Information About Alaska

I have launched an on-line magazine that will deliver focused articles on things unique to Alaska. Articles will be on the towns, sights, rivers, wildlife and adventures found in the Great Land. It is called Information About Alaska (IAA) and I will write about places I have personally experience here in Alaska. The first two articles stem from a recent trip to Kennecott and McCarthy, historic mining towns within the Wrangell-St. Elias National Park and Preserve.

I am using a WordPress powered theme to help with content management. Promoting the site will follow after a little more content is available through the site. Visit IAA often and as always, your comments are appreciated.

Tags: Alaska, Alaxsxaq, Great Land, Tundra, Permafrost, Arctic, Polar, Russian America, North Star

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Skagway or Bust

I've had a major change in my life occur here. I've just been hired as City Manager in Skagway, Alaska. After seven years as Harbormaster in Valdez, it's time to expand my horizons.

Skagway is located in northern Southeast Alaska and is a major cruise ship destination. It was the jumping off point of the Yukon gold rush and has preserved much of the history from these major events of over a century ago.

Thousand come to hike the Chilkoot Trail, visit the Klondike Gold Rush National Historic Park and ride the White Pass and Yukon Railroad to Frazer, British Columbia.

Tags: Alaska, Skagway, Yukon Gold Rush, WP&YR, Southeast Alaska

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Pacific Fishing Magazine

I had my first article published in the December 2006 issue of Pacific Fishing magazine. It was on infrastructure improvements made by the City of Valdez to better support the commercial fishing industry. We have been doing a lot to improve harbor facilities and encourage fishermen to deliver here and work out of our harbor.

I have a couple more articles in the mill for Pacific Fishing including one on innovative fish processing and another on funding for deferred harbor maintenance. Cheap thrill, but I'm on the masthead for the magazine now. Cool.

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*CG Cell Phone Service Ends

Valuable Safety Service Cancelled for Most of the United States

In Alaska and many other parts of the United States, boaters could dial *CG to reach the Coast Guard in case of emergency. BoatU.S. Magazine reports in their November 2006 issue that cell service providers have dropped due this service in part to inconsistent availability and application of the system.

Alaska will remain the only state that retain *CG as a method of contacting their Search and Rescue Center. As noted in this article on Boater Emergency Communications, the preferred method to contact the Coast Guard in an emergency is by using a marine VHF radio.

The Coast Guard actively maintains a radio communications system based on these radios. Installed marine radios allow nearby boaters monitor VHF Channel 16 and assist in an emergency. Future Coast Guard communication projects will include provisions to track distress calls made by radio. Boaters may be able to still dial 911, provided they're in an area covered by cellular service.

Tags: Boating Safety

Boat Fire Safety

Yesterday morning we had two boats destroyed by fire in the marina. The likely cause was an electrical heater place on one of the boats in preparation for winter storage.

We were lucky the fire department responded so quickly, two boats were burning and third was starting to smolder. We yarded the boats immediately with concerns for sinking and environmental damage. Both owners had insurance which helped with the loss.

Boat owners need to be careful in winterizing their vessels. I see trouble every year with boat in storage. Most problems are caused by heating issues like oil stoves, electric space heaters and heat lamp. Talk to your harbormaster or boatyard manager about fire safety standards for their facility. I have an article posted on boat winterizing and upland storage that might be helpful.

Tags: boating safety, boat fires, fire safety

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Flooding in Valdez

On 10 October 2006, the City of Valdez was hammered by a major flooding event. The jet stream turned directly towards Prince William Sound, carrying moist, warm air directly at us. There was one twenty-four hour period here were in rained over 5 inches. Up until 10 October, the rain had been steady and the saturated ground couldn't handle the additional loading. The warm rain also melted a lot of the snowpack.

The main (only) road out of Valdez is the Richardson Highway. It is about 310 miles from Valdez to Anchorage. The flooding took two major bridges located about two miles from my house. There were probably six bridges taken out by swollen rivers within 50 miles of Valdez. There is no road access out of town for the foreseeable future. The State of Alaska has boosted the ferry schedule and Era Aviation has added another daily flight to help with transportation.

A little closer to home, the flood control levee protecting our own subdivision failed at about 1500 and threatened a number of neighborhood homes. About 100 people were evacuated overnight as the water levels rose. The State placed a temporary repair in the levee at about 2200 and the waters have greatly receded today. Most damage was limited to washed out roads and flooded basements. Our house survived the incident in good shape.

The photos are of Keystone Canyon showing damage to the roadbed and one of the bridges. It will be a while before they can fix this!

Tags: Valdez Flooding, South Central Alaska Flooding

Wild Alaska Seafood!

