Blue Water News

900 Record Highs Across the USA

2012-01-11T09:06:00.000-08:00

Wow. Record-setting January weather. This reminds me very much of the winter of 2006-7 when lakes all through the upper Midwest did not freeze over the winter. Many of these signs were present as I headed north to attempt the Northwest Passage by sailboat. As we all know, the summer of 2007 turned out to be the record-setting loss of ice year of all-time. I am afraid we are going to see that again this coming summer. I don't understand how anyone can deny what is really happening anymore...

Change in Arctic More than Just Science

2011-11-28T06:39:00.001-08:00

I have been following trends in the Arctic for quite some time now but two recent stories have caught my eye as reported in the Arctic Portal, a great source for Arctic news- http://www.arcticportal.org/news

I hear the arguments going on all the time in the lower 48. Skeptics versus scientists and all the "real"
people who live and work in the Arctic get lost and forgotten in this senseless debate. I firmly believe in the struggles of the real people and animals who live and work in the region to tell the story of a changing Arctic in a different but much more effective way than the scientists who produce effective but sometimes confusing data.

The two stories here offer real-life data in real time documenting the on-going future and trends in the
once frozen region:

Climate Change Leading to Starving Dogs

Lack of ice is hindering hunting in Greenland. Humans are not the only one who rely on hunting in, the dogs in Qaanaaq are starving.

The weather and climate change are causing problems in Greenland. Five years ago the sea ice had frozen in early November, making hunting for dog food easy, hunting both seals and fish.

This year it is unforeseen when the ice will freeze.

Northern Sea Route Closes for the Season

The Northern Sea Route shipping season is now over. New ice forming in the Arctic ocean hinders any more shipping. This is the longest shipping season ever, one month longer then last year.

The Perseverance was both the first and last vessel this year to go the route, the first one was the 29th of June and the last one today. The ship transported stable gas condensate from Murmansk in Russia to China, with the help of a Russian icebreaker.Russia’s Ministry of Transport believes cargo transport through the NSR will increase from 1.8 million tons in 2010 to 64 million tons by 2020.

Need any more proof that the Arctic is now open for business? The sad story from this is that the native peoples of the region will have a harder time sustaining themselves with the on-going
changes to their new environment.

Arctic Ice Reaches Summer Minimum

2011-09-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

According the NSIDC (National Snow and Ice Data Center) the Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its lowest extent for the year. The minimum ice extent was the second lowest in the satellite record, after 2007, and continues the decadal trend of rapidly decreasing summer sea ice.

Conditions in context:
The last five years (2007 to 2011) have been the five lowest extents in the continuous satellite record, which extends back to 1979. While the record low year of 2007 was marked by a combination of weather conditions that favored ice loss (including clearer skies, favorable wind patterns, and warm temperatures), this year has shown more typical weather patterns but continued warmth over the Arctic. This supports the idea that the Arctic sea ice cover is continuing to thin. Models and remote sensing data also indicate this is the case.

Arctic Ice Loss in August

2011-09-13T07:22:00.000-07:00

August 2011 compared to previous years.
Average Arctic sea ice extent for August 2011 was the second-lowest for August in the satellite data record. Including 2011 the linear trend for August now stands at –9.3% per decade.

The Northern Sea Route and NW Passage are simultaneously open. The door is open for commerce in the north and many countries are taking advantage of this. This new trend should be another sign and confirmation that climate change in rapidly changing the earth's environments.

Massive Change in Greenland Ice

2011-09-01T09:10:00.001-07:00

By Ian Johnstonmsnbc.com 2011-09-01T14:43:21

New photographs taken of a vast glacier in northern Greenland have revealed the astonishing rate of the glacial breakup, with one scientist saying he was rendered "speechless."

"The break-off last year is bigger than anything seen for at least 150 years," glacial researcher Alun Hubbard said.

Taken nearly two years apart, the photos show the extent of the ice loss. The channel is about ten miles wide.Scientists returned in July this year and found the ice had been melting so quickly that some of their research masts stuck into the glacier were no longer in position.Hubbard, who has been working with Jason Box, of Ohio State University, and others, said in a statement issued by the Byrd Polar Research Center that scientists were still trying to work out how fast the glacier was moving and the effect on the ice sheet feeding the glacier.

