Sea Ice Training (iceberg, glacier, pb & j sandwich)

Had Sea Ice Training to learn how to find cracks in the ice and determine whether they can be safely crossed without falling in. We found where the permanent frozen sea ice meets the annually melting sea ice, and drilled to find the depth to open ocean water. Six meters on the multiyear ice, but less than two meters (~5 feet) between this winter's ice and the ocean below.

Heading out on this 5 feet of ice (still thick enough for driving on), I saw my first icebergs (a pic of one below), trapped in the frozen snow after floating into the bay last summer.

We then came to the foot of a large glacier (frozen ice river, slowing flowing off the side of the active volcano Erebus). This is about 200 feet tall.

Here is a long crevasse in the ice coming off the glacier. It forms every year between the glacier and Tent Island (seen at bottom).

We took "flight lunches" along, brown bag lunches made for us by the lunchroom, comprised of one or two year old granola bars (considered quite fresh down here) and peanut butter sandwiches for vegetarians (but sometimes cheese and pesto or hummus on better days). Lots of snack bargaining and sandwich trades in the back of the Haglin vehicle while we're bumping along the road.

This trip ended with a special surprise to a very unique feature, but I'm still awaiting approval before revealing the amazing photos of where we got to go! To be continued...