These boats mostly started out as "Mud Boats" in the Gulf of Mexico, as they aged, many were bought to be used as Crab/fishing boats because of the deck/tank space on them. This boat and others are used in the Cook inlet by Anchorage, they haul freight, drilling pipe and mud out to the oil rigs there. The winter ice is a hazard, but they run year round. A few years ago, the ice did drag one down when it was tied off to a rig. The crew were lucky and escaped injury though when they were all able to get onto a man-lift basket that the platform had lowered for something else.
It was tied off stern first to the outgoing tide which runs from eight to ten knots. The ice just came up over the stern and sank the boat in a few moments.
When the tide changes, the water rushing around the oil platforms legs looks like a river, very fast water! Looks the same on both incoming and outgoing tides.
Well headed back towards Cook Inlet (Anchorage area) tomorrow morning. Later guys!