"Although I knew what to expect in terms of ice loss from satellite imagery, I was still completely unprepared for the gob-smacking scale of the break-up, which rendered me speechless," he said in the statement."I'm very familiar with the glacier. It's very hard to sort of envisage something so big not being there ... to come back and basically see an ice shelf has disappeared, which is 20 kilometers across (about 12 miles) ... I was speechless and started laughing because I couldn't sort of believe it," Hubbard added, speaking to msnbc.com.

"This region (northern Greenland) is experiencing temperatures which are abnormally warm ... I think the far northwest of Greenland is seeing a kind of new regime of climate," he added.

Northwest Passage Wide Open

2011-08-18T08:42:00.000-07:00

The infamous Northwest Passage is wide open again and small boats are pushing through both from the east and the west. I have had reports of 11 documented vessels making the attempt currently with no doubt a few others that will pop up on the radar screen in the weeks to come.

The passage opened early this year year with unprecedented melting through July. The melting slowed briefly but now a large high pressure system is parked over the area and sunny days will no doubt thin any remaining ice. The ice has even disappeared north of Resolute and Lancaster Sound allowing exploring of regions north which have been inaccessible to now.

The only question remaining now is how far and wide will the melt continue this season? The melt season extends through September and there is a very real chance that this year could mark another epic year of ice loss comparable or exceeding the record year of 2007 when we on Cloud Nine made our east-west transit.

I will be watching ice charts and keeping close watch. If you are interested in further details, watch the posting here or contact me personally through the website.

Arctic Ice Loss Linked to Human Activity

2011-08-16T09:33:00.000-07:00

ANCHORAGE, Alaska: About half of the recent record loss of Arctic sea ice can be blamed on global warming caused by human activity, a leading climate research centre has found.

The study, funded by the US National Science Foundation is the first to attribute a specific proportion of the ice melt to greenhouse gases and pollution.

It used one of the world's most sophisticated climate models to reach its conclusions, said lead author Jennifer Kay, a scientist at the National Centre for Atmospheric Research in Colorado. The paper was published last week in the journal Geophysical Research Letters.

"There's no doubt about it - sea ice is going away," she said. "What we found was that about half of that trend is related to the increasing greenhouse gases."

The study said the melting of the ice pack was no short-term fluke but an actual change in climate.

Earlier research determined greenhouse gases were responsible for some loss of sea ice, but no one had been able to establish how big a part they played.

Read more: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/humans-to-blame-for-half-of-arctic-sea-ice-melt-says-study-20110815-1iuv0.html#ixzz1VD7ORXwH

Tundra Burning

2011-07-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

This is an amazing story from the Arctic tundra which I had not heard before. Reported on NPR this morning with the long story in the magazine "Nature." Image by Alaska Fire Service.

"The Arctic tundra has been relatively thunderstorm-free for 10,000 years. But conditions are changing in the far north, and in 2007 a lightning strike caused the biggest wildfire ever recorded on the North Slope of Alaska. The tundra is normally a carbon sink, but scientists report in the journal Nature that that single fire released more carbon into the atmosphere than the entire Arctic tundra absorbs every year."

2011 Arctic Summer Ice Melt

2011-07-18T14:22:00.000-07:00

As with recent summers past, the Arctic is continuing to warm and it looks like the cycle is repeating itself again this summer with huge losses of ice coming up and maybe even nearing the record loss of ice in the 2007 season when we made our transit of the NW Passage from east to west on Cloud Nine.

The National Snow and Ice Center is one of the foremost "legitimate" data collectors in
the ice business and here is their most recent report as of today:

Early sea ice melt onset, snow cover retreat indicates rapid 2011 summer decline. NSIDC

Arctic sea ice extent declined at a rapid pace through the first half of July, and is now tracking below the year 2007, which saw the record minimum September extent. The rapid decline in the past few weeks is related to persistent above-average temperatures and an early start to melt. Snow cover over Northern Eurasia was especially low in May and June, continuing the pattern seen in April.

This will be an interesting summer and early fall to track and I will keep you posted here. No doubt there will be a record number of small boats again trying for the "ice-free" Northwest Passage.

Linkage- Vatican and Dalai Lama- Big Climate Voices

2011-05-10T19:25:00.000-07:00

Catholic Church and Dalai Lama now agree with the scientific community...

VATICAN CITY By NICOLE WINFIELD (AP)-- A Vatican-appointed panel of scientists has reported what climate change experts have been warning for years: the Earth is getting warmer, glaciers are melting, and urgent measures are necessary to stem the damage.

