Pine Island Glacier |
Reference navigation book |
More usual World maritime routes |
Showing Antarctica and infrequently used southern maritime routes |
Taking just our own profession about which we seafarers do know what we are talking about reports of maritime incidents and events are usually scrambled, do not use the correct maritime terminology, a fine example are reports of cruise ship incidents, which is not that difficult to become familiar with or Google® for the correct term to use thus enhancing the report.
Just this month there was a report of an iceberg separating from Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica which was variously described, depending no doubt on where the reporter resided, as being the size of Manhattan, NY or Singapore. (See the photo above.) Some of the reports then went on to say that it posed a hazard to shipping. Well now of course if one was in Southern Ocean above 70° South Latitude it is theoretically possible that there is some degree of danger. However these icebergs are tracked and regularly reported to shipping and what vessels are in these high southern latitudes? Most likely during the season are the Japanese Whaling Fleet and of course the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society trying to spoil the spoils of the whaling.
Even vessels on regular passage around Cape Horn, Chile which is at 58° South Latitude, Cape of Good Hope, South Africa which is at 35° South Latitude, and Stewart Island, NZ which is at 47° South Latitude should be quite safe as these are not really in the high latitudes of the Southern hemisphere. So it would seem that regular maritime shipping trading routes and vessels would not be much affected. (See the maps above.)
Once again the drama of the Media and its inaccurate news creating are cause for persons not paying to much attention to particular news groups which have a built in bias that is certainly not fair, accurate and unafraid as one of them claims.
Good Watch.
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