Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 12/10/2008 - 06:42

We thought the video was amazing although a bit crazy in the bathing suit.  Can't imagine what it was like as the passage got worse. 

The students would like to know what does the boat need to do when approaching an iceberg?  Is it dangerous or does the ship go through the ice?

Barry and I were also wondering why the boat doesn't use a hammock system to make sleeping easier during rough seas like the old time sailors.

How far into the ice does the ship have to go before it is safe to walk on? 

Keep it coming, we are loving it.

Love-

Kathy 

Jeff Peneston

Kathy!
First, I am sorry that it has taken me so long to reply to your question but here goes.
The Oden has gone past hundreds of icebergs and I can see dozens from the ship right now.  The officer in charge simply steers around them.  Sometimes he even steers a little closer if folks want to take pictures of the really beautiful ones.  The water is so clear and the white ice is so bright that you can see the part of the iceberg below the water because it glows bright blue!   Check out my journal from a few days ago when I showed a picture of how thick the steel hull of the ship is.  After years of breaking ice up to 6 meters thick, there is not even a dent in it.  
Regarding hammocks, that topic has been discussed a few times and the truth is that during the 4 days on the drake I can’t believe anyone could have slept in a hammock because it would have rock too much.  Now that we are dead calm in the ice, I am quite happy with my little, flat, soft, comfy bed.  I just don’t get to have enough time with it.
We went for over a day into the ice before we found floes that were big enough and thick enough to make the Captain happy.  Now the floes are over a mile wide with open leads of water between them.
I hope everyone liked my newest penguin video.
Take care, and say “hi” to your family,
Jeff