The scientists called for urgent reduction of carbon dioxide emissions and reductions in methane and other pollutants that warm the air, and for improved observation of mountain glaciers to better track their changes.

The Pontifical Academy of Sciences, a Vatican advisory panel, hosted a conference last month on the causes and consequences of retreating mountain glaciers. Its final report, dated May 5 and signed by independent glaciologists, climate scientists, meteorologists and chemists, was posted on the Vatican website Tuesday.

"We appeal to all nations to develop and implement, without delay, effective and fair policies to reduce the causes and impacts of climate change on communities and ecosystems, including mountain glaciers and their watersheds, aware that we all live in the same home," the report said.

"We are committed to ensuring that all inhabitants of this planet receive their daily bread, fresh air to breathe and clean water to drink as we are aware that, if we want justice and peace, we must protect the habitat that sustains us."

Dalai Lama and Himalayan Glaciers

2011-04-02T12:10:00.000-07:00

NEW DELHI (AP) -- The Dalai Lama said Saturday that India should be seriously concerned about the melting of glaciers in the Tibetan plateau as millions of Indians use water that comes from there.

The Tibetan spiritual leader quoted Chinese experts as saying that the Tibetan glaciers were retreating faster than any elsewhere in the world.

He called for special attention to ecology in Tibet. "It's something very, very essential," he said.

The glaciers are considered vital lifelines for Asian rivers, including the Indus and the Ganges. Once they vanish, water supplies in those regions will be threatened.

As these major rivers come from the Tibetan plateau and "since millions of Indians use water coming from the Himalayan glacier, so you have certain right to show your concern about ecology of that plateau," the Dalai Lama told an audience of about 400 Indians.

"India, a free country, I think should express more serious concern, that's I think important. This is nothing to do with politics, just everybody's interest, including Chinese people also," he said.

Rising demand has put a strain on access to freshwater in India and China – which are home to more than a third of the world's population.

Ethanol Subsidies and Production

2011-03-26T08:25:00.000-07:00

Time for more "real" debate on energy alternatives. Our Senator from Iowa, Charles Grassley, has been a huge proponent of ethanol and there is no arguing that it has been a good thing for putting cash in midwest farmers' pockets, but at what cost to our environment again? And is it really doing anything to help ween us off fossil fuels?

True cost economics says no way. We continue to put our soil resources to maximum use sending top soil down stream along with more farm chemicals creating a bigger dead zone in the Gulf, growing a renewable food source for unnecessary energy offsets and all the time subsidizing this with billions of taxpayer dollars.

Really people, time for some efficiency. Drill baby drill is not the answer, nor is ethanol, nor are more nuclear plants, coal plants. Efficiency and conservation are the bridges we need now. Better fuel efficiency, for example. An increase of 1 mpg fuel efficiency offsets all the potential oil which could be extracted from the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and then we not only keep the refuge pristine, we keep that oil as a real strategic reserve for a time when it may be truly needed not just to keep us in "cheap" gas and oil.

From the Des Moines Register opinion page article on Grassley's ethanol argument:

Energy Security, by the Environmental Working Group

"In 2010 America burned about 12.8 billion gallons of ethanol. But since a gallon of ethanol yields one-third less energy than gasoline, we reduced gasoline consumption only 8.7 billion gallons. We could achieve the same degree of "security" at no cost to taxpayers by increasing average fuel efficiency by just 1.5 miles per gallon. Simply keeping tires properly inflated would do that. The $5.8 billion a year that taxpayers give oil companies to blend ethanol with gasoline buys no real security gains."

This is an example of the real and bigger discussion which needs to take place around energy issues.

MIT Finally Comes Around

2011-03-18T07:59:00.000-07:00

MIT has been a mixed bag when it comes to climate science but finally seems to be
coming to a scientific consensus with a new joint study of the earth's climate...

M.I.T. joins climate realists, doubles its projection of global warming by 2100 to 5.1°C
February 23, 2009

The Massachusetts Institute of Technology Joint Program on the Science and Policy of Climate Change has joined the climate realists. The realists are the growing group of scientists who understand that the business as usual emissions path leads to unmitigated catastrophe (see, for instance, “Hadley Center: “Catastrophic” 5-7°C warming by 2100 on current emissions path” and below).

