Home Forums Miscellaneous Topics Movie, Book, and Music Review Book-- "Wind, Fire & Ice" by Robert M. Bunes, M.D.

This book is about an Antarctic trip the author served on as the ship's doctor on the Coast Guard Cutter and icebreaker Glacier in 1969-71. These trips to Antarctic waters always have the potential of great danger. On this cruise the ship experienced a fire on board, a hull penetration by ice and being trapped in the ice. Serious storms at sea are a threat. This book gives some history of Antarctic exploration and a bit about the ship as well as the experiences of being the ship's doctor-- always varied. Brought back a lot of memories and it's a very good book.

Highly recommended for anyone with an interest in Antarctica or Coast Guard activities or history.

It's been a little while since I wrote the above and I've had some time to reflect on this book. I know the author. We shared a rental house in New Jersey during our active duty time.

He has written in this book of his experiences aboard a Coast Guard icebreaker. I had a similar cruise the year after his and on a different icebreaker. On my cruise I had a much better time as we had an outstanding Captain who took care of the ship, the mission, and the crew. He made sure that the crew had the opportunity to stop in ports that allowed for some memorable visits. (The Captain had served on ships in the runs to Murmansk during World War 2 so he knew a thing or two about cold water sailing). Also our XO was also in favor of making it a good cruise. My memories are, therefore, of a much less perilous time and place although the ice and wind and storms were similar and, in reality just as perilous, but it didn't seem so as there was such confidence easily placed in the Captain and XO.