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HEALY and ODEN pushed west and a bit north this week, trying to find a track to the Pole that will have more open-water leads through the ice. The historically easier surface route to the Pole is actually in the Eastern Hemisphere, north of Russia, for good reason: The ice at this longitude does not contain as much 'multi-year' ice (old, hard ice) as one finds further east. It's rough sledding where we're at now, so we're moving east. We actually crossed into the eastern hemisphere on Saturday afternoon for the first time on this trip, though at this latitude that's not a very big deal - as we move north, the distance between degrees of longitude, which is 60 miles at the equator, narrows down to just a few miles. And at the Pole, of course, we'll be in every time zone at once! The crew and scientists who volunteered for the initiation into the Realm of the Polar Bear got their chance on Friday and Saturday, when the 'polar bears' - those crewmembers who have been in the Arctic before - ran the initiates through the paces required to gain acceptance into this elite group. Highlights included a brisk workout on the flight deck (with cooling water from the fire hoses helpfully provided as protection against any heat-related injuries), a 'wog auction' where the initiates were purchased by the Polar Bears for general labor during the workday, and "No Talent Night," which saw the wogs display their talents on stage before the assembled Polar Bears. Expectations for No Talent Night were low. These expectations were met. This week we'll continue to sail north with Oden. Our daily routine now includes morning and afternoon ice reconnaissance flights using helicopters from both ships, and a daily air shuttle between the ships so that the expedition leaders can plan our missions. Several crewmembers achieved professional milestones this week:
Finally, we were all terribly saddened to hear the news of the devastation in New Orleans. We're very proud of the great work being done by the Coast Guard in response to the disaster, and we wish the Coasties in the region and their families the best during this difficult, demanding time. For Captain Dan Oliver, Command Master Chief Pete Perron and myself, thanks for all your support. You'll hear from us again next week. Ed Note: No pictures expected until the end of September or until reliable satellite comms are established. Photos are being taken and a complete "catch-up" will be forthcoming |
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The Coast Guard Cutter Healy, homeported in Seattle, Washington.
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