Ice, the ‘Bear Necessities’

Sometimes life at sea can seem pretty miserable, working strange hours and being away from home for so long, (I have now been at sea for about 5 months). Then something magical happens and you remember how special it is to come to sea and what a privilege it is to be able to visit these environments. Yesterday, as I prepared to sample a call went out that an Ice Bear had been spotted off the port side. We all rushed outside with our cameras at the ready and were not disappointed as about 40 meters from the ship a furry white head bobbed above the water. The curiosity shown by myself and the others onboard was not one way as our aquatic visitor seemed as curious about us and swam closer, stretching his neck to get a better view. It was a really amazing moment in my life and I am always blown away to see such majestic creatures in their own environments. However, this tale should come with a cautionary note. During our time in Amundsen Gulf we have seen the ice disappear much quicker than history dictates it should, adding to the body of evidence that global change is a real phenomenon. Reduced ice cover is threatening the existence of such creatures as ice is key to their survival. So, if you were a doubter, and shockingly I still meet them, global change is real (I’ve seen the effects with my own eyes) and there are no more excuses for us not to do something about it!

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