Extremely challenging ice conditions in the Northwest Passage are disrupting high-yielding expedition voyages for two expedition cruise operators.
Ponant announced that due to the ice conditions, as well as a poor weather outlook, it is currently unable to sail through the Northwest Passage. Two ships, Le Boreal and Le Soleal, are altering their routes and will continue their expedition voyages to Kangerlussuaq (Greenland), which they will reach on September 10 and 18, respectively.
Hurtigruten is in a similar situation with the Fram.
“This year’s ice conditions in the area are proving to be quite different from previous years; the current conditions in the Victoria and James Ross Straits are such that unfortunately, no ordinary ship can sail through the area,” the company said, in a prepared statement.
h/t nold
For those interested, there’s a terrific website “Charctic” that allows you to track sea ice extent daily. You can compare results for the same date since the beginning of the satellite era.
For example, there was more sea ice yesterday in the Arctic than in 2007 and about 35% more than the all time low in 2012.
http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/charctic-interactive-sea-ice-graph/
Does Al Gore know about this ? He’s been awful quiet about this.
Don’t look now, but there’s more ice in the Arctic now than there was in 2007. http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/charctic-interactive-sea-ice-graph/
And let’s not forget that there are dozens more icebreakers operating today than there was in 2007, which the climate scientists don’t adjust for in their adjustments.
“And let’s not forget that there are dozens more icebreakers operating today than there was in 2007”
Without the icebreakers clearing a path, how many of those pleasure craft would have had the slightest chance of ‘sailing’ the NW passage? If puttering along behind an icebreaker, all the while powered by fossil fuel makes these guys sailors then I’m an atomic physicist.
Calling Catherine McKenna ,pay attention Barbie !
Just going by St. John’s i’d say that there has been gradual cooling, overall, over the last 40 years.
….Members of the Global Warming Cult, don’t believe your lying eyes!
Someone mentioned Al Gore. In 2009 he predicted that the Arctic would be ice free in five to seven years.
Well, nine years have passed since. We are now very near the annual low point in Arctic sea ice. On September 11, the ice extent was 4.690 million square kilometers.
Perphaps they should just hit the polar ice cap, bounce off once, then send a zodiac to collect fresh ice for their drinks.
The tourists will be happy, the ship will remain intact, and it will be one hell of a party.
Then they can sail home.
Snow and -2 C at both Edmonton and Red Deer in recent reports.
when reality and idiocy collide.
“no ordinary ship”
well shyt, just build a 500,000 ton ice breaker run on solar energy. there, fixed it.
I am fearful to some extent, at the abject apalling stooooopidity in the world today as shows up in these posts. is it because of the instant access to information billy gates bragged about?
nope. humahns are just getting dumber and dumber. I blame the edjukashun cystem.
What, pray, is a “high-yielding expedition?” One with high-paying passengers? BTW the scientific information from these “expeditions” will be null.
The company, Ponant, calls its cruises “expeditions,” I see.
Inside their online information section, a customer, or perhaps a former customer, says,
“If you want to pay Top $ for Top Rudeness Ponant is for you.”
Nice.