Wintry adventure

Winter has its challenges, as residents of Northern New York well know.

Much has been reported of the mid-Atlantic states' efforts to cope with repeated snowstorms this season and unusually wintry conditions. Europe has faced harsh, icy conditions as well this winter.

One example: It is not unusual for ice to build up in the Baltic Sea off the coast of Sweden. But large ships traversing the waters from Sweden to Finland generally can complete their journeys.

That was not the case last week when dozens of ships found themselves trapped in Baltic Sea pack ice off the Swedish coast. Most of them were traveling to or from Finland when chill winds from the north created the icy conditions.

Several passenger ferries became trapped, including the Amorella, which had 1,000 people aboard. Three other ferries carrying a total of 1,000 passengers were stuck as well on Thursday.

The Swedish Maritime Administration had issued an ice warning, but most ships discounted the travel advisory, Spiegel Online reported. Ice breakers were deployed, but icy winds made conditions difficult.

The vessels eventually were freed, but some spent up to 24 hours locked in the Baltic ice in the northern reaches of the archipelago that surrounds Stockholm. The Amorella returned to Stockholm Friday morning, but not before colliding "lightly" with a cargo ship that was also stuck.

One spokesman for the Swedish Maritime Administration said that he did not recall so many ships being stuck at one time since the mid-1980s.

Winter has a way of changing travelers' plans, but being ice-locked on the Baltic Sea would be especially daunting.