Evening star., 1947-01-02
Norfhwind PIowinq
Through Polar Ice
8 10 IS Feet Thick
By Thomas K. Henry
.Sfar Staff Correspondent

| ABOARD ICEBREAKER NORTH
WIND, Jan. 2.-The 6,000-ton North.
wind was punching through ice 8 tt
Is feet thick most of the day, break.
ing path southwark just east o1
the 180th meridian for the thin.
skinned cargo carriers and f1agships
The Northwind zigzags east and
west from today into yesterday and
back along the international date
line every few minutes, seeking thin
ner ice and bare, open water lanes
At the end of the long procession
bobs the little submarine Sennett
like a black ice cake, a solitary
hitch-hiking penguin still sitting
motionless and voiceless on the con.
ming tower after nearly 48 hours. /.
This was a critical day in one OF
the most difficult navigation ,feats
ever attempted-taking i've ships ii
a column through several hundred
miles of nearly solid ices All but
the icebreaker have thin steel hull!
which would crush easily under ics
pressure. aaa in MOL ~
The progress is very slow, and
short helicopter flights ahead made
by Rear Admiral Richard H. Cruzer
show an ice barrier dishearteningly
solid. For many miles only one thin
blue line indicating open water has
been seen.
But in Admiral Cruzen's judgment
the ice is a little thinner farther
south, with good prospects of break
ing into open sea before the con-
tinental ice barrier is reached.
The Northwind, directed by an ex-
pert ice judge, Capt. Charles w
Thomas, from the bridge, makes
sharp turns to pick out thin ice
stretches. About so feet ahead OF
the ice edge, full power is thrown or
and the ship literally jumps for
ward. The impact either crushes
the ice at once or carries the ship
ahead until about seven feet of prov
rests on the ice.
Then a terrific blow is delivered
downward by means of pumping LOT
tons of water into the front end. Il
the ship sticks, the water is pumped
to the rear again. Such blows car
be delivered once every two minutes
When the icebreaker is stuck
sideways, a twisting movement is
adopted by means of pumping more
than two hundred tons of watel
from starboard to portsides ane
back in a little over minute.
The nearly 2-inch thick hull il
invulnerable to ice denting. Some
times several attempts are required
before a path is opened.
The other ships several times have
found themselves surrounded by ic'
and unable to turn into a singl,
water lane opened for them. TheI
the Northwind must turn back ant
break them clear This is antici
pated, but causes delays of hours.
1 Sailing through and over an ice
cap is the worlds roughest riding
It is like an auto stunt driver buck
ing distractions.
/ Phantasmagoria still haunt tn
horizon. Just now the view is lik
q long disorderly pile of yelloy
bricks. This is in sharp contrast t
last nights outlook of gree
countryside to the south. That wa
no mirage caused by too bibulou
q New Year Eve. There was not
drop of liquor aboard any ship.
For a description of the ice pacl
ahead, see any picture Of com
pletely bomb razed European cit,
during the war, such as Saint IL
The biggest difference is that thi
wreckage of ice palaces, with al
occasional massive building intact
stretches ir1terminably in every di
rection.
A flock of penquins is around tn
ship now. bobbing from under ic
cakes and bowling solemnly to group
on deck.