No Let-Up In Frozen River

http://www.midhudsonnews.com/News/2009/February09/04/Hud_icebreak-04Feb09.html

Coast Guard meets the challenge of frozen river

HUDSON RIVER – The winter’s extremely cold temperatures pose a serious problem for ships and barges going up and down the Hudson River and that’s where the US Coast Guard comes in. The cutter Penobscot Bay goes up and down, breaking up the ice to allow for passage of vessels, and on Tuesday, Congressman John Hall took to the wheel of the cutter to see firsthand what its crew of 19 does to help commerce move. “Not only keeping the shipping lane open so we can get fuel oil, which comes by barge to the Newburgh waterfront as well as further up the river to other sites, but also for shipping ships and barges that go all the way to Troy and the Port of Albany,” he said. The Coast Guard also patrols the Hudson for homeland security purposes and for Indian Point security.