All Blog Posts from Tech Talk

Hard to believe it’s been exactly a year since I traveled to the Arctic with our CBS crew – myself, producer Chloe Arensberg and cameraman Mark LaGanga. For those who remember our blog postings, you might also recall another passenger onboard that journey: my father, Doug. To mark the one-year anniversary, I’m posting a “video postcard” that encompasses both our time onboard the ship and some of my father’s history in the Arctic.

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RESOLUTE, Nunavut, Canada – Nothing about surviving in the High Arctic is easy. From the harsh climes to the isolation to the difficulty getting around, anyone here must contend with a vast expanse of untamed wilderness. Not that you have to tell that to the 229 or so Inuit and scientists who live here. We've been in Resolute for three days now, and as brief (southern) visitors, it'd be difficult to remain much longer. My wool hat's off to those who can make it. After three weeks away from home during this Arctic odyssey, tomorrow we return.

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RESOLUTE, Nunavit, Canada -- Well, we're officially back on dry land. After a flurry of packing this morning, followed by a round of goodbyes and farewell photos with the scientists and Coast Guard, we then flew by helicopter just a couple miles to Cornwallis Island and the town (hamlet? village?) of Resolute. It was tough to leave the Louis, the place we called home for more than two weeks. It was especially hard to leave my dad. He's staying onboard for the next leg, about a week or so to Kugluktuk. For me, Chloe and Mark, our new surroundings are slightly overwhelming, and we're going to need some time to adjust.

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APPROACHING CORNWALLIS ISLAND -- Yesterday was filled with adventure, from standing atop of a rocky plateau on Devon Island to interviewing the chief mate, Bryon Gibbons, onboard a Zodiac with an iceberg as a backdrop. We even had a chance to (safely) drink water from the iceberg. Magical. See photos.

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With our time on the Louis rapidly coming to a close we’re madly getting as much material on tape as we can. It’s truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience, and we’re just trying to take it all in while we can. Plus the time with my dad, Doug Sieberg, at left, has been so special. He’ll be staying on the Louis until Kugluktuk, and then he may leave the Arctic forever after 30 years of coming here. I feel so lucky to have seen his work firsthand after growing up with stories and photos. Sometimes I think he was born about 200 years too late, with his passion for the open seas and wood-hulled tall ships and the life of a mariner.

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OFF BAFFIN ISLAND –- We’ve hit “land fast” ice, which means rough going and the possibility scientists may not get all the sampling stops they want. The ice here is not only thick it’s connected (or “fastened”) to the island coasts, so there’s no wriggle room or openings to steer the ship through. It’s just bump and grind, and the captain is also using the ship’s “bubbler,” which creates massive bubbles of air around the hull to help keep the ice from re-forming and break it up a bit. The ship has been shaking back and forth since late last night, and it’ll likely be that way for the rest of the day.

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NEAR THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE – Overcast today but lots of sizable ice floes to brighten the atmosphere. It’s Sunday, so the Coast Guard crew is wearing their dress whites, and there’ll likely be something special on the menu tonight. Mark and I have been invited to the captain’s supper, so we’ll see how that goes. I hope my dad will be there, too. I’ll have to find him this afternoon when he’s finished working to see if he got the secret summons. I also managed to get a decent sleep last night, mainly because we weren’t carving through nearly as much ice. Plenty more ahead though.

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BAFFIN BAY – Did Chloe lose her hair? Did they shave my eyebrows off?? Did we walk a gangplank into the ocean??? Did Mark even participate?!? The answer to one of those questions is yes. Can you guess? Well, if you've seen the photos then you know it's the last one. The crossing ceremony was (finally, and more on that later) held yesterday afternoon. Ultimately it was harmless and in good fun. But that doesn't mean we didn't suffer.

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BAFFIN BAY –- Today is the day. We can’t avoid the crossing ceremony any longer, and is slated to happen this afternoon. If you don’t hear back from us later this evening it’s because we’re recovering. Or locked in the brig or something more diabolical. (ATTENTION: PLEASE SEND IMMEDIATE HELP TO THE ARCTIC CIRCLE.) Chloe is grappling with the taunts of head shaving and whether it’s all for real, I’m bracing for freezing temperatures since it takes place on the flight deck, and Mark seems to be gloating more than anything. (He already has short hair and fears no Fahrenheit.) All I can discern from my sources so far is that we’ll get wet, but likely not with water. Um, yuck?

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NEAR BAFFIN ISLAND -– Ice. We wanted it, and we got it. Last night we began encountering ice floes and pack ice, some only a year old, some much older and therefore likely thicker and harder. It made for a tough night’s rest, banging and bouncing as the Louis broke through it all. But the views are spectacular. As the sun flirted with the horizon around midnight it was almost otherworldly. This morning it’s equally amazing, and we’ve spotted a few seals and Arctic gulls already. We expect it to be like this for a while, surrounded by ice, and that’s just fine with us.

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