Friday, December 31, 2010

Massive Arctic iron ore deposit - Enough to supply All of Europe

Baffinland Iron Mines (BIM.TO: Quote) is the subject of a takeover battle between global No. 1 steelmaker ArcelorMittal (ISPA.AS: Quote) and Nunavut Iron Ore, a private-equity backed company formed solely for the purposes of pursuing the bid.
At stake is the massive Mary River iron ore deposit in the northern Canadian territory of Nunavut. Mary River is said to contain enough raw material to supply the needs of all of Europe, an ocean-ride away.
However, its geographical position on Baffin Island, above the Arctic Circle, presents a challenge to development and contributes to a C$4 billion ($4 billion) price to bring a mine into production a few years from now.
Following are some facts about the Mary River project:
* The site was discovered in 1962 by Murray Watts of British Ungava Explorations Ltd (Brunex), and Baffinland Iron's predecessor company was established in 1963 by the backers and prospectors of Brunex.
* Baffinland started exploration at Mary River in 2004.
* Mary River is located at the northern end of Baffin Island about 160 km (100 miles) south of the hamlet of Pond Inlet, Nunavut.
* The project is expected to produce about 18 million tonnes of iron ore per year when it is first built, and analysts say output could almost double relatively quickly.
* Nine deposits at Mary River so far identified are thought to contain some 450 million tonnes of iron ore, of which 75 percent could be high grade.
* Once built, Baffinland expects Mary River to operate year-round for at least 21 years.
* A 143 km (90 mile) rail and road link is planned to connect the proposed mines to a port at Steensby Inlet, south of Mary River, where chartered ice-breaking ore carriers would transport the ore to markets year-round. (here)
* The Steensby port is 3,100 nautical miles (5,741 km) from the key destination of Rotterdam in Europe, compared with 5,000 nautical miles from Brazil to Rotterdam.
* The area, within the Arctic Circle, experiences 24-hour a day darkness from November to January and 24-hour a day sunlight between May and August.
* The region has less than 200 mm annual precipitation and an annual average temperature of about -15 Celsius (5 Fahrenheit).
* Baffinland owns leases that cover about 1,593 hectares (3,937 acres) and are renewable beyond the current 21-year period expiring Aug. 27, 2013.
($1=$1.00 Canadian) (Reporting by Alastair Sharp; editing by Rob Wilson)

Parks Canada 2010 Arctic Surveys - “Investigate with Us!”

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/expeditions/index.aspx

expedition map

Parks Canada's search for historic shipwrecks and associated land sites on the Web

Parks Canada led two separate Arctic archaeological surveys during the summer of 2010 in search of three vessels associated with the 19th-century pursuit of the North-West Passage: the continuing search for Franklin's HMS Erebus and HMS Terror and a new survey related to HMS Investigator and its associated land sites at Aulavik National Park. Parks Canada has been pleased to share our efforts as we attempt to solve the mystery of these lost ships.
The first days of the project conducted at Aulavik National Park delivered a number of exciting discoveries including the shipwreck of HMS Investigator, the grave sites of three British sailors, and new information on McClure’s Cache site.
Parks Canada is also pleased with the results of the continuing survey in search of Franklin’s vessels, given that a sizeable survey area of 150 square kilometres was searched.
Given the physical and logistical challenges associated with travelling and working in the Arctic, few Canadians experience first-hand the beauty and history of our most northerly places. Parks Canada is pleased to bring this to you through our web content and social media opportunities. Be a part of the search and follow our progress as we continue our attempts at solving the mystery of Franklin’s lost ships, conduct further follow-up work on HMS Investigator and its related sites, such as McClure’s Cache, and learn more about how early Arctic exploration and the search for the North-West Passage shaped the development of our country.
Parks Canada is the proud steward of Aulavik National Park of Canada, one of our most northern and unique protected landscapes, and the designated federal custodian of HMS Erebus and Terror National Historic Site of Canada, two vessels of paramount importance to the Arctic's history.
The search for the North-West Passage has captured public imagination for more than 160 years. Parks Canada invites you to continue following the fascinating work of our archaeologists and learn about the history surrounding this epic part of Canada's past. Visit our site again, as updates will be added as more information comes available.

Zodiak outfitted with remotely-operated vehicle (ROV) ready for capturing video images of the wreck

Zodiak

HMS Investigator

Underwater image of HMS Investigator showing the bow with a hawsehole in the upper portion of the hull

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/expeditions/erebus-terror/equipe-team.aspx


Parks Canada 2010 Arctic Surveys 

HMS Erebus and HMS Terror

Meet our Team

Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Service (UAS) will lead a second archaeological exploration to search for HMS Erebus and HMS Terror, off the coast of Nunavut, with projected dates of August 10-August 31, 2010. The first expedition was conducted in August 2008.
Parks Canada provides underwater archaeology expertise to various levels of government and to non-government organizations, often working in collaboration with them, as it is the case of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror expedition. This Canadian-led expedition is a collaborative project among Parks Canada, the Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) and the Canadian Coast Guard. The partnership combines a breadth of expertise and will inevitably provide new information and add to the body of research on the fate of these ships. If found, all future archaeological investigations will again be led by Parks Canada.
The expedition is staged from CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier, a Canadian Coast Guard ice-breaker. The search area falls within uncharted waters and the CHS will provide surveying expertise and technology to help map the area of interest and nearby routes for navigational charts. Information gathered during the search will contribute to improving charts of the Canadian Arctic.

