Re: [Phys-L] just for fun

["Folkerts, Timothy J" <FolkertsT@bartonccc.edu>]

John D says: 
> a) Sorry, I'm not seeing the irony.  Due to abnormal warming, 
> an immense sheet of old, hard, thick ice broke up elsewhere 
> and was carried by an abnormal series of storms to the bay 
> where the ship is.

I haven't heard that explanation for the difficulties.  Do you have some sources for "abnormal warming" in the region this year, and that the ice came from "elsewhere" due to "abnormal storms"?  

I ask because Antarctica has seen an increasing trend in sea ice, capped by a record this year for the most sea ice ever in the 35 years of satellite measurement.  (http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/capital-weather-gang/wp/2013/09/23/antarctic-sea-ice-hit-35-year-record-high-saturday/).  Currently, there is still above-average ice all along the coast nearest Australia and NZ where the ship was.  (http://nsidc.org/data/seaice_index/images/daily_images/S_bm_extent_hires.png) 

That would suggest that extra ice this year is not some anomalous sheet blown in, but the typical conditions in the entire region this year.