How to Save the Glaciers in 7 Easy Steps
1. Radio ahead, back to town, asking for two or three teams of sled dogs to be sent out. If it is during the school year, ask for additional student volunteers to bring their snowmobiles. All teams will have to bring the appropriate gear of chains, eyehooks and pickaxes that will be needed to lift the iceberg.
2. The Kongsvegen and Kronebreen glaciers are a fair distance from the town of Ny-Ålesund and even farther from the town of Longyearbyen. As such it will take some time for the required help to arrive. While waiting, collect the sediment off of the iceberg using trowels (or any other scraping implement) and place into Whirl pack bags. This will be used to make a mud paste adhesive that will re-attach the iceberg. If there is not enough sediment on the iceberg itself, collect more from the bottom of the fjord using a box corer.
3. If the iceberg in question has drifted a significant distance away from the glacier, it will need to be moved closer in order to be attached. Use a zodiac boat to push the iceberg sufficiently close to the glacier.
4. Once the dog and snowmobile teams arrive, send an envoy to meet them to retrieve the material that will be attached to the iceberg. Once they return, decide what was once the top, or what will be the new top, of the iceberg. Using pickaxes, create a space for the eye hooks to be inserted. Attach the eyehooks and connected chain, then deliver it back to the awaiting dog and snowmobile teams.
5. While waiting for them to get into position, spread the sediment paste along one side of the iceberg. Depending on how dense the ice is, it’s possible additional help will be required to initially lift it out of the water. Time the moment the dog and snowmobile teams begin pulling with the next calving event, which will temporary raise the water level, and the iceberg. Try not to think about the periphery calving too much.
6. Pull. Keep pulling until the iceberg is in place and this part of the glacier is whole again.
7. Stake the chains into the ground with metal spikes while waiting for the sediment to dry and glue the iceberg in place. At a later date, someone can come back and remove the chains and stakes.