The Program issued a remarkable, though little-remarked-on, report in January, “Probabilistic Forecast for 21st Century Climate Based on Uncertainties in Emissions (without Policy) and Climate Parameters,” by over a dozen leading experts. They reanalyzed their model’s 2003 projections model using the latest data, and concluded:

The MIT Integrated Global System Model is used to make probabilistic projections of climate change from 1861 to 2100. Since the model’s first projections were published in 2003 substantial improvements have been made to the model and improved estimates of the probability distributions of uncertain input parameters have become available. The new projections are considerably warmer than the 2003 projections, e.g., the median surface warming in 2091 to 2100 is 5.1°C compared to 2.4°C in the earlier study.

Ice Sheet Melt Becomes Major Concern

2011-03-10T11:38:00.000-08:00

This is fascinating science. I am not surprised by this and it tracks with everything which I have been witnessing in 20 years of polar travel.

Research from Geographical Research Letters, Posted By Joanna Zelman, 03/10/11

Ice sheets are now the largest contributor to rising sea levels, a new report has found. If ice sheets continue to melt at their current rates, sea levels may rise over 12 inches in the next four decades.

The study was conducted over the course of 20 years, and the results will be published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters. The group of researchers examined monthly satellite measurements between 1992 and 2009, using climate model data. The research shows that in 2006, Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets lost a combined mass of 475 gigatonnes -- this ice loss can raise the global sea level by 1.3 millimeters per year.

Ice sheets are melting at a steadily increasing rate. Over the course of the study, the ice sheets lost about an additional 36 gigatonnes per year, compared to each year before.

Melting ice caps have often taken the spotlight, but melting ice sheets are now dwindling at a faster rate than the ice caps and glaciers. Though melting ice caps are certainly worthy of concern, their rate of loss has been three times smaller than the acceleration rate at which ice sheets are melting.

The report’s lead author, Eric Rignot of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory, is not surprised that ice sheets will now contribute the most to sea level rise. But, Rignot remarks, “What is surprising is this increased contribution by the ice sheets is already happening.

How would these rising sea levels affect us? Another recent study, reported in the journal Climate Change Letters, shows that rising sea levels may threaten 180 U.S. cities by 2100.

U.N. reports have predicted that because of climate change, the world will have 50 million environmental refugees by 2020. That’s less than 10 years from now.

As ice sheets melt at a faster pace, environmental refugees flee their homes, and major cities sink underwater, will climate change finally be taken seriously by everyone?

Permafrost Melt Soon Irreversible

2011-02-20T20:42:00.000-08:00

During the Around the Americas expedition in 2009-10, the crew of Ocean Watch spent time with researchers in the Barrow, AK, tundra. Permafrost is a huge area of concern with climate change as so much of the earth's methane has been locked in the frost and stored, releasing slowly. The article below is troubling indeed...

Published on Sunday, February 20, 2011 by Inter Press Service
by Stephen Leahy

UXBRIDGE - Thawing permafrost is threatening to overwhelm attempts to keep the planet from getting too hot for human survival.

Without major reductions in the use of fossil fuels, as much as two-thirds of the world's gigantic storehouse of frozen carbon could be released, a new study reported. That would push global temperatures several degrees higher, making large parts of the planet uninhabitable.

Once the Arctic gets warm enough, the carbon and methane emissions from thawing permafrost will kick-start a feedback that will amplify the current warming rate, says Kevin Schaefer, a scientist at the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado. That will likely be irreversible.

And we're less than 20 years from this tipping point. Schaefer prefers to use the term "starting point" for when the 13 million square kilometres of permafrost in Alaska, Canada, Siberia and parts of Europe becomes a major new source of carbon emissions.

"Our model projects a starting point 15 to 20 years from now," Schaefer told IPS.

Arctic Current Warmer than for 2,000 years

2011-02-11T08:50:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, 08 February 2011 Reuters

The North Atlantic current flowing into the Arctic Ocean is warmer than for at least 2,000 years in a sign that global warming is likely to bring ice-free seas around the North Pole in summers, a study showed. Scientists said that waters at the northern end of the Gulf Stream, between Greenland and the Norwegian archipelago of Svalbard, averaged 6 degrees Celsius (42.80F) in recent summers, warmer than at natural peaks during Roman or Medieval times.

"The temperature is unprecedented in the past 2,000 years," lead author Robert Spielhagen of the Academy of Sciences, Humanities and Literature in Mainz, Germany, told Reuters of the study in Friday's edition of the journal Science.

