We found the US Coast Guard Cutter Healy stationed off the coast of Barrow when we came in. The Healy and the Louis have worked on joint missions in the past, notably a polar expedition in 1994.
(Zoe Sandwith)
The weather was very fair for a quick transit back. There was little ice to slow us down and we seemed to make a speedy 15 knots for most of the trip. The fog also held off most of the way and the seas were very calm with the Louis being the only disturbance around.
(Zoe Sandwith)
The ice has been pretty sparse and scattered on the south-western portion of the Canada Basin. This piece was one that must have formerly been land-fast based on the dirt and sediment in it. It has since moved out into the basin and as it melts the terrestrial material will drop out. This is an important mechanism for adding nutrients into the system. The scenery has been very eerie and disorienting: the water has been so still, and the cloud cover so even that it is nearly impossible to tell it from the sky.
(Zoe Sandwith)Text, images, graphics and other material contained on this website are subject to copyright. For more information or to license material, please contact the Director of Digital Assets, images@whoi.edu or (508) 289-2647.
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