Canadian Coast Guard

William Noon
Captain William Noon
© Parks Canada
CAPTAIN WILLIAM NOONCCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier (PDF Fact Sheet - 2.4 Mb) a native of West Vancouver, BC, joined the Canadian Coast Guard in 1981. Captain Noon served as a seaman and then Lifeboat Coxswain in Bull Harbour, Powell River, and Ganges, BC. In 1984 he attended the US Coast Guard Motor Lifeboat Surf Course at Cape Disappointment, Washington and CCG Coxswains Course in Cornwall, Ontario.
After obtaining a bridge watch-keeping certificate, Captain Noon served as Navigation Officer on numerous ships including the CCGS Martha L Black, CCGSNarwal, CCGS Sir James Douglas, CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier and CCGS Bartlett in the BC coastal waters and the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurierand Arctic Ivik in the Canadian Arctic.
Captain Noon first relieved as Master of CCGS Arctic Ivik in 1995 and was appointed Master of the Buoy Tender CCGS Bartlett in 1997, Captain Noon successively commanded the research ships CCGS Ricker and CCGS John P Tully undertaking offshore oceanographic and SAR missions.
Captain Noon was the superintendent of the Regional Operations Centre (Pacific) 2000-2002, followed by a further command of the CCGS John P Tully, 2003-2009. He was appointed master of CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 2010.
Captain Noon has attended the Pacific Maritime Technology Institute, Camosun College, and the Canadian Coast Guard College.
His interest in maritime heritage takes up much of his time when not at sea. He recently completed 6 years as trustee for the Maritime Museum of British Columbia and currently sits on the board of the Victoria Classic Boat Festival. Captain Noon is also an active member of the Thermopylae Club of Victoria, named after the famous China clipper. The club was founded by mariners in 1932, having the goal of protecting and preserving the nautical history of Canada’s west coast. His remaining time is spent restoring and cruising aboard his 64 year old wooden boat, Messenger III, a former coastal mission boat.

Canadian Hydrographic Service

Roger Cameron
Roger Cameron 
© Parks Canada

ROGER CAMERON was born in Kingston, Jamaica and moved to Canada in 1977, settling in Burlington, Ontario. Roger graduated from Sir Sanford Fleming College in 1985 with a diploma in Cartography and subsequently attended York University (Geography).
Roger began his career at Canadian Cartographics, then located in Coquitlam, British Columbia where he produced thematic maps, including an atlas commissioned by the Gitksan Wet’suwet’en Tribal Council to substantiate a land claim in central British Columbia. He then moved to Toronto and was employed by Marshall Macklin Monaghan Ltd. where he worked in topographic mapping and a variety of projects utilizing close-range photogrammetry. In 1998 he began his career as a hydrographer with the Canadian Hydrographic Service at the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington. Roger has surveyed waters of the Great Lakes, St. Lawrence River, Trent-Severn Waterway and Arctic and produces paper charts and electronic navigational charts from collected data.
Roger was part of a Canadian Hydrographic Service team that operated from the Sir Wilfrid Laurier in 2008 and 2009, and was part of the 2008 team that searched for the Franklin ships. He is currently a Vice-President of the Canadian Hydrographic Association and is Chair of the upcoming 2012 Canadian Hydrographic Conference to be held in Niagara Falls, Ontario. Roger is married with three children and resides in Welland, Ontario.
Andrew Leyzack
Andrew Leyzack
© Parks Canada
ANDREW LEYZACK, a graduate of Humber College's Hydrographic and Land Survey Technologist program, Andrew has been surveying for over 20 years, with varied experience in topographic, cadastral, offshore/industrial and hydrographic surveys for nautical charting. He is a Commissioned Canada Lands Surveyor, working as an Engineering Project Supervisor with the Canadian Hydrographic Service, Central and Arctic Region (Federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada). He is presently assigned as Hydrographer-in-Charge of the Western Arctic Survey, Kitikmeot Region.
In addition to supporting Parks Canada's search program (with logistics, personnel, survey launches, sonar and navigation) he is leading hydrographic surveys in one of the most poorly charted areas of the Arctic. The Kitikmeot Region, as it is known, has over the past decade experienced measurable increase in community growth, resource extraction and vessel traffic (deep sea cargo ships, passenger liners and private yachts). The current trend in ice conditions has had a positive influence on the volume of vessel traffic, particularly smaller craft. The waters in this part of the Western Arctic are generally shallower than those of the Eastern Arctic and often vessels are looking for alternative routes around the ice edge when it is present. Our work has been focused on widening the existing routes, carving out new alternate routes for ice avoidance and preparing large scale charts for the various communities. Additionally many of the existing charts are inaccurate and incompatible with modern GPS navigation. Current charting, particularly that which covers the "search area", shows more empty space than soundings. In fact, a good part of our previous joint mission with Parks Canada (2008) was spent clearing a narrow route to safely bring our supporting platform, the Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Sir Wilfrid Laurier, some 25 miles south of the existing shipping lanes into the uncharted waters of the search area. In this case, the work can be likened to cutting a new road through a wilderness, where there is little or no indication of the topography or what's around the bend.
Glenn Macdonald
Glenn Macdonald
© Parks Canada

GLENN MACDONALD began working with the Canadian Hydrographic Service in 1996. In recent years his work has focused on tides, currents, and water levels. He was part of the Canadian Hydrographic Service group that teamed with Parks Canada on the 2008 archaeological survey to search for the Franklin vessels. Glenn is a songwriter whose most recent collection is Attendance (2010). He has a wife and three children and finds that the disciplines of hydrography, family and music exist harmoniously.


Glenn Toldi
Glenn Toldi© Parks Canada
GLENN TOLDI was born in Burlington, Ontario. Glenn completed his Bachelor of Science degree in Geography and Biology at Trent University in 1992 then studied at Sir Sanford Fleming College (School of Natural Resources) where he earned a diploma in Cartography/GIS Technology in 1994. A fascinating opportunity to live in and travel throughout Australia afforded Glenn valuable work experience. He worked as a Cartographic technician for Cartodraft Ltd. in Sydney Australia in 1995.
Upon his return to Canada in 1996, he secured a position with The Canadian Hydrographic Service as a Hydrographer. Glenn has subsequently settled in Smithville, Ontario with his wife and two boys. He has been an avid yearly participant in Arctic surveys since before his oldest son was born.
Working as a Hydrographer since 1997 with The Canadian Hydrographic Service, he has taken part in many Hydrographic surveys throughout the Canadian Arctic and across the Great Lakes. His experience with Hydrographic surveys includes single beam, side scan and multibeam sonar operations and data processing. Glenn also creates Electronic Navigational Charts and Nautical Paper Charts based out of the Canada Centre for Inland Waters in Burlington Ontario. Recently, Glenn was part of the Hydrographic group which teamed with Parks Canada on the 2008 archaeological survey to search for the Franklin vessels. Glenn worked from 2008-2009 aboard the CCGS Sir Wilfrid Laurier as data processor during Arctic surveys and will continue in this role throughout this summer.

