How to identify any iceberg in less than 5 minutes Ice, Ice, Baby How to identify any iceberg in less than 5 minutes A quick 5 minute lesson where you’ll learn to identify any iceberg.

Why Bother? You may be at sea some day, and see an iceberg. Wouldn’t it be nice to know what to call it when you contact the Captain? Or talk to that reporter later on in the lifeboat? You’ll be famous!

It’s Easy! Two Main Types Five Sub-Types Thankfully, it’s easy. There are only two main types, and five sub-types. Let’s get started with the main types.

Main Type #1: Tabular “Tabular” means “Like a Table” First, there’s the Tabular Iceberg. Tabular means “like a table”. You can see the flat top of the table is exactly like the flat top of the tabular iceberg. The other key feature of a tabular iceberg is the shear size. The huge tabular iceberg is a type all by itself, with no subtypes. “Tabular” means “Like a Table”

Main Type #2: NON-Tabular The second type is the (you guessed it) Non-tabular iceberg. This type is not like a table, and the top is anything but flat. Non-tabular icebergs are generally smaller bits that have broken off a glacier or larger iceberg. The non-tabular iceberg has 5 sub-types. “Non-Tabular” means “NOT Like a Table”

Let’s Practice: Tabular or Non-Tabular? Let’s practice identifying the two main types of icebergs. What about this one? Right, it’s big and is flat on top like a table, which means it’s a tabular iceberg. What about the second one? Smaller with a bumpy top means it’s non-tabular. The next one? Sure enough, another non-tabular. How about the last one? Right again, that’s a classic tabular iceberg. Tabular Non-Tabular

Sub-Types Blocky Dome Dry-Dock Pinnacle Wedge For Non-Tabular ONLY: For non-tabular icebergs, there are five sub-types: Blocky, Dome, Dry-Dock, Pinnacle, and Wedge. We’ll take a closer look at each one.

Sub-Type: Blocky The blocky sub type has a squared off appearance. These were once tabular icebergs that have slowly melted and broken apart. Square sided icebergs look like blocks, hence the name: Blocky

Sub-Type: Dome The next sub type is the Dome or Domed iceberg. Just like a building with a nice rounded dome, the dome iceberg has a rounded top.

Sub-Type: Dry Dock This one is a little more tricky. A dry dock is a structure with two sides and a slot in the middle where ships can be serviced. The dry-dock iceberg has two sides made of ice, with a slot in the middle right at the water. It might even be possible to drive a small ship right inside the dry-dock iceberg!

Sub-Type: Pinnacle The pinnacle sub type has a nice pointy part sticking out of the water. Just like the pinnacle of a mountain. See a point on top and you have a pinnacle iceberg.

Sub-Type: Wedge Finally, one of the rarest of sub-types: The Wedge iceberg. This is a blocky or tabular iceberg that has melted so much, the flat part goes down into the water. Just like the wedge for a door connects with the floor, a wedge iceberg connects with the water.

Let’s Practice: Sub types Dome Dry Dock Blocky Pinnacle Wedge Here’s some practice with the five subtypes. First one? Yup, the blocky iceberg looks a bit like a square building block. Next? That’s it, the dome iceberg with a rounded top. How about the middle one? Two sides with water in the middle means this is the dry-dock iceberg. This one? Right again, that’s a classic pinnacle iceberg, with a nice pointy top. How about the last one? Kind of tricky in this picture, but you can see how the flat top slopes down to the water on this Wedge iceberg.

Review: Main Types Tabular Non-tabular Time for a review. There are two main types of icebergs: Tabular and non-tabular.

Review: Sub-Types And for non-tabular icebergs, there are five sub-types Blocky Dome Dry-dock Pinnacle And Wedge

Ready? Time for a “quiz”! Think you’ve got it? Let’s check to see. Remember, you just might see any of these icebergs out there on the water…

Pinnacle Dry-Dock Dome Tabular Block Wedge Draw a line between the ICEBERG and its TYPE: Pinnacle Dry-Dock Dome Tabular Block Wedge Take a look at each iceberg in turn, and try to connect it with it’s name.

Pinnacle Dry-Dock Dome Tabular Block Wedge Answers! Pinnacle Dry-Dock Dome Tabular Block Wedge Now, I’ll fill in the arrows, one at a time. How did you do? Thank you for taking this 5 minute lesson!

Reference http://www.uscg.mil/ LANTAREA/IIP/FAQ/ Icebergs_5.shtml You’ve now successfully identified all the iceberg types you’ll encounter. Thanks for taking this 5 minute lesson. Keep a weather eye on the horizon!