On September 11 2015 the sea ice most likely reached its least extent. If there won’t be any late season melt, this minimum will be the 4th lowest in satellite history. Not as bad as the record year 2012, but still way below the long year average.

This year we had quite some problems with the ice again around Spitsbergen. An ice field hang around for some time in the south-eastern parts. First to the east of Barents- and Edgeøya, afterwards in Storfjord, making it difficult to pass through Freemandsundet. For the casual observer this might seem a good sign, that the ice conditions are improving. But if you look at the bigger picture, there was very little ice again. At the end of the season, when the above mentioned ice field was gone, we had to sail way up north again to find any ice. Our northernmost position was 81º40,7’N, only 926km from the geographical North Pole…