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Using both hands to pull back the metal door to the open deck, I entered the elements. A light rain driven by fierce winds at close to a forty-five degree angle stung my exposed face and whipped my clothing. The bluster cast me at nearly the same angle, as I side stepped forward to the railing to get a better view of this world in the vicinity of the 54th northerly parallel, somewhere off the coast of Labrador. The weather precluded any chance to see stars or the northern lights, as our expedition itinerary had suggested, and I prayed that it didn't preclude the ship's captain and first mate from seeing icebergs in the surrounding sea.
Dim lights illuminated the narrow hallway, as I ambulated in a drunken fashion toward the upper deck. My heart was pounding in my chest, and fear prickled my sweaty palms, as I now realized our large, sea-going vessel was being tossed by turbulent waters in a swath of the Atlantic known as Iceberg Alley.
Suddenly, out of the salty darkness, came a holler. "Sue, over here," yelled Bruce Elfstrom, over the sounds of the winds and crashing waves. It was no surprise that our trip leader was on deck in the middle of the night and actually enjoying the weather, which was apparent from his broad smile. Of Nordic heritage, Elfstrom is a 4WD expert and owns and operates a company called Overland Experts, and makes a living leading off-road expeditions around the globe. A bit of a modern-day Viking, some of his favorite annual trips are to Iceland and Mongolia, as well as the Copper Canyon in Mexico, and he has a 90-acre 4WD track for training and evaluation that he has set up in southern Connecticut.
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