The summer water temperatures, reconstructed from the makeup of tiny organisms buried in sediments in the Fram strait, have risen from an average 5.2 degrees Celsius (41.36F) from 1890-2007 and about 3.4C (38.12F) in the previous 1,900 years. The findings were a new sign that human activities were stoking modern warming since temperatures are above past warm periods linked to swings in the sun's output that enabled, for instance, the Vikings to farm in Greenland in Medieval times.

"We found that modern Fram Strait water temperatures are well outside the natural bounds," Thomas Marchitto, of the University of Colorado at Boulder, one of the authors, said in a statement. The Fram strait is the main carrier of ocean heat to the Arctic.

Black Carbon is Big Problem

2011-02-09T14:26:00.000-08:00

Whether it is in our oceans or deposited in our lungs, on the snow-capped Rockies or Arctic ice, Black Carbon is one of the major problems on the planet in regards to change in climate and health.

We met scientists at the UCSD's Scripps Institute working on low tech solutions for the developing countries.

In a story by Martin Kaste on NPR, here is some of the story...

Almost half the world still cooks its food with solid fuels, such as wood and charcoal.

The results are deforestation and black carbon, which contributes to global warming. And smoke-related disease kills an estimated 1.6 million people a year.

Read more-
http://www.npr.org/2011/02/09/133598036/engineers-hone-clean-energy-stoves-for-the-world

More Ice Diminishes

2011-02-01T07:33:00.001-08:00

The least sea ice in 800 years
Friday, 03 July 2009 09:01

New research, conducted by the Niels Bohr Institute at the University of Copenhagen and published in the scientific journal Climate Dynamics, maintains that the sea ice in the Arctic sea between Greenland and Svalbard has reached the smallest size it has been in 800 years.

The research combined information about the climate found in ice cores from an ice cap on Svalbard and from the annual growth rings of trees in Finland. The data about the ice cover was gathered from the logbooks of whaling- and fishing ships dating back to the 16th century as well as from records from harbors in Iceland, where the sea ice coverage has been recorded since the end of the 18th century. By combining these two sets of information the researchers were able to track the sea ice all the way back to the 13th century.

The sea ice has been at the minimum also before, first in the late 13th century and later in the mid 17th and mid 18th century. The researchers maintain, however, that these periods were in no case as persistent as the decline of the sea ice in the 20th century when the ice diminished 300 000 square km in ten years. The sea ice has been at its largest from the seventeenth to the nineteenth centuries, during a period called the Little Ice Age.

From the Arctic Portal website (great website for Arctic news)-
http://www.arcticportal.org/news/arctic-portal-news-2009?start=10

Alaska Marine Science Symposium - Polar Bears

2011-01-28T06:34:00.000-08:00

Ocean Watch Captain Mark Schrader was recently in Alaska and came across this amazing polar bear story which quite frankly has stretched my imagination to a new extreme. This is the new world of the polar bear...

"Between 26 August and 4 September, 2008, a radio collared adult female polar bear swam 687 km through ice-free waters north from the Alaskan Beaufort Sea coast to offshore pack ice. The bear then intermittently swam or walked on the sea ice surface an additional 1800 km until her recapture on the Beaufort Sea coast on 26 October 2008. During the 687 km swim, collar activity sensors and GPS data showed that the bear swam CONTINUOUSLY without rest for 232 hours. During the 9 day swim her body temperature declined and between her first capture and subsequent recapture she lost 22% of her body weight and lost her yearling cub."

Sea Warming Effects Cod

2011-01-20T07:07:00.000-08:00

Scandinavian sea may get too warm for cod

By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

OSLO | Tue Jan 18, 2011 1:30am IST

OSLO (Reuters) - Climate change could make a sea in southern Scandinavia too warm for Atlantic cod and rising water temperatures may be stunting the growth of young fish, a study showed on Monday.

The report, drawing on records since 1919 of more than 100,000 juvenile cod caught and measured in the Skagerrak area off south Norway, gives some of the most detailed evidence yet of how global warming may affect commercial fish stocks.

More on the 2010 Heat/Extremes

2011-01-20T06:46:00.000-08:00

GENEVA — The warmest year on record is a three-way tie: 2010, 2005 and 1998.

So says the U.N. weather agency, providing further evidence Thursday that the planet is slowly but surely heating up.

Average temperatures globally last year were 0.95 degrees Fahrenheit (0.53 Celsius) higher than the 1961-90 mean that is used for comparison purposes, according to World Meteorological Organization.

