Australia’s Antarctic supply ship “RSV Aurora Australis” icebound for three weeks
November 7th, 2012 by Warwick HughesThis mornings webcam from the ship shows a little clear water off the stern as it works at pushing through pack ice.
See my post from 23 Oct.
Their SitRep pages has them in pack ice in mid October. First reported by the ABC on 23 Oct – has anybody seen a report anywhere else ?
On 31 Oct AAD announced the voyage was delayed.
Posted in Climate indicators, Cryosphere | 8 Comments »
November 7th, 2012 at 4:08 pm
Tuesday’s notes from the ship (www.antarctica.gov.au/about-antarctica/history/exploration-and-expeditions/modern-expeditions/diaries-and-stories/spotlight-on-the-sea-ice/breaking-the-ice) include…”A few of us have discussed ways of trying to free the ship from the ice, including dynamite (apparently it doesn’t work in ice) and putting all our energy into shovelling and drilling a big trench in front of the ship. However the pre-primary boys at Christ Church Grammar School in Western Australia have turned their problem-solving skills into some great ideas for our release. Here’s what they had to say.”….use a rocket, poles, drill, digger, steam, fire, knife, muscles, laser., boulders… to break the ice.
Surprisingly not one of the students or crew suggested pumping out carbon dioxide to heat the local climate and melt the ice. Perhaps our junior school science education system isn’t as bad as I thought!
Shsh AAD – do not mention climate change or a reason for this unseasonal ice build-up.
November 7th, 2012 at 5:22 pm
They don’t seem to have reached Casey Base.
Today’s sitrep
For a while yesterday we were moving swiftly, however we have encountered a number of pinch points between ice floes which have significantly slowed us down. One pinch point alone took 11 hours to break through. Nonetheless we have steamed 30 miles north and west. We are making progress!
So they are heading away from Antarctica.
November 7th, 2012 at 6:52 pm
Still near Casey – according to their map.
November 8th, 2012 at 7:40 pm
Well, this incident clearly proves that global warming is rubbish. Absolute rubbish.
Actually, I was quite taken with the recent article on the Casey airstrip. I am sure that Warwick will have mentioned this one as well, but here is a synopsis :
And this melting on the airstrip has been going on for two years. Hmmm … should I be concerned … no, this single pack ice incident means that I don’t have to worry.
November 9th, 2012 at 5:50 am
ABC mentioned that the ship moved.
www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-07/antarctic-supply-ship-on-the-move/4358716
November 9th, 2012 at 7:41 am
I’ve been arguing for years that the Arctic ice melt is primarily due to black carbon, almost completely absent in Antarctica. Except for that Casey airstrip. Planes taking off will nicely coat the surface with a thin layer of black carbon.
November 12th, 2012 at 6:27 am
Monday morning 12th Nov steaming home on a calm sea no ice in sight.
November 13th, 2012 at 5:54 am
News on ABC – Antarctic ship free from ice but counting cost
So now they say – “The Aurora Australis was icebound for about three weeks…”
Better than understating how serious it was.