Nuclear Ninety North
Eclipse of the Midnight Sun
August 1st, 2008
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Nuclear Ninety NorthEclipse of the Midnight SunAugust 1st, 2008 |
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| 2008-07-28 20:53 UTC | Click images for enlargements. | 80°25.74'N 52°31.37'E |
After leaving Ziegler Island, we came across this small iceberg, probably calved from one of the glaciers on it or one of the adjacent islands. Now sentimental chick-flicks may have made you wary of encounters with icebergs at sea, but that's not counting upon the capabilities of a nuclear powered icebreaker. Here's what happens when 75,000 horsepower of clean, abundant nuclear power meets a pesky obstacle in the polar sea.
| 2008-07-28 20:55 UTC | 80°25.69'N 52°31.63'E |
We get closer.
| 2008-07-28 20:57 UTC | 80°25.65'N 52°31.89'E |
| 2008-07-28 20:58 UTC | 80°25.62'N 52°31.93'E |
| 2008-07-28 21:00 UTC | 80°25.60'N 52°31.91'E |
| 2008-07-28 21:00 UTC | 80°25.59'N 52°31.94'E |
…really close!
| 2008-07-28 21:01 UTC | 80°25.59'N 52°31.94'E |
It's big.
| 2008-07-28 21:07 UTC |
Contact—the ship shudders.
| 2008-07-28 21:11 UTC | 80°25.58'N 52°31.96'E |
We're pushing the iceberg.
| 2008-07-28 21:13 UTC | 80°25.62'N 52°32.06'E |
After which, it's somewhat the worse for wear. How do you say “yee-haw” in Russian?
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by John Walker August 20th, 2008 |
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This document is in the public domain.