We’ve had the opportunity to decompress over the last week and reflect on our arctic experience. We communicated with Eric Solomon – Vancouver Aquarium’s Director of Arctic Programs – to share our experience and he made some interesting points in regard to the ice we experienced on the strangely cold year in the arctic:
“It’s about putting it all in context, really.” He states, “For example, this year’s sea ice extent is still 1.41 million square kilometers below the 1981-2010 average, and is the 6th lowest sea ice extent in the satellite record. The ice that (you) guys encountered says more about where the ice was over the last 2 months than how much ice there has been over-all. There is, for example, a big hole in the ice near the North Pole right now. Meanwhile, the winds have been blowing a lot of ice down into the Archipelago and into the region where (you) guys have been rowing.”
Climate change is happening and is being evidenced even during a cold year like we just experienced.
The ultimate proof of global warming would be a new ice age.
COLD………….the new global warming. Get some now.
“Climate change is happening”
Can someone get them to define climate change? Is it something new?
Where I’m sitting was under a few thousand feet of ice just 8500 years ago.
I for one welcome climate change like this.
Cold to warm == good
Warm to cold != good
What makes the ’81-2010 avg. the gold standard? What was it in 1750 or 1350 or pick a year? It seems absurd to think a deviation from that is somehow to be worried about. 1.4 Million sq.km. is a lot of ice. Frankly, who cares, except these over-privileged snots who seem to have too much time and money and they flit around trying to justify their existence, seeking thrills and get their names in the paper.
I knew that! Eddie? How much did it cost?
they will say the CO2 tipped the Earth the wrong way causing an ice age due to global warming
Here’s a new one for you Steve. Or maybe not so new. “Time change, it’s happening!”
It’s strange that Eric Solomon says that they were stopped by ice that had blown in when they had previously carried the following quote:
Richard Weber, my teammate to the South Pole in 2009 and without doubt the most accomplished polar skier alive today, is owner and operator of Arctic Watch on Cunningham Inlet at the northern end of Somerset Island. Arctic Watch faces out onto our proposed eastern route. Richard dropped me a note the other day advising: “This has been the coldest season with the most ice since we started Arctic Watch in 2000. Almost no whales. The NWPassage is still blocked with ice. Some of the bays still have not melted!”
Or, fundamental change is happening.
There must be a Latin term (anyone?) for the kind of “reasoning” where you ignore the primary fact (record ice growth) and argue your case from peripheral observations (6th lowest ice in 34 years). I am reminded of the Soviet-era newspaper article about a two man race between an American and a Russian: “Our noble communist athlete finished second, while the American finished next-to-last.” Can you tell who won?
Our guy finished one out of first; your guy finished next to last.
Change is to climate as wet is to water.
Scary, isn’t it?
Strangely cold Arctic.. Where’s Reggie gone? 🙂