Inuit and southerners have traditionally held different attitudes towards the sea ice. Inuit regard it as a highway for travel and a platform for hunting sea mammals, while southerners see it as a danger to shipping and obstruction to their freedom. Join us as we learn the thrills and dangers of life on sea ice. In the classroom and at sea, students will learn the importance of global ocean currents, seawater chemistry, and cultural issues surrounding sea ice. Accompanied by NASTC’s sea-hardened instructors, you will travel to the floe edge to drill holes in the ice and measure its thickness. You will also learn how to get fresh water, track sea mammals, navigate across sea ice, and build a shelter.

6 day course
January-February
Degree of Difficulty: Severe
March-April-May
Degree of Difficulty: Moderate