All of the talk of food is making me hungry. Atomic Bear's last post brings a number of ideas to mind. After living in coastal Alaska for 16 years, I find that I've become an insufferable seafood snob. I grew up in the American Southwest and used to clamor for a chance to visit Red Lobster. I'm sure this franchise is well intentioned, but it's just not the same. Once you have lived with freshly caught Dungeness crab, Sockeye salmon, Spot shrimp, and Pacific halibut, there's no going back. …not in Kansa anymore.

I wrote a brief article at Suite101 with some of my favorite recipes called Alaska Wild Seafood. The cooking suggestions are simple, but the results are great. It helps to have something so good to work with on the grill.

My career shifted (a little) moving to Alaska and I ended up working in the port and harbor industry. Much of our effort in the Port of Valdez has been building up the infrastructure needed to support the commercial fishing industry. We recently received a grant from the State of Alaska to purchase and install a fish pump, heavy-duty dock mounted crane, and flake ice plant. We have a new harbor in conference committee before Congress, a cold storage and fish meal plant in the works.

Wednesday morning, at way too early in the morning, I will be driving 310 miles to Anchorage to attend the Changing Tides: Wild Alaska Salmon event being sponsored by the Alaska State Department of Commerce, Alaska Sea Grant, and USDA Rural Development among many others. I will be working with our local salmon hatchery, Valdez Fisheries Development Association, to present the many things we are doing to encourage fishermen to visit and use our port. Fishing is the biggest hope for diversifying our local economy.

I have enjoyed Belgium chocolate and beer this last year. I'm thinking a little grilled salmon and a couple of crabs would fit right in with them! The next participant in our blogging adventure is Fireflies in the Clouds.

Tags: awchain, Absolute Write, AW Blogchain, awchain No. 7

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New Logo for AAHPA

As Immediate Past President of the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators (AAHPA), I am a little prejudiced, but this is a vital organization for successful marina managers and harbormasters. The association just had a new logo commissioned and it turned out great!

The biggest benefit of the AAHPA is the networking and education it provides to members. We live in a world of intense regulation and harbors routinely deal with many natural resource agencies. Another exciting project is a collaborative effort with the University of Alaska Southeast in Sitka to develop an on-line marina employee training and certification program. It will use the Northern HarborsSmall Ports book as a basic text and utilize a number of good Alaska Sea Grant publications as references. Harbor associations in the northwest United States and British Columbia are interested in joining the effort.

Alaska Harbormasters are meeting in Ketchikan later this month for the annual AAHPA conference. It looks to be another great event for the organization.

Tags: Alaska, Marina, Harbor, Boating, Ports

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Marine Debris in Alaska

I attended the Alaska Sea Grant conference, Alaska's Fishing Communities ~ Harvesting the Future, in Anchorage this last week. The conference was sponsored in part by NOAA Fisheries and one poster presentation struck me as being something I would like to share. The Marine Conservation Alliance (MCA) has established a foundation focused in part on addressing the problems associated with marine debris on our beaches.

The MCA Foundation has started a website at http://www.mcafoundation.org/ that will hopefully go live soon. The foundation first started receiving funds from NOAA to remove marine debris in Alaska during 2004. Work is accomplished by cooperating with fishermen, local communities, and Native governments.

The stated goals of the MCA Foundation effort are:

• Cleaner beaches

• Removal of hazards to navigation
  

• Wildlife protection

• A searchable database of known debris locations available to vessels of opportunity that may be able to pick the material up

I have written about the problems associated with Marine Plastic Pollution and Marine Plastic Pollution Resources at Suite101.

Tags: Alaska, Marine Debris, Plastic Pollution

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Alaska Sea Grant Program Assessment

I had a chance this week to participate in a national program evaluation for Alaska Sea Grant. This is an evaluation conducted every five years to gauge the effectiveness of this program in Alaska and the impact it has had in our communities. Issues I addressed with the Program Assessment Team (PAT) were centered on operation of Alaska ports and harbor. A copy of the poster prepared for the assessment can be seen to the left and I have included a link to it as a PDF file.

Operation of Alaska Ports and Harbors Poster

To quote Sea Grant, "Alaska's ports and harbors are at the nexus of the state's diverse maritime industry. The people who manage our ports and harbors face daunting challenges such as building, maintaining, and expanding facilities; preparing for natural hazards; managing user behavior; training and managing staff; and staying abreast of regulations."

