Slowly and surely its shape shifted from cosy cushion to robust predator, it rose gently without alarm and confidently padded to the top of the jagged crest that hung above our ships bow.
An Operation Icerberg Gallery of 20 images showing the flora and fauna of Greenland – includes a deceptively tranquil view of the dangerous path the team took sailing back through a maze of icebergs.
I didn’t hear him once in the two weeks that we spent together. Not a rustle, a sneeze, a whine, or even a breath. Trotting on velvet claws across the ancient landscape, he lives in a world that listens.
Where maelstroms churn in anticipation of millions of tonnes of merciless ice cracking free of its mother lode and smashing all before it. Not ideal in a fragile craft whose top speed is eight knots.
Perched on our promontory camp we are drawn to gaze down upon Greenland’s Store Glacier. Our backsides have worn the crispy black lichen from the boulders, the best seats in the house.
Chris is about to set off to the Arctic with a team of scientists and filmakers as part of Operation Iceberg. They are documenting the life-cycle of icebergs for a BBC/Discovery co-production.