Saturday, September 2, 2017

                               DELINGPOLE  FREEZES  OVER

       WORD  OF  2016'S  POLAR  NEW YEAR'S  THAW  HAS YET TO REACH

Ship of Fools IV: 

Another Green Arctic Expedition Scuppered by Ice




A sailing expedition to the North Pole to raise awareness of global warming has been forced to turn back, 590 nautical miles short of its destination, after the yachts found their passage blocked by large quantities of an unexpected frozen white substance.

A meeting of the four skippers was held led by Erik de Jong, with Pen Hadow present, and it was agreed further northward progress would increase considerably the risks to the expedition, with very limited scientific reward. The decision to head south, back to an area of less concentrated sea ice in the vicinity of 79 degrees 30 minutes North, was made at 18.30 (Alaskan time).

Breitbart's  answer  to  Admiral Perry didn't mention that this new world  record- sailing  within  ten degrees  of  the North Pole- was achieved  not  by  some  nuclear icebreaker,  but  a pair of  50 foot sloops, nor  does  he  note  last winter's record-breaking Arctic thaw, which saw above freezing temperatures at 85 degrees North on New Year's day ! My fellow Fellows of the Explorer's Club  have this to say about cruising a thousand miles north of Alaska's North Slope:

Arctic Mission – The Voyage

Arctic Mission sets off from Nome in Alaska (USA) in the first week of August. The expedition team will not see land again for six weeks. We will cover about 3,500 miles by the time they return to harbour at Nome in mid-September.
Our two 50 foot yachts, Bagheera and Snow Dragon II, are specially built to sail in waters with sea ice, and the four skippers, two on each boat, are exceptionally experienced in polar seas, and with navigation and safety procedures in sea ice.