Polar Star swaps penguins for polar bears, overcomes Arctic hurdles

Polar Star swaps penguins for polar bears, overcomes Arctic hurdles

Despite “absolutely treacherous” conditions, the recent Arctic mission by the U.S. Coast Guard cutter Polar Star — the nation’s only heavy icebreaker — has been deemed a major success by the vessel’s commanding officer. “I’m incredibly proud of this crew,” Capt. William Woityra told Professional Mariner in March. Polar Star left Seattle in early December after quarantining and double rounds…
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Polar Star swaps ends of the earth, heads for Arctic duty

Polar Star swaps ends of the earth, heads for Arctic duty

The only surviving heavy icebreaker in the U.S. Coast Guard fleet, the 44-year-old Polar Star (WAGB 10), has a new winter mission after the COVID-19 pandemic caused the cutter’s annual resupply excursion to McMurdo Station in Antarctica to be canceled. Instead, Polar Star sailed to the Arctic in early December from Seattle, where it is home-ported, marking the icebreaker’s first…
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