Ice in the Cabot Strait slows ferry traffic to Newfoundland
The Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Amundsen is on standby in the Cabot Strait as ice conditions worsen.
Thursday, none of the Marine Atlantic vessels were beset in ice, but transit times have increased due to ice conditions.
“Over the past couple of weeks we’ve seen a lot of ice move into the Cabot Strait, especially around Cape Breton,” said Marine Atlantic spokesman Darrell Mercer. “With the present wind conditions, we are going to see more pack ice move in.”
Ice has slowed the progress of ferries travelling between Port aux Basques and North Sydney. In some areas the ice has forced the vessels to slow their speed to two to three knots, a significant reduction in their regular speed in the mid to high teens.
Mercer said having the icebreaker Amundsen in the area is a great assistance to Marine Atlantic heading into the weekend.
“Especially, where the thickest ice is, which is off Cape Breton.”
The ferry service was shut down all day Wednesday due to weather and ice conditions.
Marine Atlantic was back in service Thursday. The Leif Ericson left at 10 a.m. with a full load of commercial traffic.
Last year, the higest concentration of ice in the Cabot Strait occurred in late March and into April, Mercer said.
“Mother Nature dictates when we are going to see some relief from the ice. The wind conditions will dictate what will happen with the ice flow,” Mercer said. “Right now the Highlanders, Atlantic Vision and Leif Ericson are moving traffiic that is on site as a result of the delays we’ve experienced over the last week or so.”
Rebecca Acton-Bond, the Canadian Coast Guard’s acting superintendent of ice operations for the Atlantic region, based in St. John’s, said at present none of the Marine Atlantic ferries are trapped in ice.
“Until they become beset, we won’t be able to help them out, but we will certainly be in the area,” she said. “Icebreakers don’t go to speed things up. Once a vessel gets stuck, the icebreakers help get them moving again.”
Acton-Bond said it is expected that pack ice could drift into the Cabot Strait over the next couple of days.
Ice that is a foot to four feet thick, and pans that are between 500 and 2,000 metres wide, is still north of the area, she added.
“If it does become a problem, we have an arctic-class icebreaker that can provide assistance once (the ferries) do become beset. With winter comes slower speeds for every vessel — ferries, commerical ships, tankers and icebreakers. It’s just the nature of operating in winter.”
Acton-Bond said the Amundsen is going to remain in the area while the winds are westerly and posing a problem for Marine Atlantic.
“After that, we’ll reassess the winds and see how the ice is moving.”