Nature's revenge: Sealers get stuck in the ice
By CLAIRE BATES
17th May 2007
Daily Mail
Nature turned the tables on man recently when over 500 seal hunters became trapped by the ice.
Rare weather conditions off Newfoundland's coast in Canada jammed several ice floes together, which trapped the fishermen's vessels.
Some sealers are forced to abandon their vessel
It meant hundreds of seals remained safe from the sealers clubs for another year. The annual hunt has drawn widespread criticism including celebrities such as Sir Paul McCartney, who are appalled by the violent nature of the act.
Many of the icebreakers that arrived to rescue the boats also became stuck in some of the worst conditions experienced in 30 years.
Safe for another year: Three seals which escaped the hunt
"It's very, very extreme," Coast Guard Captain Brian Penney said.
"Some vessels are on their sides up on the ice and the pressure is keeping them up. It could be cracking the hulls.
"The longliners had to be abandoned but the conditions were so severe they could walk across the ice to their counterparts not far away."
The seals were dots on the Arctic ice
Some crews were forced to abandon their vessels, after the Arctic ice punched holes in their boats and were picked up later by Coast Guard helicopters. Remaining crews had to wait for the north-easterly winds to subside before the ice floes would break up.
Fishermen sell seal pelts to the fashion industry in countries such as Norway, Russia and China and also sell the blubber for oil.
dailymail.co.uk
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Nice weather you Canadians are having for summer.
By CLAIRE BATES
17th May 2007
Daily Mail
Nature turned the tables on man recently when over 500 seal hunters became trapped by the ice.
Rare weather conditions off Newfoundland's coast in Canada jammed several ice floes together, which trapped the fishermen's vessels.
Some sealers are forced to abandon their vessel
It meant hundreds of seals remained safe from the sealers clubs for another year. The annual hunt has drawn widespread criticism including celebrities such as Sir Paul McCartney, who are appalled by the violent nature of the act.
Many of the icebreakers that arrived to rescue the boats also became stuck in some of the worst conditions experienced in 30 years.
Safe for another year: Three seals which escaped the hunt
"It's very, very extreme," Coast Guard Captain Brian Penney said.
"Some vessels are on their sides up on the ice and the pressure is keeping them up. It could be cracking the hulls.
"The longliners had to be abandoned but the conditions were so severe they could walk across the ice to their counterparts not far away."
The seals were dots on the Arctic ice
Some crews were forced to abandon their vessels, after the Arctic ice punched holes in their boats and were picked up later by Coast Guard helicopters. Remaining crews had to wait for the north-easterly winds to subside before the ice floes would break up.
Fishermen sell seal pelts to the fashion industry in countries such as Norway, Russia and China and also sell the blubber for oil.
dailymail.co.uk
___________________________________
Nice weather you Canadians are having for summer.