Efforts I have been involved in with the Alaska Sea Grant College Program include:

• Publication of Northern Harbors and Small Ports: Operation and Maintenance
• Development of a Responsible Boater's Handbook on clean and safe boating
• Assistance with the donation of the City of Valdez's 60-ton Marine Travelift to Plaquemines Parish, Louisiana
• Harbor and marina employee online training that utilizes many Alaska Sea Grant publications
• Involvement with the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators

If you have a chance, visit the Alaska Sea Grant Program website and find out more about this great organization. I hope the PAT sees the merits of this group and wholeheartedly support them.

Tags: Alaska Sea Grant, Alaska Ports and Harbors

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Alaska Harbor Economic Impact Model (HEIM)

Michael Fisher with Northern Economics is very involved with the Alaska Harbor Economic Impact Model (HEIM) project. HEIM has funded by the Alaska Department of Transportation and supported by the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators. The model uses a graphical interface and based in Microsoft Excel.

HEIM is available free of charge. Get the model and related materials on the HEIM download page. Northern Economics will help you develop accurate results with the model at a reasonable cost. Information developed by using HEIM is invaluable in funding discussions of marina maintenance and harbor expansion projects. Funding harbors greatly benefits our entire state.

Using the model can answer several questions.

What is the value of your harbor?
What is the value of adding a slip?
What is overall economic impact of your facility?

Michael has setup an email list for people interested in news concerning HEIM. You can signup on the HEIM website. A frequently asked questions pages is available as reference. We have used the model in Valdez and the results are astounding. The direct, indirect and induced impacts of a new harbor we are planning are shown below. The estimated cost of a new harbor in Valdez is about $25 million. You can see the immediate benefits of the project for the State and community.

Impacts State Borough Local

Sales $41,607,898 $34,286,997 $32,495,160

Employment 509 396 347

Labor Wages $11,798,100 $10,372,500 $10,124,100

Download the model and give it a try. Results are statistically valid for most of Alaska. Northern Economics would work at a competitive cost with other States interested in developing a similar project.

Tags: Alaska Harbor Economic Impact Model, HEIM, Harbor Economics, Marina Funding, Alaska Harbors

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Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators

If you have any involvement with the marine industry of Alaska, you should consider attending the annual conference of the Alaska Association of Harbormasters and Port Administrators (AAHPA). The meeting is set for the week of October 23, 2006 and the Port of Ketchikan is the host. The Port of Ketchikan has made special arrangements for travel and lodging for conference attendees. See the AAHPA website for further details as they develop.

The AAHPA conference brings representatives of ports, marinas, engineering firms, government agencies and equipment providers together for a week of training and networking. Members of organizations based in the Northwest and Canada also attend. The host Port of Ketchikan also has a number of tours and activities planned for the event.

One important training opportunity will be an OSHA approved Travelift operator training course. We are planning on bringing Paul Dopkke of Huff Limited to provide the training on October 23rd. Paul is the official trainer for the Marine Travelift Company. This will be a great opportunity to train harbor staff members on this important equipment.

Make plans to register for the 2006 AAHPA Annual Conference in Ketchikan, Alaska!

Tags: Alaska, Marina, Harbor, Boating, Ports

Port Valdez on Google Earth

If you have a chance to use Google Earth, check out Port Valdez. The satellite images for Alaska aren't as detailed as other areas, but it is amazing to look down on the immense landscape. Port Valdez is in eastern Prince William Sound. The City of Valdez is on the north side of the Port and the Trans-Alaska Pipeline Terminal is on the south side. The main body of water on the right side of the picture is Port Valdez, the constricted area in the center is called Valdez Narrows and where it opens to the left is called the Valdez Arm. The Gulf of Alaska is 90 miles to the left or west. Anchorage, Alaska is about 100 airmiles or 360 miles by road from here. Valdez Small Boat Harbor is at 61° 7'34.30"N 146°20'38.77"W.

Tags: Port Valdez, Prince William Sound, Alaska

Commercial Fishing Vessel Outreach

Members of the Coast Guard and Coast Guard Auxiliary had a chance to train with commercial fishermen at Valdez Harbor on Saturday. A damage control trainer and vessel stability simulator were setup for public demonstrations and training. The damage control trainer actually simulates different problems that can occur on a vessel including things like broken through hull fitting and ruptured pipes. Fishermen had a chance to attempt repairs as water sprayed through the simulated failures.

The stability model showed the effects of various loads and levels of water in the holds. About 20 fishermen had a chance to stop and visit with Coast Guard personnel. A number of educational displays were provided by Alaska Marine Safety Education (AMSE) and an EPRIB tester was also available for use. It was a positive experience for everyone involved.

Tags: CFVE, Commercial Fishing Vessel Safety, USCG, Valdez, Alaska