Pack ice at sunset, 27 Jan 2012, 22:38. As we headed south across the Southern Ocean from New Zealand, on route to the Ross Sea in Antarctica, we encountered a long barrier of pack ice. At the narrowest point it was approximately 100 km deep, with no guarantee the ship (which was not an icebreaker) would be able to pass through it safely and successfully. The journey was slow, giving passengers plenty of time to enjoy the changing light on the ice, the water, and the sky.