Chukchi Sea – Kat Long

Wrecks of 19th Century Whaling Ships Discovered off Alaska’s Arctic Coast

by Kat LongArticles January 8, 2016March 5, 20160 comments

Underwater archaeologists from NOAA’s Maritime Heritage Program identified the wrecks of two whaling ships in the Chukchi Sea this week. The two vessels were lost in the infamous 1871 whaling season, when ice floes crushed 33 ships. The diminished sea ice cover in the area, a symptom of climate change, has allowed divers to explore …

Court Deals Blow to Arctic Drilling Plans

by Kat LongArticles, Commentary January 23, 2014January 22, 20140 comments

The Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled on January 22 that the Department of the Interior illegally sold offshore oil and gas leases in the Chukchi Sea, off the northwest coast of Alaska. The court found that the government had failed to adequately evaluate the impacts of drilling—and inevitable mishaps—in the Arctic environment. …