December 6, 2009 A Crush of Ice! Can you feel the Pressure?

Place your hands on the table in front of you.

Hand model 1

Move your right hand toward your left hand, which is firmly held in place, until your fingers begin to touch.

Hand Model 2

While the left hand is in place keep moving your right hand toward the left and notice what happens to your fingers.

Hand Model 3

You have just produced a model of a pressure ridge. Your left hand represented a massive ice shelf fed from a glacier. Your right hand represented the sea ice that as summer advances the ice begins to melt and crack and then begins moving as it is influenced by the tides.

Cracks form in the sea ice as summer approaches

Mr Wesche's feet on either side of an expanding crack in the sea ice

Where these two forms of ice meet the ice buckles and forms what is called a pressure ridge. I had the opportunity to walk around these pressure ridges. In the beauty of these photographs you will see the awesome power of forces working on our planet. The forces of wind and water create dramatic scenes here around the 7th continent of the world.

Trekkers, take a walk with me along the pressure ridges notice the colors of blue that take your breath away. Examine the grandeur of these ridges which tower 15 feet above me. Be inspired as I was.

Join me, Mr. Wesche, on a reflective walk.

In all that is seen find beauty

How...

No human force can duplicate

The colors no one can imagine

Thrust upward with such force

View the walking team in the center of this photo to understand this title.

After that walk, be inspired to view the world around you for the forces of this planet are in motion where you stand today as well.

With great awe,

Mr. W