Polar bears are causing concern to a Dublin solicitor who is leading an expedition to the Arctic Circle and whose boat has become trapped in ice.
Mr John Gore-Grimes, an experienced sailor and Arctic explorer, has been stuck in the ice for several days with three other crew members.
In a satellite telephone message to a friend at lunchtime yesterday, Mr Gore-Grimes said the ice had closed in and the number of polar bears round the boat had increased.
The bears are beginning to cause him concern as he is not armed. On previous expeditions Mr Gore-Grimes has taken a high-powered rifle to protect the boat. This time he may have to resort to lighting flares to try to and frighten the bears away.
After leaving Howth Harbour in Co Dublin on July 8th the boat travelled via Norway and stopped to collect supplies. The crew has plenty of food. There is also a desalinator which turns salt water to drinking water.
The vessel, Arctic Fern, is new. Mr Gore-Grimes had it built in Sweden with a hull specially reinforced to withstand ice. On board there is up-to-date equipment and central heating.
The crew also have life suits which can withstand freezing waters.
All they can do is sit and wait for the weather to change. If rescue is needed, it will have to come from Norway, which would have to send a ship with a helicopter on board.
Mr Gore-Grimes and the crew are heading for Franz Josef Land, an island in the Arctic belt where an Irishman landed in 1904. They are due back in Dublin in the first week in September.
Mr Gore-Grimes has been in contact by satellite telephone with photographer Tom Lawlor, who has been on expeditions with him in the past. The most recent call was yesterday at just before 1 p.m.
Mr Lawlor said there were two elements of risk. The first was that there was no rescue helicopter service in that part of the world, but the real danger was the polar bears.
"The main thing is that they obviously don't want a bear to get on the boat. A bear would be able to do this. They are very agile and the most ferocious animals," said Mr Lawlor.
Mr Gore-Grimes is a widower from Howth with four daughters.
There are four other crew: Ms Merryl Huxstable, from Britain; Mr Robert Pendleton, a son-in-law of Mr Gore-Grimes; a nephew, Mr Nico Gore-Grimes; and Mr Andrew Collins from Malahide.
Mr Gore-Grimes is an experienced Arctic explorer. He was the first Irishman to be awarded the prestigious Blue Water Medal of the Cruising Club of the US. He is also a member of the Irish Cruising Club and a Commissioner of Irish Lights.