Parks Canada

Ryan Harris
Ryan Harris
© Parks Canada

RYAN HARRIS was born in Calgary, Alberta. Ryan completed his Bachelor’s degree in Anthropology at the University of Toronto. He then studied at East Carolina University, in Greenville North Carolina, where he graduated with his Masters in Maritime History and Nautical Archaeology. Working as an underwater archaeologist with Parks Canada since 1999, he took part in more than 50 underwater archaeology projects throughout his career, including the  War of 1812 shipwrecks Hamilton and Scourge, anAmerican PBY-5A airplane in Longue-Pointe-de Mingan (Québec), RMS Empress of Ireland (1914) (Québec), 16th-century whaling vessels in Red Bay (Newfoundland and Labrador), the 18th-century French shipwrecks of the Fortress of Louisbourg National Historic Site (Nova Scotia) and of the Battle of the Restigouche National Historic Site(Québec). His professional fields of research include historic ship architecture and remote-sensing applications to archaeological surveys. He has been actively involved in surveys all across Canada, from L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site (Newfoundland and Labrador) to Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (British Columbia), and from Saguenay-St. Lawrence Marine Park (Quebec), to the Rideau Canaland Trent-Severn Waterway National Historic Sites (Ontario). He has also participated in underwater archaeology projects in the United States and in Bermuda. In 2008, Ryan was responsible for Parks Canada for the remote-sensing operations of the archaeological survey to search for the Franklin vessels. 
Jonathan Moore
Jonathan Moore
© Parks Canada
JONATHAN MOORE was born in Banbury, England, and moved to Kingston, Canada with his family at the age of five. He studied classical studies and archaeology at Queen’s University where he received a Bachelor’s degree in 1991. While at university he learned to dive and began his involvement in underwater archaeology. He went on to complete a Master’s degree in Maritime Studies at the University of St. Andrews, and began his professional career in underwater archaeology in England and Scotland shortly thereafter. 
He returned to Canada in 1994 and that year began working with Parks Canada’s Underwater Archaeology Service. He has worked on over 50 underwater archaeology projects across Canada on a range of subjects and topics, from historic shipwrecks to submerged prehistoric landscapes and sites. He has directed underwater surveys at a range of sites including, L’Anse aux Meadows National Historic Site (Newfoundland and Labrador), Rideau Canal National Historic Site (Ontario) and Gwaii Haanas National Park Reserve and Haida Heritage Site (British Columbia). He recently directed a 2007-2009 archaeological study of the United States Navy shipwrecks Hamilton and Scourge sunk in 90 meters (300 feet) of water in Lake Ontario in 1813. His professional areas of research and interest include War of 1812 shipwrecks, ship abandonment, submerged palaeo-landscapes, the effects of invasive mussel species on underwater cultural resources, archival research and local history. Jonathan was part of the Parks Canada team on the 2008 archaeological survey to search for the Franklin vessels.


Parks Canada 2010 Arctic Surveys

Expedition Partners

Partner Information - HMS Erebus and HMS TerrorExpedition

Parks Canada Agency
Parks Canada, an agency of the federal government, protects and presents nationally significant examples of Canada's natural and cultural heritage in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative integrity for present and future generations. Parks Canada's Underwater Archaeology Service (UAS) is a team of seven underwater archaeologists based in Ottawa, Ontario. The team–the only one of its kind in Canada, conducts underwater archaeological projects across the country, mainly at Canada's national historic sites, national marine conservation areas and national parks. It also provides underwater archaeology expertise to various levels of government and to non-government organizations, often working in collaboration with them, as it is the case of the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror expedition. The Parks Canada crew for the expedition will be Ryan Harris, Senior Marine Archaeologist for the UAS and Project Director, and Jonathan Moore, Senior Marine Archaeologist for the UAS. Mr. Harris and Marc-André Bernier, Chief of the UAS, will serve as Parks Canada's principal media contacts for the HMS Erebus and HMS Terror Expedition.

Launch Gannet sets out from Sir Wilfrid Laurier en route to O’Reilly Island to begin side-scan sonar and bathymetric survey

Kinglett is hoisted aboard the Sir Wilfrid Laurier

Kinglett and Gannet at O’Reilly Island during a break from surveying for a crew change

Hydrographer Roger Cameron at work station aboard launch Kinglett en route to O’Reilly Island
Canadian Coast Guard

The Canadian Coast Guard (CCG) has a long and proud history of service in the Arctic. As early as 1884, government survey expeditions sought a shorter navigational route to Western Canada through Hudson Bay and Strait to meet the needs of a growing economy. Arctic sovereignty patrols began in 1903 with CGS Neptune. Coast Guard has served Arctic Canada for generations. Every year, from late June to early November, theCCG deploys one light, two heavy, and four medium icebreakers to the Arctic. These icebreakers operate in a harsh climate and some of the most challenging sea ice conditions in the world. They are often the first vessels into the Arctic each shipping season and the last to leave. There are also two CCG vessels on the Mackenzie River and Beaufort Sea. The officers and crew of six icebreakers are deployed to the Arctic in summer once southern icebreaking operations are complete. The reassuring and longstanding presence of Coast Guard personnel and assets in the Arctic underscores Canada's national sovereignty and helps keep Arctic waterways open, safe, and clean. The women and men onboard Coast Guard vessels who serve in the Arctic each year have a wealth of knowledge and experience. Many of the Commanding Officers of the icebreakers have more than 20 years of service in the demanding Arctic marine environment. CCG personnel also visit Arctic communities to tap into local and traditional knowledge. Much of the success in delivering Coast Guard programs and services is due to the attention paid to human elements. Many of CCG Arctic activities are delivered in partnership with other federal departments including Parks Canada.
Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO)

