Tag: #Williscroft

THE ARCTIC OCEAN: OPERATION ICEBREAKER

karenringalls16 Comments

Question: What do the Arctic Ocean, submarines, and a book have in common?

Answer: An exciting and interesting book by Robert Williscroft titled Operation Ice Breaker: A Mac McDowell Mission, which takes place in the Arctic Ocean aboard a submarine.

  • The Arctic Ocean is the smallest of the five oceans.
  • It is approximately centered on the North Pole.
  • The deepest sounding obtained in Arctic waters is 18,050 feet, but the average depth is only 3,240 feet.
  • Polar bears live and hunt on the polar ice.
  • It is almost completely surrounded by the Northern Hemisphere and parts of Eurasia. (https://www.softschools.com/facts/geography/arctic_ocean_facts/1022/)
  • 1578 William Bourne, a British mathematician and writer on naval subjects was the first to propose a completely enclosed boat  that could be submerged and rowed underwater. 
  • Between 1620 and 1624, Cornelis Drebbel, a Dutch inventor,successfully maneuvered his craft at depths of from 12 to 15 feet beneath the surface of the Thames River.
  • During the American Revolution, the submarine was used for the first time as an offensive weapon.
  • (https://www.britannica.com/technology/submarine-naval-vessel)

My 5-Star Review: This was the first of Robert Williscroft’s books I have read. It will not be the last. I learned a lot about life aboard a submarine, the diving maneuvers, and the personalities required to live and work on a sub for extended periods of time. I highly recommend this book.

Robert Williscroft Author Page: Dr. Robert G. Williscroft is a retired submarine officer, deep-sea and saturation diver, scientist, author of numerous books and hundreds of articles, and a lifelong adventurer. He spent 22 months underwater, a year in the equatorial Pacific, three years in the Arctic ice pack, and a year at the Geographic South Pole. He holds degrees in Marine Physics and Meteorology, and a doctorate for developing a system to protect SCUBA divers in contaminated water.

This is a well-written book by an expert in the area of submarines, diving, and geology.