Leaving Franz Josef Land's Fast Ice

We have spent the day in southern Franz Josef Land. At Tikhaya Bukhta we had broken up Cake-sized floes of first year ice, and some fast ice in the back of the bays.

Further east, around Hall and McClintock Islands, we had extensive 1st year fast ice 30cm thick, 4-5/10 coverage of melt ponds which were linked and open-topped; all had thaw holes and the ice is becoming rotten.

Towards the south of the channel between Hall and Hooker Islands at Cape Teghettoff the fast ice gave way to broken Cake/Small sized floes of the same ice, but with many heavy ridged sections which are up to 3m thick.

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