This vast northern sea is named so for the countless icebergs that roam its waters. In winter, more than half of this sea’s surface is jagged ice. In the northern reaches (deep sea) the Crystal Deep actually freezes solid and can trap ships for many months on end. The ice thickens and expands and will often crush a ship over the course of several weeks, eventually rupturing the hull and sinking it. In addition, once a ship is trapped, the expanding ice will often push a ship away from land (at a rate of several yards per day).
This website was last updated February 29, 2024. Copyright 1990-2024 David M. Roomes.