So you’re still interested in getting to Antarctica – but the shoes of Cooper the research technician or Dan the multimedia journalist just don’t seem to fit? Well last night, while most of the ship was fast asleep, I was sipping coffee, watching the sunset, and hanging out on the bridge with Ola Andersson the first mate to the Captain Adell. Perhaps the job of an icebreaker crew officer is more to your liking?
Ola’s been working Swedish icebreakers for the past 9 years, but only transferred to join the Oden crew 6 months ago. He is the lead officer on watch for 2 four hour shifts every day – rotating with the two other first mates that are on board for our expedition.
When I asked Ola how he became an officer on an icebreaker, his reply was "quite an accident actually!” He grew up in Helsingsborg – a small city on the southwest coast of Sweden, about 500 kilometers from the capital of Stockholm. In 1990 when he completed his studies in the local gymnasium (Swedish variant of a high school) he was required to serve at least a year in the military – something every young man in Sweden was required to do at the time. He was trained as a minelayer – part of Sweden’s defensive strategy at that time was to surround the countries extensive coastline with mines in the event of any aggression from Russia. Sweden has a fleet of 8 icebreakers – each of which is designed to be rapidly converted into a minelaying vessel and this was where Ola ended up assigned for his duty. In this picture of the Oden – note the rounded outcrops just below the bridge – these are designed to be armored gunposts – if necessary to protect the ship. The rear deck is also designed for the rapid loading and deployment of mines.
From his time with the Swedish Navy, Ola grew quite fond of the sea and decided to train to become a ship’s captain. He spent three years at the University of Kalmar, during which time his studies involved engineering, physics, chemistry, math, biology, navigation, economics, language (English is mandatory), first aid and firefighting. The ships are very high-tech now – with automated systems for everything. Here’s a look at the engine / propulsion system monitor.
Navigation is of course primarily GPSA Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system used to track the location or position of objects on the Earth’s surface., but every Captain still has to know how to navigate by use of a chronometer and sextant – just in case the systems ever all fail they can still maintain a safe course.
Seems a ship captain has to know something about everything – making it a very demanding course of study. By 1996 Ola had earned his Diploma of Nautical Studies and he was hired by the Swedish Maritime Authority. He’s been an officer on an icebreaker ever since.
Ola said the most difficult aspect of icebreaker duty is the separation from friends and family for long periods of time. He’ll often work trips of up to six weeks, and then have six weeks to be at home up on his return. For that reason very few of the crew are married or have children – just too hard to stay in touch. I can certainly understand that even though we’re only separated for three weeks – fortunately we have e-mail and satellite phone technology to stay somewhat in touch! But Ola did note that the benefit is that you really end up with two families – missing your crewmates when you are at home enjoying your family, and missing your family as you reunite with your crew. He says he wouldn’t trade it for the world.
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