Fisheries and Oceans Canada, a department of the federal government, contributes to providing safe and accessible waterways for Canadians. The Canadian Hydrographic Service (CHS) is a Directorate of DFO's Science Sector and is responsible for charting the navigable waters of Canada to produce nautical charts and other publications that promote safe navigation. CHS has carried out hydrographic surveys in the north dating back to as early as 1910. Surveys, using ice-capable ships and smaller launches deployed from those ships, have been the most common method to collect hydrographic information. Ice camps established in cooperation with Polar Continental Shelf Project in the 1970s and 80s were another means of collecting data in this harsh environment. TheCHS Central and Arctic Region has a team of hydrographers that collect and manage hydrographic data to create nautical publications for the Arctic. The search area falls within uncharted waters and the CHS will provide surveying expertise and technology to help map the area of interest and nearby routes for navigational charts. Information gathered during the search will contribute to improving charts of the Canadian Arctic. Andrew Leyzack, Engineering Project Supervisor, will be Hydrographer-in-Charge and scientific authority aboard ship providing liaison with the Commanding Officer for all survey operations. Hydrographic technical support will be provided by multi-disciplinary hydrographers, Glenn Toldi, Glenn Macdonald, and Ryan Battista.
Nunavut Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth

The Department of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth's mandate is to preserve and enhance Nunavut's culture, heritage and languages. The department's Culture and Heritage Division is responsible for the management of Nunavut's archaeological heritage. It administers Nunavut's archaeological research permit system, conducts archaeological training and research projects in collaboration with community and land claims agencies, and provides expertise on archaeological matters to government and non-government organizations. In recent years, Dr. Douglas Stenton, Director of the Culture and Heritage Division, assisted by Dr. Robert Park, University of Waterloo, have led investigations on islands near the underwater survey area for sites containing evidence of the Franklin expedition. The Government of Nunavut is also playing a role ensuring continuing liaison with the Inuit people of the Community of Gjoa Haven.
Community of Gjoa Haven
The project appreciates the ongoing support of the community of Gjoa Haven and the Inuit Heritage Trust. In particular, local historian and Franklin researcher Louie Kamookak, who has brought his considerable depth of experience and insight into Inuit traditional knowledge to the search, and to the Gjoa Haven Hamlet Council, who is to be thanked for its kind assistance and hospitality.
British Government (British High Commission)
The British High Commission in Canada works to advance the UK's interests in a safe, just and prosperous world by developing and maintaining a wide range of substantive partnerships with Canada of real value to both countries; developing business between the UK and Canada, and encouraging Canadian companies to invest in the UK and; providing effective and courteous public services.
A 1997 memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Great Britain, as owner of HMSErebus and HMS Terror, and Canada, as the nation in whose waters they are believed to have been lost, assigns control over “site investigation, excavation, or recovery of either of the wrecks or their contents” to Canada, in the event of their discovery.

http://www.pc.gc.ca/eng/culture/expeditions/lectures-readings.aspx


Parks Canada 2010 Arctic Surveys

Suggested Reading

For further information and suggested reading:


North-West Passage

Delgado, James P., Across the Top of the World, The Quest for the Northwest Passage. Vancouver, B.C.: Douglas & McIntyre Ltd, 1999.

HMS Investigator

Minister Jim Prentice's long-standing fascination with the story of HMS Investigator led him to read and review The Ice Passage: A True Story of Ambition, Disaster, and Endurance in the Arctic Wilderness by Vancouver writer Mr. Brian Payton. The Ice Passage is a narrative nonfiction account of the final voyage of HMS Investigator. The book review by Minister Prentice (Ship Frozen in Ice, Crew Gets Out Alive) appeared in the December 2009-January 2010 publication Options PolitiquesRead the review on the Institute for Research on Public Policy's Web site (PDF 35 KB)
M'Clure, Robert. The Discovery of the North-West Passage. Edited by S. Osborn. London: Longman, Brown, Green and Longmans 1856. Reprint Edmonton: Hurtig 1969.
Miertsching, Johann. Frozen Ships: The Arctic Diary of Johann Miertsehing, 1850-1854. Translated and edited by L. H. Neatby. Toronto: Macmillan 1967.

Payton, Brian. The Ice Passage: A True Story of Ambition, Disaster, and Endurance in the Arctic Wilderness. Toronto: Doubleday Canada 2009, A division of Random House of Canada Limited.

Franklin Expedition

Beattie, Owen and John Geiger, Frozen in Time: Unlocking the Secrets of the Franklin Expedition. Saskatoon: Western Producer Prairie Books, 1989.
Cyriax, R.J. Sir John Franklin's Last Arctic Expedition. London: Methuen and Co., 1939
Gilder, William H. Schwatka's Search: Sledging in the Arctic in Quest of Franklin Records. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1881.
McClintock, Francis Leopold. The Voyage of the "Fox" in the Arctic Seas: A Narrative of the Discovery of the Fate of Sir John Franklin and His Companions. Philadelphia: Porter and Coates, 1859. Reprint Edmonton: Hurtig Publishers, 1972.
Nourse, J.E., ed. Narrative of the Second Arctic Expedition Commanded by Charles Francis Hall. Washington: Government Printing Office, 1879.

Woodman, David C., Unravelling the Franklin Mystery: Inuit Testimony. McGill-Queen’s Native and Northern Series #5, Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1992.
Woodman, David C., Strangers Among Us. McGill-Queen’s Native and Northern Series #10, Montreal: McGill-Queen’s University Press, 1995.

