New Year’s Day 2004
During the first several days of our expedition we’ve learned that the vast continent of Antarctica is a place of superlatives. It is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest place on earth. But beyond anything else, it is ice that defines The Great White South. More than 80% of all the fresh water on our planet is locked up in the frozen white blanket that is the Antarctic ice sheet. Only a few bare spots of ground are exposed and less than two percent of the continent is accessible by boat. There is more ice here than there is water in the Atlantic Ocean. With the arrival of autumn, up to 46,000 square miles of new sea ice form each day so that by mid-winter the size of the continent has effectively doubled.
Ice comes in many forms in Antarctica and there are pages of terms and descriptions for each depending on size, shape or origin. One of the wonders of an expedition to Antarctica are the icebergs. Some tabular bergs, broken off from the ice shelves that surround much of the continent, make headline news stories because of their enormous size. Over time these erode and break up to form smaller bits until all is melted and returned to the sea. Other bergs are formed when tide-water glaciers calve thousand-ton chunks or snowball size pieces into the water. Whatever their origin they all drift with the winds and currents. Surfaces become highly polished and rich blue colors seem surreal. Some become grounded for a time until the next high tide carries them away while their shape and orientation changes constantly as they melt. They often roll over as the underwater portion erodes and the center of gravity changes. With wind and spray also contributing to the rotting process, there is no end to the shapes, sizes and attitudes to be found.
As we paddled our kayaks in solitude and enjoyed slow cruising in the Zodiacs during our stop at Cuverville Island, we had the opportunity to get close and intimate looks at icebergs from several perspectives. Later in the day Captain Skog parked the bow of the ship right against a tabular berg. The iceberg seen here seemed especially appealing and we photographed it from all angles. There can’t be a finer way to celebrate the beginning of a new year than cruising among ice sculptures in Antarctica!
During the first several days of our expedition we’ve learned that the vast continent of Antarctica is a place of superlatives. It is the highest, driest, windiest and coldest place on earth. But beyond anything else, it is ice that defines The Great White South. More than 80% of all the fresh water on our planet is locked up in the frozen white blanket that is the Antarctic ice sheet. Only a few bare spots of ground are exposed and less than two percent of the continent is accessible by boat. There is more ice here than there is water in the Atlantic Ocean. With the arrival of autumn, up to 46,000 square miles of new sea ice form each day so that by mid-winter the size of the continent has effectively doubled.
Ice comes in many forms in Antarctica and there are pages of terms and descriptions for each depending on size, shape or origin. One of the wonders of an expedition to Antarctica are the icebergs. Some tabular bergs, broken off from the ice shelves that surround much of the continent, make headline news stories because of their enormous size. Over time these erode and break up to form smaller bits until all is melted and returned to the sea. Other bergs are formed when tide-water glaciers calve thousand-ton chunks or snowball size pieces into the water. Whatever their origin they all drift with the winds and currents. Surfaces become highly polished and rich blue colors seem surreal. Some become grounded for a time until the next high tide carries them away while their shape and orientation changes constantly as they melt. They often roll over as the underwater portion erodes and the center of gravity changes. With wind and spray also contributing to the rotting process, there is no end to the shapes, sizes and attitudes to be found.
As we paddled our kayaks in solitude and enjoyed slow cruising in the Zodiacs during our stop at Cuverville Island, we had the opportunity to get close and intimate looks at icebergs from several perspectives. Later in the day Captain Skog parked the bow of the ship right against a tabular berg. The iceberg seen here seemed especially appealing and we photographed it from all angles. There can’t be a finer way to celebrate the beginning of a new year than cruising among ice sculptures in Antarctica!
