If this progress continues, Foster hopes to give Keiko more room to roam in the spring. He plans to net off a corner of the bay so the whale can swim farther and explore the natural floor of the bay. The next step could be to open the gates and let Keiko swim free - a goal once thought unattainable by all but the staunchest supporters. While Keiko seems to enjoy the cold sea spray, lifting his fins out of the water, the conditions are brutal for the trainers, who bundle up in orange survival suits for the 10-minute boat trip to Keiko's pen. Three storms in the past week have brought hurricane-force winds.
Divers check the pen's moorings and nets almost daily.
Trainer Stephen Claussen was swept off his feet once, but so far, no one has fallen into the choppy waters. Once it gets up to 100 mph it's pretty hard to hold on to anything. Despite Iceland's name, not much snow or ice falls there. The winds are the worst. View Keiko's Online Photo Album.