Derek Neary
Northern News Services

Fort Simpson (Nov 04/05) - The ferries linking Fort Simpson and Wrigley to the NWT highway system are on the verge of shutdown.

The Department of Transportation issued a 72-hour notice of closure on Monday. Bob Kelly, manager of public relations with Transportation, said that doesn't mean Thursday is definitely the final day the vessels will sail.

This was the scene at the Liard River crossing on Tuesday. Dropping water levels and increasing ice are threatening to end operation of the vessels at Fort Simpson and Ndulee, which shuttles vehicles across the Mackenzie River to Wrigley. - Derek Neary/NNSL photo

Changes in conditions could halt the ferries sooner, or they could continue to operate as late as this weekend, he said.

The Liard ferry is beginning to struggle with low water levels while its counterpart at Ndulee is navigating through ever thickening ice.

"We're coming to the end," Kelly said.

It generally takes three weeks to a month for the rivers to freeze solid enough to allow light traffic to start driving across.

Ferry service was unexpectedly disrupted Oct. 21-25 due to a labour dispute.

Some fuel distributors in Fort Simpson consequently exhausted their supplies while things ran low in Wrigley.

Fuel trucks have since arrived at Hardisty Petroleum in Wrigley and the levels in the tanks are adequate, Elsie Hardisty said.

During the ferry work stoppage, the gas pumps at T.J.'s Grocery in Fort Simpson were closed for four days because the outlet had run out of fuel.

The Northern store gas bar also hit the bottom of its gasoline tank, but it still had a supply of diesel.

Things are looking better now, however.

"We've got our fuel in, which was a big concern for us," Northern store manager Gerry Mulhern said Tuesday.

"We're ready to swing to (helicopter) shuttle mode."

Dennis Nelner, manager of T.J.'s Grocery, said the convenience store and gas bar has ordered more fuel than usual to make up for the shortage.

"We're about as prepared as we can get considering the things that we had to deal with over the last few weeks," said Nelner.

Propane customers like Sheila Wright, who were on edge as their fill ups were delayed from Hay River a few weeks ago, can now rest easy as winter-like weather takes hold.

"I'm happy as a clam," Wright said, adding that her propane tank now has ample gas.