The Heinerths, who own Scuba West Inc., a diving shop and training center in Hudson, had been on expeditions before. They'd explored underwater caves all over the world, from Mexico to the Cayman Islands and Wakulla Springs. National Geographic magazine, the New England Aquarium and the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute were among the sponsors of the two-month expedition to Godzilla. It was a first-ever chance to see what lives in the belly of an iceberg. It was a chance to see how whales, seals, birds, jellyfish and other marine life are affected when icebergs break.
Icebergs create a protective environment for marine life.
The current flows through the icebergs and brings nutrients to the creatures underneath. But there were other chances, too. There was a chance they'd never reach Godzilla. There was the chance that ice would crush their boat, or that it would get stuck in packed ice, and the crew would have to wait until the next season to get out. After teary goodbyes Jan. 12 at Tampa International Airport, the couple made the 36-hour journey to Wellington, New Zealand, via Chicago, Los Angeles and Auckland, New Zealand.