Sometimes Mother Nature Wins

The Frietag Bros. fish tug attempts to help the Ranger off an ice shelf, damaging its rudder in the process.

The annual ritual of trying to break up the ice in Gills Rock so commercial fishing boats can get to their docks took a twist last weekend, with three boats struggling to help each other off thick ice.

“It’s sort of a badge of honor to be the first boat that can break through,” said Jim “Capt. Robbo” Robinson. “Every once in awhile the ice does not cooperate.”

The Frietag Bros. fish tug attempts to help the Ranger off an ice shelf, damaging its rudder in the process. Photos by Jim Robinson.

The Weborgs’ tried to get their fish tug Ranger to their dock on Saturday, April 11, and encountered such heavy ice that it ended up stuck on its side on the ice.

Rick Johnson’s fish tug Freitag Bros. came to assist them and while trying to break the Ranger free, bent his rudder so badly he could only steer in one direction and was in trouble, too. He was able to throw a line to the Ranger and pull it back off the thick ice. Then Lyle Voight’s fish tug Faith II came to help the Ranger and Freitag Bros. While trying to help them, the Faith II ended up stuck on a large cake of ice and was then was pulled off by the Ranger. The Faith II returned to his dock, and the Ranger, the original stuck boat, then towed the disabled Freitag Bros. back to Lyle Voight’s dock.

“The next day the Weborg’s boat Ranger did manage to break through and with the strong south winds on Sunday, and thanks to their efforts, the ice pack moved out and now we have open water in Gills Rock,” Robinson said. “It always amazes me that the wind can move huge sheets of ice that weigh hundreds and even thousands of tons.”