Before The Arctic Ice Melts

Eye on the Arctic



Climate change is affecting many Arctic species, not only polar bears. Decreasing sea ice cover has an impact on the phytoplankton, zooplankton and finally on the species living on the ocean floor, the benthos. Join our group of scientists on board the research icebreaker Amundsen as we sail through the Canadian Arctic, studying critical hot spots of biodiversity on the seafloor. This research is critical to establishing a baseline understanding of these biological communities, against which we can compare future changes and adaptations. Watch us on deck as we sample seafloor organisms down to 600 meters depth. Look over our shoulder during video surveys of the seabed with a remotely-operated vehicle (ROV). Discover live samples in the shipboard lab. The Arctic is one of the last frontiers on Earth for marine research and an environment that will be most affected by climate change.

This video represents marine biodiversity research in the Arctic for Census of Marine Life Canada.

A contribution from the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences, University of Victoria, British Columbia, Canada

http://eyeonthearctic.psrci.net/en/video/video-categories/viewvideo/70/environment/before-the-ice-melts

Looking forward to returning Home - Astoria Oregon 2011

HAPPY 200 BIRTHDAY ASTORIA



http://eyeonthearctic.rcinet.ca/en/news/canada/48-special-reports/377-sailing-the-northwest-passage-people-on-board-the-louis-s-st-laurent

Sailing the Northwest Passage: People on Board the Louis S. St. Laurent


WEDNESDAY, 15 SEPTEMBER 2010 12:44WRITTEN BY KIRSTEN MURPHY, SPECIAL TO CBC NEWS 
As Prime Minister Stephen Harper tours the Far North this week, talking about Canada's plans for the Arctic, the country's icebreakers are already hard at work in the Arctic, delivering supplies to isolated communities and transporting scientists to remote locations.
This week, six of the seven Canadian Coast Guard's icebreakers are in the Arctic, including the Louis S. St. Laurent.
Yellowknife-based photojournalist Kirsten Murphy sailed more than 3,000 nautical miles through the Northwest Passage aboard the Louis this summer. This is a snapshot of the people she met on board.

The captain

Marc Rothwell, captain of the icebreaker Louis St. Laurent, overlooks the first-year ice in Lancaster Sound, the gateway to the Northwest Passage. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Marc Rothwell, captain of the icebreaker Louis St. Laurent, overlooks the first-year ice in Lancaster Sound, the gateway to the Northwest Passage. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Capt. Marc Rothwell has sailed with the Canadian Coast Guard for 31 years and is noticing some big changes this summer in the Northwest Passage.
"I was struck by how easily and quickly we made it through," he says. "We did not encounter the resistance and heavy ice of years past.
"During our pre-Arctic briefings we were told by Environment Canada's Ice Services specialists that much of the Arctic was 4 C to 8 C warmer in the winter and to expect the ice to be thinner than normal," which turned out to be the case.
"Not once did we have to put all five engines on. Two years ago in the same area, it was a couple of weeks earlier but we had five main engines — all the horsepower the Louis St. Laurent could muster — and she averaged about two to three knots for about five days. So, quite a difference this time."

The ice expert

Erin Clark, left, with first mate Gerard Chafe and a cadet as they plot a course through the Northwest Passage. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Erin Clark, left, with first mate Gerard Chafe and a cadet as they plot a course through the Northwest Passage. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Erin Clark is an ice specialist with Environment Canada's Ice Services who shipped out on board the Louis St. Laurent this summer.
"I provide the captain with weather and ice information," Clark says.
"I'm doing visual ice observations from the bridge and the helicopter and ice reconnaissance flights. I'm also using satellite imagery to get a better idea of a larger area interims of ice conditions."
Melting sea ice, which is opening the passage to more shipping and exploration, is a big issue in the North for a number of reasons. One of them is that sea ice is the primary platform for polar bears to hunt seals.
Clark's work may benefit from better satellite imagery and the expertise of the Canadian Space Agency (CSA), which also had people aboard the Louis St. Laurent this summer.

The astronaut

Former astronaut Steve MacLean launches one of several dozen glass bottles in Coronation Gulf as part of DFO's Drift Bottle Project. The project looks at surface ocean currents. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Former astronaut Steve MacLean launches one of several dozen glass bottles in Coronation Gulf as part of DFO's Drift Bottle Project. The project looks at surface ocean currents. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Steve MacLean, the former astronaut, is president of the Canadian Space Agency and he was on the Louis St. Laurent to learn about the type of research being undertaken and how the agency might be able to help it.
The federal space agency currently has two satellites in orbit, with more planned over the next few years, and MacLean says: "It is essential that we improve the bandwidth to all our Canadian ships, whether it is Coast Guard, marine or military."
"What we are proposing is a polar communications satellite that will give 24-hour, seven day a week coverage and the same bandwidth data as we enjoy down South. It is critical to developing the North."

The researcher

Oceanographer Jane Eert prepares to lower the rosette, with its 24 cannisters, from the Louis St. Laurent into the water. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Oceanographer Jane Eert prepares to lower the rosette, with its 24 cannisters, from the Louis St. Laurent into the water. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Oceanographer Jane Eert is with the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sidney, B.C.
She is also the senior scientist of Canada's Three Oceans (C30), a federal project looking at the salinity, oxygen and nutrient content of water flowing from the Pacific Ocean through the Bering Strait and into the Arctic.
Samples are also being taken of water from the Atlantic Ocean that flows into the Beaufort Sea from the Russian Arctic.
Eert and technician Mike Dempsey collect these samples by lowering a rosette of 24 cannisters into the ocean and trapping water as specific depths. The rosette can go as deep as four kilometres but on this trip the maximum depth was 1,000 metres.
"From the ship the ice looks small and ice-cubish, but when you see it next to the rosette you realize these chunks are huge and they are heavy and the wire only has a certain amount of strength," she says.
"It is really designed to lift up a rosette that weighs 11,000 pounds. So when you start adding a ton and a half of ice moving away from the ship that has caught the wire with it, the potential is you will break the wire and lose the rosette."
By the end of the two-week trip, 2,500 water samples are packaged and destined for the Institute of Ocean Sciences in Sydney, where Eert and Dempsey work.
This type of baseline data that will help track important temperature changes and invasive species in the Arctic.
"Because ice forms on the surface of the southern Bering Sea, and the Bering Sea is so shallow, the coldness there actually goes down to the sea floor and it basically makes a wall of cold water between the Pacific and Arctic Ocean," Eert points out.
"Things that live on the Pacific Coast, like salmon from B.C. and Alaska, can't get through because the water is too cold for them. But if, for some reason, ice formation changes in the surface of the Bering Sea — and, as a result, the cold pool does not form — the chances are the salmon might head north and come into the Arctic."

