Sea Women snorkeling the Northwest Passage

Roal Amundsen's Gjoa established
the Northwest Passage 1903 - 1906.

Ten women plan to swim the Northwest Passage.  As sport it makes sense to me.  Why not? Firsts are getting hard to come by.  But dressing it up as a scientific expedition to study the sea ice reminds me of An Empire of Ice.  Scott froze on a glacier taking magnetic measurements while Amundsen made a bee line to the South Pole,and got back without injury to claim the prize and tell the tale.  Amundsen was first to sail the Northwest Passage, establishing the route.  The Norwegians have preserved and restored the Gjoa.  It can be seen at the Fram Museum near Oslo.

Morning Doves among the Hostas

Back River Irish Spring

7:15 AM, opened my eyes

GeorgiaBel ready to launch

Green, gray, low tide

Chased by a Whale //Y 42

Our friend Noam Gans and his wife Dalit skippered a 42 foot Cat from the Caribbean to Portugal, arriving at the end of a 3950 mile ourney just a few days ago.  The story is well told at Hitchhikers Guide to the Atlantic.  This video - chased by a whale - was on the last leg, from the Azores to Portugal.  I particularly enjoyed it because I have just finished Stove by a Whale - Owen Chase and the Essex.  That, of course, ended very badly with resort to cannibalism on the skipper's whale boat. - gwc

U.S. Coast Guard Completes Largest Domestic Icebreaking Operation - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News

U.S. - Canadian icebreakers escort convoys of ore.  The 3 day trip from northern Minnesota
to Gary, Indiana, took 13 days

U.S. Coast Guard Completes Largest Domestic Icebreaking Operation - gCaptain Maritime & Offshore News:

by gCaptain

"The U.S. Coast Guard (USCG) reports today they have concluded Operation Taconite, the nation’s largest domestic ice operation which has enabled commercial shipping traffic to operate on the U.S. Great Lakes through one of the most brutal winters on record.  Besides various liquid and dry cargoes, vast amounts of iron ore from the northern shores of Lake Superior were carried to the steel mills in Lake Erie and Lake Michigan while supported by Coast Guard icebreakers.

The Coast Guard notes that although official statistics have not been released, the 2013-14 winter season likely produced the thickest and most expansive ice cover the Great Lakes has experienced in 35 years."



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Polar ice cap decline 1984 - 2012

Our Changing Climate - climatechange.gov
Sea ice in the Arctic has decreased dramatically since the satellite record began in 1978. Minimum Arctic sea ice extent (which occurs in early to mid-September) has decreased by more than 40%. This decline is unprecedented in the historical record, and the reduction of ice volume and thickness is even greater. Ice thickness decreased by more than 50% from 1958-1976 to 2003-2008. The percentage of the March ice cover made up of thicker ice (ice that has survived a summer melt season) decreased from 75% in the mid-1980s to 45% in 2011

2012

1984

Transom - BB 14

Photos - Google+:




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Geoffrey Vollers' World

Geoffrey Vollers works in wood.  And in the woods.  The Rockland , Maine artist whose favorite childhood activity was playing with blocks has never given it up.  He makes furniture and other useful objects of art, he paints, and he creates worlds fit for Harry Potter and wizards.  He's at Sharp's Point on Mechanic Street, behind the Sail, Power, and Steam Museum. - gwc