13 July -- Approaching the Pole
During the night of 12 July, between 84 and 87N, we encountered increasing quantities of old ice and the ship's speed reduced accordingly. Throughout today (13 July) we have been engaged with back-and-ramming as old ice has continued to be present and the first year ice has been thicker than yesterday. Throughout the day overall ice coverage has been 9-10/10.
Between 87 and 88.5N (always approximately along the 65E meridian) we have encountered First Year ice of 120cm thickness, very occasionally 140cm when close to 88N. Floes have been Medium-Large and there has been 2-3/10 melt coverage. Melt ponds have been open, some with thaw holes. Snowfall through today has accumulated on the surface of these ponds and gives the illusion that they have a frozen top. Ponds are linked in small groups of 2-3 ponds, but these groups have been discrete from each other. Unusually, several very large (30-60m by 30-40m) ponds have been seen.
Around 87N 1-4/10 of the ice was Multiyear or 2nd-year. This was 200cm thick. Floes Small-Medium, very occasionally Large. 2-3/10 melt pond coverage, all discrete with open tops and no thaw holes.
Around 88N we had 5-6/10 Multiyear ice (with 4-5/10 FY making up the balance), with thickness 2-2.5m. For us this is unusually thick ice on these trips, and there is an unusually large amount of it, in relatively big (Small-Medium, very occasionally Large) floes. Many floes showed a distinct layering, with the old bright blue ice on top, 0.5-1m thick, and greyer first year ice layered beneath.
Between 87 and 88.5N (always approximately along the 65E meridian) we have encountered First Year ice of 120cm thickness, very occasionally 140cm when close to 88N. Floes have been Medium-Large and there has been 2-3/10 melt coverage. Melt ponds have been open, some with thaw holes. Snowfall through today has accumulated on the surface of these ponds and gives the illusion that they have a frozen top. Ponds are linked in small groups of 2-3 ponds, but these groups have been discrete from each other. Unusually, several very large (30-60m by 30-40m) ponds have been seen.
Around 87N 1-4/10 of the ice was Multiyear or 2nd-year. This was 200cm thick. Floes Small-Medium, very occasionally Large. 2-3/10 melt pond coverage, all discrete with open tops and no thaw holes.
Around 88N we had 5-6/10 Multiyear ice (with 4-5/10 FY making up the balance), with thickness 2-2.5m. For us this is unusually thick ice on these trips, and there is an unusually large amount of it, in relatively big (Small-Medium, very occasionally Large) floes. Many floes showed a distinct layering, with the old bright blue ice on top, 0.5-1m thick, and greyer first year ice layered beneath.
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