Iceberg chunk goes on sale

A very cool item appeared in the Otago Daily Times "for sale" columns this week.

"Iceberg piece, from one off Otago Coast. Donations over $10 to charity."

The 5kg block of ice was taken from the icebergs which passed the Otago coast in November 2006. The icebergs became an international tourist attraction, with sightseers paying more than $300 to fly 80km to them.

The chunk of ice was retrieved from the sea with a landing net when John and Vivienne McLachlan visited the icebergs with friends on their 12.2m charter vessel Vivienne J.

"We put the ad in the ODT because I was sick of it in the freezer," Mrs McLachlan said.

"It's been on the bottom shelf of the freezer for six years. It costs money to keep it." The icebergs, which were up to 1km long and several hundred metres tall, originated from the Ronne Ice Shelf in the Weddell Sea, 13,500km from the New Zealand mainland.

"We had a few whiskies with it on the way home. But then I started thinking it was probably full of penguin and seal poo," Mr McLachlan said.

The appearance of the icebergs confirmed what many Dunedin people believed was an urban myth. It had been reported icebergs were seen off the Otago coast in June 1931, but many were sceptical.

Whoever bought the ice was welcome to give the money to charity, Mrs McLachlan said.

- nigel.benson@odt.co.nz