scene, even during the GOP slug fest and without Sarah Palin's help. And that notoriety, to be once again recognized for something other than corrupt politics, it surfaced on two different fronts. Not really, as both were weather related fronts. In Alaska's Prince William's Sound, a pounding by wet and heavy snowfall averaging 20-inches a day was due to break early on this season any previous records set, like the total white ground cover found during the winter of 1989 - the year I left Valdez! I said enough was enough when it required snow to be shoveled upwards, higher then the roof line, in efforts to protect the roof loading from overload! While in Valdez, I left for work one morning with an empty driveway, after a 12-hour shift, came home to find a least 6-feet needing removal. And over in the Bering Strait, wherein the confluence of the Bering Sea and the Chukchi Sea strive for dominance, heavy ice from a colder then normal winter was causing delay problems for a late season sea-lift of much needed heating fuel for the coastal city of Nome, wherein the Russian fuel tanker “Renda” was being escorted by the only U.S. icebreaker now in service, the U.S.S. Healy. Most of this country's breakers are in dry-dock and its winter-time? See, Congress allocated money to dry-dock the ice-breakers, so it could find a convenient excuse that we need to build new breakers, because of the disappearing ice up north and the fact that a slug-fest is brewing as to ownership this polar region, an unexplored area of interest that may hold valuable and recoverable resources. I guess it's due to global warming, the disappearing ice, except for what is happening in the Bering Sea. Now ice breakers and the Sound find a place in Alaska's recent history. For years, the “ugliest of ducklings” in the oil tanker fleet visited the port of Valdez, to take on valuable North Slope crude oil sent south from Prudhoe Bay down the Trans-Alaska-Pipeline, so it could be delivered to refineries on the west coast. This “Ugly Duckling” was called the U.S. Manhattan. It was a rust bucket of a ship, and with once-upon-a-time painted hull panels seasoned different shades, when not rusted, it appeared like it was a heap rescued from a junk yard. With low lying fog hungover the Sound, when this ship would appear through a clearing it reminded one of a ghost like ship wreck mobilized for attention. Some panels wore a coat of graffiti, before this gang slang went popular. The Manhattan was recognizable not only from its lack of luster, as it had a modified “bow”, looking more like a beak of a wild bird. But it was old faithful, due its powerful design and construction, all the time accompanied by an able-bodied seaman crew. I worked in Valdez, for the pipeline company, so had the opportunity to see the Manhattan call on the loading berths on many an occasion. And weather didn't bother this ship, also known as the “Steamroller”. The Manhattan was modified as an “Ice-Breaker Tanker” for a transport experiment, to see if it could be used to carry crude oil from Alaska's “North Slope” before a pipeline was built. There came several different transport considerations other than a pipeline, like Boeing's modified 747s with the wings and fuselage outfitted with crude oil storage bladders to the idea proposed by General Dynamics to build shallow water transport submarines, as a pipeline across 800-miles of wilderness was the most expensive route - not to mention the controversy element - yet the safest in comparison. In the end, it was the “safety” of a pipeline that won out and claimed victory. When the Manhattan experiment was in progress back in the late 60's early 70's era, on a sea voyage to Prudhoe Bay the “Ugly Duckling” was escorted by two of the most powerful icebreakers in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, just in-case there came thick-ice difficulties along the way. Guess what got stuck? So after it was decided to mothball this project, when the pipeline became a reality, the Manhattan was placed back in service to deliver Alaskan crude oil from Valdez to the west coast. But it still went missing a paint job. Once again, it was a very powerful ship and equipped with hi-tech navigation equipment, due its experimental days. So even though is was “ugly” on the outside, it was a modern day marvel of navel architecture and safely sailed the Sound for many years. But it acquired a place in history still, as it was called upon as a bail out during several critical situations at hand in the Sound. On one particular brutal and snow flying day in March of 85, wherein it was difficult to see one's own hand extended at reach, it was the Manhattan that made its way safely into port to rescue the oil industry. The pipeline was getting ready to shutdown due over inventories from treacherous high seas in the Gulf and out-of-the-ordinary rough waters in the protected bay that surrounded the city of Valdez and the TAPS 9-million barrel crude oil storage facility. So once again, it was the Manhattan that