North Pole Exped
Apr 18
#13: lovely lead
Published at 17:31
Today's highlights were an epic pressure ridge and a beautiful frozen lead that we followed during our final session. The lead was the standout for me. Perhaps 10 days frozen, a lead such as this becomes a weak point for any pressure to exploit. Hence it was a showcase of beautiful features. Up to a thickness of around 30cm, sea ice will bend due to the elastic properties of salt, creating arches and bridges. Many didn't tolerate the onslaught and had their arcs cracked through. Narrow tide cracks opened and refroze. Other cracks allowed water to flood the surface creating refrozen pools of sludgy ice. Elsewhere pressure caused slabs of ice to raft up onto others, their jagged overhangs creating teetering walls. And delicate frost flowers, finer than feathers, looked like giant snowflakes settled on fresh ice.
This magical place had us transfixed until the lead ended and we were back to the daily grind.
We are half way, 75 of 150km covered. Sweet!
Pics of Paul scuttling away from his careening sled and Jade and Paul at a rest stop.
Eric
- Name: Day 6
- Elevation: 1 m
- Latitude: 89° 20’ 37” North
- Longitude: 139° 46’ 6” East
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