The birder

Sara Wong cracks a smile after a wooden bird replica is dropped in front of her on the bridge. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Sara Wong cracks a smile after a wooden bird replica is dropped in front of her on the bridge. (Kirsten Murphy/CBC)
Sara Wong is a sea bird observer with the Canadian Wildlife Service and her job onboard the Louis St. Laurent is to record the abundance and distribution of Arctic sea birds.
The most commonly sighted birds included dovekies, thick-billed murres, northern fulmars, black wake kittiwakes and the endangered ivory gull.
"We know a lot about birds at the colonies, but we don't know a huge amount about what the birds are doing at sea outside of the colonies," she says.
"That's important because it will give us an idea of important feeding areas and hot spots and it's not just sea birds but marine mammals and other things."
When asked how she's ensuring she doesn't count the same bird twice, Wong says, "There are some species that will follow the ship and generally what I do there is I make an hourly estimate of how many are following, and then I ignore them for the rest of the time.
"So you'll get an idea of their range but it would be a lot harder to get an estimate and density of the birds."

The crew

While the researchers are hard at work, a crew of 46 keeps the CCGS Louis St. Laurent safe and on course.
Chief mate Catherine Lacombe, 33, grew up around water on the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.
She always dreamed of sailing with the Canadian Coast Guard. But that dream nearly died when she was seriously injured in a bike accident at the age of 17.
"I could not pass the Coast Guard College's medical exam, but I'm not a person to sit around and wait. So I went on to become an agriculture counsellor. By the time I graduated from that program, my physical condition improved and I passed the medicals to go to sea," she says.
Eugene Jones of New Glasgow, N.S., is the Louis St. Laurent's carpenter, an unusual distinction, perhaps, on a ship made mostly of metal.
But, as he points out, "It's an old ship. We have about 87 cabins. The beds, the dressers and the door frames are wood. Plus you have three common areas, three lounges that are all wood."
Cheryl Benger of St. John's, N.L., is the ship's second cook.
"The benefits of working with the Coast Guard is you get to see a lot of different areas, from the Grand Banks to Kugluktuk. And the ships are very well maintained which is a positive thing when you are going to sea."
Benger says that "when we're going through the heavy ice, I sleep like a baby. And even if it is not the heavy ice, there is still a gentle sway. It is like being rocked to sleep every night."
Jim Purdy, the ship's logistics officer, has been with the Canadian Coast Guard for about 33 years. He has been on 18 trips to the Arctic.
Purdy was on the Louis St. Laurent in 1994 when she became the first Canadian icebreaker to circumnavigate North America and during a stopover at the North Pole, he took on an unofficial role as wedding planner for two scientists who were on board at the time.
"That was the only wedding," he says. But he notes that "We had a young fellow from St. John's, a very, very, bright young engineer who passed away from cancer at an early age, in his late 20s.
"His request was to have his ashes scattered in the Arctic. So one cold November day — and I mean cold — we headed out past Little Cornwallis Island and we scattered them from the flight deck. There was a lot of moisture in people's eyes and it wasn't from the wind."


Wednesday, December 29, 2010

'Spy cams' 'bots' film polar bears up close

Watch the video at the URL:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-12058865


Several hi-tech cameras have cast new light on the world of the polar bear, in the icy Arctic islands of Svalbard in Norway.
Blizzard cam and snowball cam, iceberg cam and several drift cams were kitted out to withstand temperatures as low as -30C.
But to get the footage seen in Polar Bear: Spy on The Ice, they also had to be able to withstand the attentions of curious polar bears - including this mother, out of her maternity den with her new cub for the first time.
Polar Bear: Spy on The Ice is broadcast on BBC One at 2000 GMT on Wednesday 29 December - or afterwards on BBC iPlayer.

Monday, December 27, 2010

Arctic Nautical Charting Plan - NEW NAVIGATION CHARTS not MAPS

The most productive coastal hydrographic survey platform in the world!
NOAA Ship <B><EM>Rainier</em></b>
CLICK SHIP IMAGE AND READ THEN READ BELOW URL:
http://www.nauticalcharts.noaa.gov/mcd/docs/Draft_Arctic_Nautical_Charting_Plan.pdf

Introduction

The Arctic’s wealth in natural resources is matched only by its inherent beauty. The Arctic coast of Alaska has a general length of 921 nautical miles and the mostly low tidal shoreline totals 2,191 miles.

To ensure sustainable marine transportation throughout the Arctic, an infrastructure that supports safety, environmental protection, and commercial efficiency must be constructed. Modern nautical charts of the appropriate scale can provide the foundation for improving transportation in the area. They will also supply the base geospatial data used by federal, state, and local entities in fishery stock assessments, coastal zone management, energy exploration and other uses.

It is a treasure that contains considerable economic resources, including oil, natural gas, and minerals. It also has a potential northern shipping route that would significantly reduce the time and energy used in transit between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Additional NOAA nautical chart coverage will enhance the American Arctic Marine Transportation System by depicting shoreline, depths, hazards and recommended routes throughout the region. Currently, charting data in much of the arctic is woefully out of date or nonexistent. According to the U.S. Coast Pilot, much of the Bering Sea area is “only partially surveyed, and the charts must not be relied upon too closely, especially near shore. The currents are much influenced by the winds and are difficult to predict; dead reckoning is uncertain, and safety depends upon constant vigilance.”

