The 2009 Ice Melt Season Ends

From the National Snow and Ice Data Center, University of Colorado, Boulder (September 17, 2009):

Arctic sea ice reaches annual minimum extent


Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its minimum extent for the year, the third-lowest extent since the start of satellite measurements in 1979. While this year's minimum extent is above the record and near-record minimums of the last two years, it further reinforces the strong negative trend in summertime ice extent observed over the past thirty years.

[Note the amount of sea ice remaining the archepelago.  Even in the best of years that ice remains a challenge for any vessel transitting the Northwest Passage. -RR]

For the complete story click here: http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2009/091709.html

Back from the Ice

Having returned from the "Summer of Cold" on the Northwest Passage, I am in the process of editing my journal, sorting the thousands of photographs and attempting to put the trip into perspective.

This year all but one of the ten vessels (ten that we know about) attempting the Passage completed their goal. No vessels were damaged, no crew members injured, no "Mayday" calls were made and no one "found themselves passengers after the coast guard had to pluck them off boats hopelessly stranded in ice" as was recently reported in an article by the Canadian Press.

The crew of the vessel that did not complete the trip this year will return next year to continue the journey. That they are not completing the trip this year is the result of, not drama, but schedule delays.

Much was made in the blogosphere of the ice encountered by the vessels in 2009. "[That several vessels were at times beset by ice] is a sure sign that climate change is not occurring, proving global warming is a hoax" or "several boats were not properly prepared for the ice." That kind of thing.

What is remarkable is that ordinary ocean going pleasurecraft can now make the Northwest Passage in a single season. Sure it's a bit dangerous.  The ice is still there. To sail the Passage is still a calculated risk. But with planning and care it can now be done.

And that is the point.

It was not too long ago that the only "properly prepared" vessel for the Northwest Passage was an icebreaker.  It's only in the last few years that pleasurecraft, even minimally crewed, fiberglass, unsponsored boats-without-a-cause like Fiona have been able to complete the trip.

I will leave it to scientists to supply the facts and the debaters to hash out why that is possible.

[For more news of Fiona's successful 2009 completion of the Northwest Passage, including the latest position on its continued trip around North America, visit Eric Forsyth's site at www.yachtfiona.com]

-RR

Cambridge Bay

Fiona arrived in Cambridge Bay in fine "shirtsleeve" weather Tuesday evening, just in time for Happy Hour. Sprague Theobald and Chauncey Tanton from the M/V Bagan boarded for drinks and interviews with Fiona's crew. Sprague, an Emmy award winning filmmaker, is producing what he hopes will be a multi-part TV series on the Northwest Passage and the 2009 season in particular.

Bagan and Fiona are two of the ten vessels attempting the Northwest Passage in 2009.

Fiona is watering and fueling.  She will depart on Thursday. Russ, meanwhile, has reached the end of his Fiona saga. He needed to complete his trip before the 7th of September. The earliest Fiona could reach Nome will be September 9th or 10th, too late for Russ to meet his schedule. So, he flew out of Cambridge Bay (using the gravel runway) Wednesday afternoon on a Canadian North 737.

Dease Straits, right off Cambridge Bay, is where Roald Amundsen, coming from the east, first saw the whale ship Charles Hanson, Capt. James McKenna, coming from the west - from the Pacific - back in 1906. "'Vessel in sight, sir!'  With that meeting I knew I had done it.  The Northwest Passage was complete," wrote Amundsen.  The meeting of vessels proved the passage was possible. In Russ' case, he met his first eastbound vessel, Ocean Watch, Capt. Mark Shrader, in Gjoa Haven four days ago.