La'Astrolabe Memories
John, Nice Pics!! Brings back many memories. I managed 2 trips to DDU on the La'Astrolabe. We did lots of flying. On the way down on one occasion we were stuck solid for 3 days on sea ice. We did a few 100 nm runs to the base to drop the mail and fresh veg. One night I remember seeing the night crew starring at the ships radar. I asked him what he was looking at. I shouldn't have! As the ship was stuck solid but those fantastic ice burgs that look stationary were moving at about 2 knots by tidal shifts and wind effect. Some were several Klicks wide and over 1500 feet high out of the water. That's a huge mass moving randomly about with very unpredictable tracks. As we were struck it was all over for the ship if we got in the way. Crushed like an egg!!! the second mate explained. I didn't sleep so well after that.