Blocked By Ice

“We still have about 3200 nautical miles to go to Greenland. The second and third photos are the latest satellite images (from two days ago). Around Utqiagvik, the ice is broken up, but there’s still too much for us to navigate through safely. Get in there and we’d get crushed. The only boat operating there is the US Coast Guard icebreaker Healy. In the Victoria Strait area, there’s still plenty of fast ice—you could probably drive a tank on it. This highlights the challenge of the NWP: sailboats are not fast. By the time we can attempt to pass through, we’ll be in a rush to reach Greenland before the sea starts freezing again at the end of September. Additionally, autumn storms and dark nights pose serious hazards for navigating in icy waters. There’s no time for delays, and there’s also a chance that the ice does not open up enough”