Translation of charakterisieren

Some of the disadvantages are the coldness, darkness and the fact that the days are a lot shorter then as in the summer. First let me tell you what I do not like about the winter. It is the following.
If that gets out of control (riots or support for radicals), there may flourish a steady ground on which the mentioned could reoccur. Then after a while this turns to be nationalism on a larger scale.
Unfortunately, the boat's maneuvering system broke down and we were told that we could not take it. We were furious, but decided to make the best out of the situation. The offered to take the Red Dragon instead.