Location: Lat: 72 20.033 N Long: 145 59.64 W

    Sunrise: 10:08 am Sunset: 5:00 pm

    Today we officially have one week left on board the Polar Sea - we disembark on Sunday, November 1st and then I make the trek back home to the San Francisco Bay Area. I am both excited to return home to my students, my husband and my cat, but also sad to be leaving this rich experience that I have been able to be part of.

    Unfortunately, the weather has not changed enough in order to fly safely - so we were grounded yet another day. However, we remain hopeful for better weather conditions tomorrow.

    We have been surrounded by thick multi-year ice floes that require much more force to break through than before. Today we had to use the turbine engine for the first time this trip to break through a ridge of ice.

    Sun on the Sea Ice
    Sun bouncing off the ice on a clear sunny day in the Arctic.

    Sea Ice
    Nothing around as far as we can see, except for ice.

    Polar Sea breaks ice!
    The Polar Sea cuts right though the thick ice - the blue color means it is muliyear ice (ice that has survived at least 2 summers).

    It is mesmerizing to sit and watch the ship cut through the thick ice. As we are moving from one location to another, I often enjoy standing on the bridge to watch the ice. Despite being on board for 5 weeks, the ice is one sight I don't tire of. Here is a short video clip to help you imagine what the ice looks like as we cut through it.

    http://

    Date
    Weather Summary
    Cloudy and windy
    Temperature
    21.2
    Wind Chill
    6.8

    Comments