Antarctic Waters

Lemaire Channel

Day 13: Wednesday, January 16, 2002

Could it be a cow?

This bit of glacier shows evidence of having calved lately. So, could it be a cow?
When ice breaks off the end of a glacier, the glacier is said to have calved.
The winds and current have carried the calves, brash ice, and bergy bits away.
Cracks extend to the right, giving hints of where the birth of the next calves will be.

Peak In The Clouds

Tender #9 Is Launched

It's 12: 20 PM, and we're in the very narrow Lemaire Channel. The captain sends the tender out to do some scouting to see whether he dare take the Ryndam any further into the channel.

Ms Ryndam is not large as modern cruise ships go, only medium size. But she's 720 feet long, 101 feet wide, and drafts more than 24 feet. You really don't want to drive a ship that size backwards down a narrow, ice clogged channel. We are at a point that is wide enough for a turn around, so this is a good place to check the waters ahead.

Lemaire Channel

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