It is time to build the foundation for marine transportation in the Arctic.

This is the first Office of Coast Survey nautical charting plan devoted exclusively to the Arctic. It presents an overview of the many drivers that have brought the need for a more robust maritime transportation infrastructure to the forefront. It provides detailed plans for the layout of additional nautical chart coverage and describes the requisite activities needed to build and maintain these charts. It supports the recommendations of the Interagency Ocean Policy Task Force and NOAA’s Arctic Vision & Strategy

NOAA is responsible for providing nautical charts for most of the nation, with a suite of over 1000 charts encompassing the coasts of the U.S., the Great Lakes, and the U.S. territories. The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (formerly NIMA) is responsible for producing deep water and charts in foreign waters. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers produces charts on the Mississippi River and other inland waterways.

The International Hydrographic Organization defines hydrography as “the branch of applied science which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of the navigable portion of the earth’s surface [seas] and adjoining coastal areas, with special reference to their use for the purpose of navigation.”

Hydrographic surveying “looks” into the ocean to see what the sea floor looks like.

Hydrographic surveys support a variety of activities: nautical charting, port and harbor maintenance (dredging), coastal engineering (beach erosion and replenishment studies), coastal zone management, and offshore resource development. Most surveys are primarily concerned with water depth. Of additional concern is the nature of the sea floor material (i.e. sand, mud, rock) because of the implications for anchoring, dredging, structure construction, pipeline and cable routing and fisheries habitat.

The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) conducts hydrographic surveys to measure the depth and bottom configuration of water bodies. We use the data to produce the nation’s nautical charts and ensure safe navigation in U.S. coastal waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Surveyors pay particular attention to acquiring the precise location of least (shoalest) depths on dangers to navigation and depths significant to surface navigation. They record the precise location of aids to navigation. Tide or water level measurements are also recorded to provide a vertical reference (Mean Lower Low Water) for water depths.

OCS conducts hydrographic surveys primarily with side scan and multibeam sonar. SONAR (SOund NAvigation and Ranging) uses sound waves to find and identify objects in the water and to determine water depth. Most survey vessels are equipped with side scan and multibeam sonar systems. Some vessels use single beam echo sounders, divers least depth gauges, and lead lines. Some contractors employ LIDAR, which uses light to determine objects in the water and water depth.

NOAA and outside contractors usually complete about 70 to 80 hydrographic surveys each year.

The data is collected and processed digitally with specialized computer systems that store the data in digital form. Chartmakers use the data, with shoreline information, to update nautical charts and generate graphic displays in both digital and hardcopy form.

Hydrographic data collected by and for OCS is publicly available to the broader scientific and oceanic community. Contact NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center for more information.

The International Hydrographic Organization defines hydrography as “the branch of applied science which deals with the measurement and description of the physical features of the navigable portion of the earth’s surface [seas] and adjoining coastal areas, with special reference to their use for the purpose of navigation.”

Hydrographic surveying “looks” into the ocean to see what the sea floor looks like.

Hydrographic surveys support a variety of activities: nautical charting, port and harbor maintenance (dredging), coastal engineering (beach erosion and replenishment studies), coastal zone management, and offshore resource development. Most surveys are primarily concerned with water depth. Of additional concern is the nature of the sea floor material (i.e. sand, mud, rock) because of the implications for anchoring, dredging, structure construction, pipeline and cable routing and fisheries habitat.

The Office of Coast Survey (OCS) conducts hydrographic surveys to measure the depth and bottom configuration of water bodies. We use the data to produce the nation’s nautical charts and ensure safe navigation in U.S. coastal waters and the Exclusive Economic Zone.

Surveyors pay particular attention to acquiring the precise location of least (shoalest) depths on dangers to navigation and depths significant to surface navigation. They record the precise location of aids to navigation. Tide or water level measurements are also recorded to provide a vertical reference (Mean Lower Low Water) for water depths.

OCS conducts hydrographic surveys primarily with side scan and multibeam sonar. SONAR (SOund NAvigation and Ranging) uses sound waves to find and identify objects in the water and to determine water depth. Most survey vessels are equipped with side scan and multibeam sonar systems. Some vessels use single beam echo sounders, divers least depth gauges, and lead lines. Some contractors employ LIDAR, which uses light to determine objects in the water and water depth.

NOAA and outside contractors usually complete about 70 to 80 hydrographic surveys each year.

The data is collected and processed digitally with specialized computer systems that store the data in digital form. Chartmakers use the data, with shoreline information, to update nautical charts and generate graphic displays in both digital and hardcopy form.

Hydrographic data collected by and for OCS is publicly available to the broader scientific and oceanic community. Contact NOAA’s National Geophysical Data Center for more information.

Side Scan Sonar

The Office of Coast Survey conducts hydrographic surveys primarily with side scan and multibeam sonar. SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) uses sound waves to find and identify objects in the water and determine water depth.
Side scan sonar of the USS MONITOR.
Side scan sonar is a specialized sonar system for searching and detecting objects on the seafloor. Like other sonars, a side scan transmits sound energy and analyzes the return signal (echo) that has bounced off the seafloor or other objects. Side scan sonar typically consists of three basic components: a towfish, a transmission cable and the topside processing unit. In a side scan the transmitted energy is formed into the shape of a fan that sweeps the seafloor from directly under the towfish to either side, typically to a distance of 100 meters.

The strength of the return echo is continuously recorded creating a "picture" of the ocean bottom. For example, objects that protrude from the bottom create a light area (strong return) and shadows from these objects are dark areas (little or no return) as in the image at left above, or vise versa, depending on operator preference. While the shape of the seafloor and objects on it can be well- depicted, most side scan systems can not provide any depth information.

Differences Between Maps & Charts

A chart, especially a nautical chart, has special unique characteristics including a very detailed and accurate representation of the coastline, which takes into account varying tidal levels and water forms, critical to a navigator.

A map emphasizes land forms, including the representation of relief, with shoreline represented as an approximate delineation usually at mean sea level.

