LCDR Mary Ellen J. Durley sent a note down to Capt Tom Mackay, most of which is repeated here. I have included a picture she sent me also; not sure who took it: ALDER has become a Blue-Nose and joined the Polar Bear club by sailing above the Arctic Circle. We are currently on our journey home, but I won’t be able to give an exact time or date. The crew is very excited to get home to see their loved ones after participating in a Joint International Mission with the Canadian and Danish Forces, called Operation NANOOK 2010. We increased the interoperability of conducting missions by all three countries in the high Arctic and the mission was a success and first of its kind. We saw ice bergs, whales, a glimpse of a polar bear, beautiful fiords, and lots of fog, rain, and heavy seas. Don’t worry, we’ll be back in Lake Superior to take care of the fall aids to navigation season and winter ice-breaking.
LCDR Mary Ellen J. Durley, Commanding Officer, Alder
