Russian subs to operate in Alaska. Millions to be made in moose turd mining.
Now you are probably thinking - is this a joke? The answer is no. My Alaska correspondent - Dr. Charles Iliff - keeps me up to date with everything newsy going on in Southeast from the sublime to the ridiculous. As many of you know, several cruise lines have pulled out of Alaska effective this summer due to a high head tax and strict environmental regulations. Many ships have been redeployed to Mexico and the Caribbean where there is no head-tax or environmental concerns. These regulations which require ships to conform to costly standards for waste water treatments do not apply to - you got it - submersible craft! According to Buckwheat Donahue, Skagway Director of Tourism, a local tour operator has partnered with the Russian navy to bring Soviet-era submarines to Alaska where they will operate tours in Upper Lynn Canal. The subs will undergo a cosmetic upgrade including replacing the Soviet flag with an Alaskan flag. The subs will travel below the silted water of the fjord allowing visitors to see the unique life of the deepest fjord in the world. The local activist group, People Outraged Over Progress, (yes, POOP — I know, only in Alaska) want to close the loop-hole in the waste water regulation but so far service is still scheduled to begin this summer 2010.
You know those moose nuggets sold as gags in souvenir stores throughout Alaska? Well, it may be they could be worth something! According to scientists studying the droppings trace amounts of 24 K gold has been recovered. They estimate that 4,372 moose nuggets yield 1 troy ounce of gold. Consequently, moose turd mining has become quite popular. Experts say that freshness and location do not affect quality.
Finally, last week the Raptor Rehabilitation Center in Sitka was happy to announce that four eagles that had been rescued and rehabilitated have been released. That’s good news!