I've just returned from a summer on board the 50-Let-Pobedy (50 Years of Victory), a Russian nuclear powered icebreaker and the most powerful icebreaker in the world. We made four trips across the Arctic Ocean to the North Pole from Murmansk. The ship will now return to its normal icebreaking duties, keeping shipping moving along the north-east passage throughout the winter.
The world's icebreaker fleet will only grow in importance in the decades to come, so I valued the opportunity to experience what they do for myself. I was also fortunate to take part in a new Arctic Ocean Sea Ice Research Project run by Alex Cowan and Lauren Farmer (www.polarcollective.org) which has the potential to set a new and important standard practice for Citizen Science in the Arctic.
Images and film clips from the journey are shared on my Facebook page if you would like to take a look.