"The 2010 data confirm the Earth's significant long-term warming trend," said Michel Jarraud, WMO's top official. He added that the ten warmest years after records began in 1854 have all occurred since 1998.

But rising global temperatures over the last century are causing climate experts to worry. Most atmospheric scientists attribute the change to carbon dioxide and gases released into the air by gasoline-burning engines and other industrial processes. The gases tend to trap heat in the atmosphere like a greenhouse.

The Geneva-based global weather agency noted that last year's extreme weather – notably the heat wave in Russia and monsoon flooding in Pakistan – has continued into the new year. It also cited the heavy floods in Sri Lanka, the Philippines, Brazil and Australia as examples.

The year 2010 also was the wettest on record, according to the Global Historical Climatology Network. But since rain and snowfall patterns varied greatly around the world, scientists say more research is needed to establish a link between the warmer temperatures with the unusual moisture.

Record Heat Again, Especially in the Arctic

2011-01-12T19:01:00.000-08:00

NOAA Report by Doyle Rice, USA Today

2010 tied with 2005 as the warmest year of the global surface temperature record, according to data released today by the National Climatic Data Center. Records began in 1880. The Earth's temperature was 1.12 degrees F above the 20th-century average, which was the same as 2005.

It was the 34th-consecutive year that the global temperature were above average, according to the data center. The last below-average year was 1976.
The global land surface temperatures for 2010 were the warmest on record at 1.8 F above the 20th-century average.

Warmer-than-average temperatures occurred for most of the world's surface. The warmest temperatures occurred throughout the high-latitude regions of the Northern Hemisphere, Canada, Alaska, the tropical Atlantic Ocean, the Middle East, Eastern Europe and northern Africa.

Nine of the Earth's 10 warmest years on record have occurred since 2001, and all 12 of the warmest years have occurred since 1997.

The satellite data shows that the globe continues to warm unevenly, with warming increasing as you go north: The Arctic Ocean has warmed an average of almost 3 degrees in the past 32 years.

Record Heat Record Flooding

2010-09-28T06:37:00.001-07:00

You do not have to search very far this year to find the extremes in the weather patterns. We just experienced the all-time record rains and flooding in September here in the upper Midwest. 10 1/2 inches of rain in the autumn is unheard of and it is causing havoc and chaos with evacuations, road closures and extensive farm damage throughout the region.

But it is not just here. Check out what happened in Russia this summer for instance, or maybe the little flooding situation in Pakistan and one begins to see the picture. 14 countries around the world experienced all-time record temperatures for the year.

Closer to home again in the USA, Los Angeles finds itself in the middle of the hottest weather ever recorded. According to the LA Times, "The National Weather Service's thermometer for downtown Los Angeles headed into uncharted territory at 12:15 p.m. Monday, reaching 113 degrees for the first time since records began being kept in 1877."

Can anyone really doubt that the weather patterns are changing? Really skeptics out there, what say ye these days?

Not so fast!

2010-09-28T06:34:00.000-07:00

According to the NSIDC the Arctic ice conditions starting degrading and melting again extending the melt season even further. Scientists are collecting data and making observations currently and will post their findings soon. Stay tuned for more....

Arctic Ice reaches maximum melt.

2010-09-20T06:44:00.000-07:00

According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean has reached its maximum melt for the summer season and has now started refreezing. It is another record year and three out of the last four years have seen the most melting ever recorded.

"This is only the third time in the satellite record that ice extent has fallen below 5 million square kilometers (1.93 million square miles), and all those occurrences have been within the past four years. The minimum for 2009 was 5.10 million square kilometers (1.97 million square miles), fourth lowest in the satellite record.

Despite a late start to the melt season, the ice extent declined rapidly thereafter, with record daily average ice loss rates for the Arctic as a whole for May and June. Assuming that we have indeed reached the seasonal minimum extent, 2010 would have the shortest melt season in the satellite record, spanning 163 days between the seasonal maximum and minimum ice extents." NSIDC

Circumnavigate the North Pole?

2010-09-09T05:31:00.000-07:00

The Northwest and Northeast Passages around the North Pole including the entire Arctic Ocean are wide open for the first time and a couple vessels are trying to take advantage of the extensive melting to complete these passages.

End of summer approaches for Arctic sea ice - From the Nat. Snow and Ice Data Center

Arctic sea ice generally reaches its annual minimum extent in mid-September. This August, ice extent was the second lowest in the satellite record, after 2007. On September 3, ice extent dropped below the seasonal minimum for 2009 to become the third lowest in the satellite record.