saved the day. It was scary, as it was dark and “white-out” conditions hampered every move forward in efforts to get a tanker to relieve the strain on the pipeline. As the tanker captain communicated with the berth's scout, you could hear the hull vibrate and resonate the surrounding waters due the engines' moaning, but not see the monstrosity sliding sideways towards the dock, and soon it was “bang” as the ship hit the huge shock absorbers and was quickly secured. And there were other tankers waiting out the storm, but tankers that would not be considered this delicate operation. See most of the tankers had black hulls, with white topsides. So when a tanker came in through the narrows, especially when there came rough seas outside of Montague and Hinchinbrook, it meant full ballast, which sank the hull with only a few feet of free-board. So what was left of the black hull, it contrasted with the “deep black” water hue and with the topside being so white, it was indistinguishable in bad weather, because of the blowing snow's affinity to confuse any contrast, usually snow of large diameter flakes so well known this part of Alaska. So it was difficult for a modern day tanker to pull up to the loading docks, when inclement weather was a factor. But not for the rust bucket, as it could deliver even in a blinding snowstorm. And then came the time a cruise ship went disabled after leaving the Valdez city berth, when the Alaska cruise ship business was at its infancy. Sure enough, a lose of power had stranded the luxury liner in cold water outside the “Narrows” in almost open seas with no escort available. And Valdez was not equipped to handle an emergency of this magnitude and this was way before Joe stranded the EXXON Valdez on the rocks, so there was not even an oil spill escort contingency available to assist this serious dilemma! And like already mentioned, it was at a time when the cruise ship industry was still trying to find out what it meant to operate in waters that were still wild and far and removed from civilization. Where a Mayday signal may be just a suggestion! Now the Manhattan was heading out of the Sound, loaded up with crude oil, when that Mayday was received. The Manhattan went to assist the disabled cruiser, that is the rule of the road. Not even did it require assistance from the Coast Guard, except for maybe some communications back and forth. There was no cutter around, so it was a very serious situation, especially with a disabled ship with no electricity, as sitting upon water that is a go between ice and slush, it could have gotten ugly pretty quick. But with the “ugly duckling” responding, there came hope. And the cruise ship commander had already radioed in that some elderly folks were succumbing to hypothermia like conditions. But with the Manhattan so close and a crew with a history of being able-bodied, the ship and crew was able to transfer the cruise ship's guests onto the deck of “ugly duckling” and sail back into port, at the TAPS dock, where a line of rescue vehicles waited to take the clientèle to safety. It's always cold on the waters of the Sound, so what could have been a serious matter was quickly eliminated by the Manhattan responding and lending a helping hand. It was another success story for the Manhattan. So today we have another history lesson, as I would bet that if the Manhattan was still plowing the waters of the Sound, the “Ugly Duckling” would be heading towards Nome, to deliver fuel and maybe escort the Russian tanker “Renda” and the U.S.S. Healy both back to safety and be able to chalk up another success story for the “SteamRoller”. But, with restrictions on single hull ships taken over by “double-hulling”, the Manhattan was finally mothballed to scrap. Now there is something of a lesson to be learned here. As we delay any reasonable debate on whether our ways and means are cause for concern this “Global Warming” trend or not, Mother Earth has already reacted. When one looks at the “Big Picture Show” with respect to the current weather patterns, why are we so puzzled and amazed when we see different weather patterns hitting and “tilting” the norm? Look. Mother Earth started a long time ago to realize that its own domain was changing due our trespass, and reacted without delay as she has an approval rating that is no match for our present representation. We need to respect this action, as we are no match for nature and how the latter reacts to human dereliction. Some things have not the time, or inclined to waste of time, to offer debate. It is simple, we have trespassed on the tranquility of the Mother Earth and she is responding, not to deal a blow upon our tranquility, but a correction course. So in ending, we are seeing more snow in some areas and less in other areas, the same with ice and cold. We are seeing glaciers disappear at the same time glaciers seeded in areas that never had the chance to name such after a senator, good thing in my book. As the only thing they should be named in honor of is a pit toilet!