A chart is a working document. It is used to plot courses for navigators to follow in order to transit a certain area It takes into account special conditions required for one's vessel, such as draft, bottom clearance, wrecks and obstructions which can be hazardous. Way points are identified to indicate relative position and points at which specific maneuver such as changing courses, must be performed.
A map is a static document which serves as a reference guide. A map is not, and can not be used to plot a course. Rather it provides a predetermined course, usually a road, path, etc., to be followed. Special consideration for the type of vehicle is rarely a consideration. Further, maps provide predetermined points-road intersections-to allow one a choice to change to another predetermined direction

Charts provide detailed information on the area beneath the water surface, normally not visible to the naked eye, which can and is very critical for the safe and efficient navigation.
Maps merely indicate a surface path providing no information of the condition of the road. For instance a map will not provide information on whether the road is under repair (except when it is a new road) or how many pot holes or other obstructions it may contain. However the driver is able to make a visual assessment of such conditions.

NOAA hydrographic survey units use side scan sonar systems for both object detection and object recognition. Side scan sonar is typically used in conjunction with a single beam or multibeam sonar system to meet full bottom coverage specifications for OCS surveys. NOAA field units use various models of side scan sonar in both hull mounted and towed configurations for hydrographic survey operations. Any side scan sonar system employed must meet the specifications outlined in the “NOS Hydrographic Surveys Specifications and Deliverables”.

Maps merely indicate a surface path providing no information of the condition of the road. For instance a map will not provide information on whether the road is under repair (except when it is a new road) or how many pot holes or other obstructions it may contain. However the driver is able to make a visual assessment of such conditions

The Office of Coast Survey conducts hydrographic surveys primarily with side scan and multibeam sonars. SONAR (Sound Navigation and Ranging) uses sound waves to find and identify objects in the water and determine water depth.

Multibeam echo sounders (MBES), like other sonar systems, transmit sound energy and analyze the return signal (echo) that has bounced off the seafloor or other objects. Multibeam sonars emit sound waves from directly beneath a ship's hull to produce fan-shaped coverage of the seafloor. These systems measure and record the time for the acoustic signal to travel from the transmitter (transducer) to the seafloor (or object) and back to the receiver. Multibeam sonars produce a “swath” of soundings (i.e., depths) to ensure full coverage of an area. The coverage area on the seafloor is dependent on the depth of the water, typically two to four times the water depth.

Many MBES systems are capable of recording acoustic backscatter data. Multibeam backscatter is intensity data that can be processed to create low resolution imagery. Backscatter is co-registered with the bathymetry data and is often used to assist with bathymetric data interpretation and post-processing.

NOAA hydrographic survey units use multibeam echo sounder systems to acquire full- and partial- bottom bathymetric coverage throughout a survey area, to determine least depths over critical items such as wrecks, obstructions, and dangers-to-navigation, and for general object detection. NOAA field units use various models of swath-type multibeam systems both hull and pole mounted for hydrographic survey operations. The use of multibeam echo sounder systems must meet specifications outlined in the "NOS Hydrographic Surveys Specifications and Deliverables".

Graphic depicting multibeam sonar achieving full bottom coverage.  Digital Terain Model (DTM) created from multibeam sonar data, draped over nautical chart of Quicks Hole, Mass.

Map of Alaska showing Planned Hydrographic Survey Projects in 2009.
Map of Alaska showing Planned Hydrographic Survey Projects in 2011.
As the new year approaches, NOAA ships and independent contractors are preparing for the nation’s 177th hydrographic surveying season, aiming to collect critically needed ocean and coastal mapping data for 2,525 square nautical miles in high-traffic coastal waters of the continental United States and Alaska.
“The science of these surveys underpins the steady flow of commerce and the safety of mariners and coastal communities,” said NOAA Corps Capt. John E. Lowell, director of the Office of Coast Survey and U.S. national hydrographer. More than 13 million jobs are tied to maritime commerce which contributes more than $742 billion to the American economy.
U.S. waters cover 3.4 million square nautical miles including a constantly changing coastal environment due to storms, erosion and other coastal processes. To ensure the continued flow of commerce, NOAA’s Office of Coast Survey maintains the nation’s suite of more than 1,000 nautical charts. To ensure the accuracy of charts, the Office of Coast Survey annually plans hydrographic survey projects to update depths and identify new navigational hazards on the seafloor. Requests by marine pilots, port authorities, the Coast Guard, researchers and others are considered when setting the year’s schedule.
The surveys planned for 2011 will acquire data to update the country’s nautical charts, especially where marine transportation dynamics are changing rapidly. For instance, NOAA Ships Fairweather and Rainier plan to survey the coasts of Alaska in areas increasingly transited by the offshore oil and gas industry, cruise liners, ferries, military craft, tugs and barges, fishing vessels and factory trawlers.
Safety concerns also play a large role in project selections. One such project covers an area in the Strait of Georgia, Wash., where the largest oil tanker terminal in the state has recently doubled its capacity. In the Chesapeake Bay, data collected by NOAA Ship Thomas Jefferson will help address concerns about impacts of a planned pipeline. In addition, this project will provide broader benefit to the region.
“The timing for the southern Chesapeake Bay survey is really great — not only for commercial shipping but also for Operation Sail 2012,” said Captain Bill Cofer, president of the Virginia Pilots Association. The historic ship celebration could generate more than $150 million for the state through tourism and related activities.
Thomas Jefferson will also survey in eastern Long Island Sound to ensure that no navigational hazards exist in proposed anchorage grounds — areas for vessels to anchor while awaiting transit into ports in the area — while also supporting other ocean mapping initiatives in New York and Connecticut.
Because nautical charting surveys depict changes on the coastal ocean floor as well as depths and obstructions, the data is increasingly used by coastal managers to better understand ecosystem habitat, fisheries management and coastal planning. Surveys in Alaska, for example, will help build tsunami inundation digital elevation models for the state, and support the creation of digital seafloor maps for use by longline and pot fisheries.