The behemoth known as A23a, a block of ice twice the size of Greater London, has finally stopped drifting and wedged itself neatly onto the continental shelf of South Georgia. It’s been roaming the Southern Ocean for years, but now it’s stuck—like an ancient, frozen ghost ship that ran out of places to haunt.
This trillion-tonne relic actually broke away from Antarctica back in 1986. It spent over three decades lounging in the Weddell Sea before finally deciding to make a move. Since 2020, it’s been floating north, carried by the same ocean currents that once ferried Ernest Shackleton’s lifeboat. But warm waters and relentless waves are taking their toll, and soon, A23a will start crumbling into a flotilla of smaller, potentially hazardous ice chunks.
For now, it’s mostly harmless—unless you’re a fishing vessel that doesn’t enjoy playing dodge-the-iceberg. Scientists say that as A23a melts, it will release a cascade of nutrients, creating a temporary buffet for local wildlife. Penguins and seals won’t have to work as hard for their next meal, which is probably the closest thing nature has to a silver lining.
The British Antarctic Survey has been tracking this floating continent since 2020. In late 2023, it got temporarily trapped in something called a “Taylor column,” essentially an oceanic whirlpool that kept it spinning in one spot like a lost Roomba. But in early 2024, it finally broke free and drifted straight for South Georgia, where it now sits, unmoving.
At its peak, A23a measured around 1,540 square miles—big enough to swallow up cities without noticing. Right now, it’s grounded about 56 miles from South Georgia’s shores. Its nearest point is just 45 miles away, which is uncomfortably close for an island that’s no stranger to ecological disasters.
Dr. Andrew Meijers, an oceanographer with the British Antarctic Survey, reassures that unless this ice giant suddenly gets an attitude and starts moving again, local wildlife should be just fine. But given that Antarctica has a history of producing icebergs the size of countries, nobody’s taking any bets.
Five Fast Facts
- South Georgia was once the site of one of the largest whaling stations in the world, making it a historic hotspot for maritime carnage.
- The Weddell Sea, where A23a spent most of its life, is known for having some of the clearest water on the planet—so clear, it’s been compared to distilled water.
- Penguins on South Georgia include the King Penguin, which can dive to depths over 300 meters—almost the height of the Eiffel Tower.
- In 1916, Ernest Shackleton famously landed on South Georgia after a grueling Antarctic expedition, proving that sometimes, survival is just about showing up in the right place.
- The largest iceberg ever recorded was B15, which broke off Antarctica in 2000 and originally measured over 4,200 square miles—larger than Jamaica.