Icebergs seen from the mainland

Part of the Antarctic Ice Shelf comes to visit

The last time icebergs were visible from the New Zealand mainland was back in 1931, so the story goes. Seventy five years later, Christmas 2006 came early for several aviation operators. Eager punters queued for the chance to glimpse a spectacular parade of frozen monoliths that mysteriously emerged from the Southern ocean, to silently cruise past our Eastern coastline enroute to oblivion!

I was fortunate to be offered a seat on a Helicopters Otago BK117 flight on Tuesday 21 November. The outbound sector took 40 minutes and the icebergs were located about 72 miles offshore.

Viewed amidst a wild ocean, it was difficult to gain a perspective as to the actual size of the icebergs, but after a couple of low passes; I guessed they were much bigger than say, an aircraft carrier. (We did not land as shown in the photo).

A skid was placed on the crest of the tallest one and the altimeter read 200 feet.
Close up, the sight was breath taking. Highly polished white wax, riddled with cracks and fissures. Huge ice falls where great chunks had fallen off; sky blue pools and miniature lakes; deep sapphire blue where ice meets foaming ocean.
Countless birds wheeled and soared around (but not on) each iceberg.

Apparently all these ‘bergs originated from the Ronne Ice Shelf, where in May 2000, an edge measuring 34km wide and 250km long, broke off and set sail.

The Ronne Ice Shelf fronts the Weddell Sea which is on the opposite side of Antarctica from NZ.
So five years and 13500km later, they discover the Mainland. Stu Balchin, our Controller under training and ex RNZAF navigator, has crunched the numbers. He deduced that the average speed has been 400 metres per hour!

The previous day a rat-bag Australian TV crew had firmly planted an Ozzie flag on the larger of the two icebergs. However, pilot Graeme Gale ensured that the mighty downwash of a departing BK117 at full power dispatched the flag to a quick and watery demise. What a shame!

Many reasons have been offered for the procession of ice cubes passing our Eastern coastline; global warming being at the forefront. But that really begs a follow on question – had anybody heard of global warming way back in 1931?

by Neil Simpson. (Dunedin Tower)