As a general rule when you are in a zodiac you want to stay far away from glaciers. Not only can a calving glacier swamp a zodiac with a mini tide wave, we learned that when the huge mass of calving ice hits the water it can shoot out shards of sharp ice over 1 km away. Someone was killed this way on a boat that was this far away.
Our goal was to get near a glacier in our zodiac, and then touch a floating iceberg when that glacier calves. Thanks to our guide we were able to do that, although at first he was not too keen on it due to the danger mentioned earlier.
Our awesome guide named Carl (he must be good with a name like that) came through
In the video, started just as we got into our zodiac, and then continued until Dr. P touched a small iceberg, Carl explains how he got stuck in the ice once and was not too thrilled to get too close to this glacier.
After a little peer group pressure from us he relinquished and brought us near the glacier (but not super close like he says in the video), and then up to a floating iceberg that Dr. P briefly touches.
When out in a zodiac in elements that can change in a moment, and floating in ice cold water, the guides are especially wary of walrus that can puncture the zodiac with their huge tusks (think of them as the hippos of the Arctic).
They are also wary of swimming polar bears for obvious reasons. In the previous post on the Arctic a polar bear swam by us, and we kept our distance so as not to interfere with its swim to another island, not to mention our safety.
After that they are wary of floating icebergs with sharp edges that can puncture a rubber zodiac.
Yea Carl!
It must have been so beautiful. The iceberg looked so gorgeous,with the blue color,of,it. You were brave!
Well done Carl, you are truly privileged to have seen so many great places! Thanks for all you do!!!
Beautiful! Nature is incredible and the fact that you are out there exploring and sharing is wonderful! Thank you, Carl.