This is a summary of the text:
The text is about the unique and difficult profession of de-icing ships in the Sakha Republic, where the Lena River is frozen for six months of the year. De-icing workers use chainsaws, pickaxes and shovels to cut out ice from under the ships, so that they can be repaired or prepared for the spring navigation season. The text describes the challenges, dangers and rewards of this job, as well as the importance of rivers and ships for this region. The text also shows how de-icing workers cooperate with repair workers, convoy captains and ship owners to keep the fleet in good condition. The text ends with a reflection on how this tradition has been preserved for decades and will likely continue in the future.
Here are the key facts extracted from the text:
1. The Lena is the largest river in the world flowing through permafrost.
2. For six months of the year, it is contained by meter-thick ice and becomes the main arterial road of Russia's largest region, the Sakha Republic.
3. De-icing is a unique profession that involves cutting out blocks of ice from under the ships frozen in the river so that they can be repaired.
4. De-icing workers use chainsaws, pickaxes and shovels to remove ice layer by layer, creating a kind of icy repair pit under the ship's hull.
5. De-icing is a hazardous and physically demanding job that requires constant vigilance and coordination with the convoy captains and repair workers.
6. De-icing is still the quickest and cheapest method to repair ships in this harsh climate, where there are few railways and highways and the ice-free period is short.
7. De-icing workers have a special relationship with the ships and the river, which they consider sacred and vital for their livelihood.
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