Calving at Recherchebreen Glacier --- Svalbard.

[Gottshotz]

One of the largest glaciers in the Svalbard Achipelago, the Recherchebreen Glacier is 9.9 miles long and has an elevation of 935 feet above sea level.

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It is also one of the most active, and we were fortunate enough to witness a large calving event as we cruised by in the Zodiac rib boat.

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I hasten to add that we were at least half a mile from the ice face as the resultant wave is more dangerous than the chance of being "clobbered" by falling ice --- the mini Tsunami carries large amounts of sharpened "brash" ice above and below the surface.

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Great patches of blue ice are revealed along the length of the glacier front --- indicating a lot of recent calving activity.

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This last shot illustrates "brash" ice being carried by the current passing by the glacier.

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[Ralph]

One of the largest glaciers in the Svalbard Achipelago, the Recherchebreen Glacier is 9.9 miles long and has an elevation of 935 feet above sea level.

View attachment 47516

It is also one of the most active, and we were fortunate enough to witness a large calving event as we cruised by in the Zodiac rib boat.

View attachment 47517

I hasten to add that we were at least half a mile from the ice face as the resultant wave is more dangerous than the chance of being "clobbered" by falling ice --- the mini Tsunami carries large amounts of sharpened "brash" ice above and below the surface.

View attachment 47518

Great patches of blue ice are revealed along the length of the glacier front --- indicating a lot of recent calving activity.

View attachment 47519

This last shot illustrates "brash" ice being carried by the current passing by the glacier.

View attachment 47520

Very Cool!

 

[frdjohns]

I think it is difficult to photograph something so massive and convey just how large it is, but you have done that quite well. Great images.

 

[Gottshotz]

Very Cool!

Thanks Ralph , "cool" is very appropriate here but tinged with an elevated heart rate at the time too, as I recall.

 

[Gottshotz]

I think it is difficult to photograph something so massive and convey just how large it is, but you have done that quite well. Great images.

Thanks Fred, there were a lot of frames fired off at the time, so picking only a few out to"time lapse" the effects was tricky.

 

[Andrew Lamberson]

Fantastic capture ! I would have been screaming ....&^%$ !!

 

[Gottshotz]

Fantastic capture ! I would have been screaming ....&^%$ !!

Thanks Andrew --- the noises as the ice wall broke off were immense --- cracking and groaning at high volume !