Sea ice keeps Estonia's Prangli island cut off from the outside world
The island of Prangli has been practically cut off by the sea ice for several weeks now, prompting concerns over residents' welfare.
Maaleht reported ridged ice up to three meters high blocks Kelnase harbor, the main link to the outside world for the island, population around 70, and with supplies dwindling, worries are rising that supplies will run out, even as Prangli lies only a few kilometers off the north coast, just outside Tallinn Bay.
Prangli elder Raimond Linholm said while the situation on the island is indeed difficult, with the worst winter conditions seen since 2011, residents will not go hungry or cold, and that goods will be transported to the island on an ad hoc basis.
Prangli falls inside Viimsi municipality, whose mayor, Siiri Visnapuu (Reform), noted ice has been pushed onto the shipping route to Leppneeme, on the Viimsi peninsula, to such an extent that the regular ferry has had to be replaced by another vessel.
The sea ice around Prangli has gradually expanded, and whereas the replacement vessel could initially be offloaded onto the ice for distribution, now even that is not viable, and people and items alike are carried to the ice in smaller boats from the moored ferry.
Some products survive the journey, which now takes four hours, better than others, but most critically there are issues with fuel delivery and sewage removal, as well as for those who commute to the mainland for their work.
One islander, Avo Klemmer, is currently stranded on the mainland and can't go home, and recounted one example of something which previously would have been taken for granted – technicians attending a fire at the island's electricity substation could not return home for another four days after fixing the problem.
Islanders have also been troubled by a Police and Border Guard Board (PPA) helicopter constantly circling overhead, but on exercise – residents were told helicopter aid was not feasible.
Mayor Visnapuu in any case thanked local volunteers whose willingness to help has been crucial in enabling the replacement vessel to serve the island where it can, adding: "We must also thank the entire island community for their understanding and preparedness."
Water levels are too low, ice ridges too high, for an icebreaker to be deployed, though Visnapuu said that despite residents' frustration, the stage of requiring the assistance of helicopters – whose capacity is limited – has not been reached yet, though landing areas have been kept ready and private helicopter operators liaised with.
Andres Rahkema, commander of the PPA helicopter squadron, noted the sparse helicopter resources the authority has are already needed for life-saving work, meaning jobs which entail a 112 call.
As for a light at the end of the tunnel, this will require both rising water levels and strong westerly winds to get the ice moving even ahead of its thaw: But when that will happen is hard to forecast.
The arrival of the cold weather at the start of the year brought not only rapidly advancing sea ice, but also a high-pressure zone which has kept temperatures and winds low, and also water levels low – the high-pressure zone literally pushes sea water out of the Baltic and into the North Sea. This has wreaked havoc with ferry transport to most of Estonia's islands, and has seen ferries temporarily grounded and services canceled or subject to delays and detours.
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Editor: Andrew Whyte