The Northwest Passage and the Northern Sea Route are largely free of ice, allowing the potential for a circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean. At least two expeditions are attempting this feat, the Norwegian explorer Borge Ousland and the Peter I yacht from Russia.

One Year Ago

2010-08-26T14:22:00.000-07:00

A year ago we on Ocean Watch rolled through Bellot Strait and into ice-free water on our way to complete the Northwest Passage. As of today the passage is completely open, although not the Bellot Strait route this year. The traditional Amundsen route north south through Peel Sound is allowing boats traversing the passage through from both directions as this ice chart shows.

Northwest Passage

2010-08-23T09:38:00.000-07:00

Hello All,

Thought it would be a good time to check in on this year's Northwest Passage conditions. As of this past weekend, the passage is open and boats are now moving through from both east and west.

Ice conditions have once again deteriorated and it appears the fabled NW Passage will be free of ice through September and once again a record number of boats will make the long traverse through northern waters.

This year's loss of ice could rival the record year of 2007 when we on Cloud Nine were the first American boat in history to go east to west, Roald Amundsen's route. We will have the data the end of September.

Back looking at Climate Change

2010-08-13T08:57:00.000-07:00

Now that the Around the America's expedition is wrapped up it is time to refocus on the lessons learned from the voyage and also what is taking place this summer.

For years we have all been reading about the side effects of "climate change" and one of the biggest is erratic changes in local weather patterns. While east coasters were pooh poohing global warming after their cold, snowy winter, the weather heated up and the four warmest months in history were recorded. This follows exactly as scientists have been predicted. There is weather and there is climate and there is a huge difference in the two.

Here are a few examples of the crazy, erratic weather taking place worldwide, including right here on the "Midwest Coast" of the Iowa Great Lakes where I live:

RUSSIA

It has been the hottest summer ever recorded in Russia, with Moscow temperatures topping 100 degrees Fahrenheit for the first time. Russia’s drought has sparked hundreds of wildfires in forests and dried peat bogs, blanketing Moscow with a toxic smog that lifted yesterday after six days. The Russian capital’s death rate doubled to 700 people a day at one point. The drought reduced the wheat harvest by more than one-third.

The 2007 Intergovernmental Panel report predicted a doubling of disastrous droughts in Russia this century and cited studies foreseeing catastrophic fires in dry years. It also said that Russia would suffer large crop losses.

PAKISTAN

The heaviest monsoon rains on record, 12 inches in one 36-hour period, have sent rivers rampaging over huge swaths of countryside, flooding thousands of villages. It has left 14 million Pakistanis homeless or otherwise affected and killed 1,500.

The government calls it the worst natural disaster in the nation’s history.

A warmer atmosphere can hold and discharge more water. The 2007 report said rains have grown heavier for 40 years over north Pakistan and predicted greater flooding this century in south Asia’s monsoon region.

CHINA

China is witnessing its worst floods in decades, the World Meteorological Organization says, particularly in the northwest province of Gansu. There, floods and landslides last weekend killed at least 1,100 people and left more than 600 missing, feared swept away, or buried beneath mud and debris.

The Intergovernmental Panel reported in 2007 that rains had increased in northwest China by up to 33 percent since 1961 and that floods nationwide had increased sevenfold since the 1950s. It predicted still more frequent flooding this century.

UNITED STATES

In Iowa, soaked by its wettest 36-month period in 127 years of recordkeeping, floods from three nights of rain this week forced hundreds from their homes and killed a 16-year-old girl. The international climate panel projected increased US precipitation this century, except for the Southwest, and more extreme rain events causing flooding.
© 2010 Associated Press

Back in the USA

2010-05-22T14:34:00.000-07:00

It took 26,000 miles to get here, but we are back in the USA with stops in San Diego hosted by the SD Maritime Museum then on up the west coast.

The visit to Scripps Institution of Oceanography in La Jolla was a huge highlight covering topics with scientists ranging from the North Pacific Gyre and the associated plastic garbage patch to climate change and the Keeling curve, the climate record that started it all by Scripps scientist Charles Keeling.

I had my family and Kirsty there on the San Diego dock upon arrival, so it was especially great getting in to see everyone. We found we had another fan of Ocean Watch and Around the Americas project in Bill Walton, the great basketball center who is quite an environmental activist. He had many insightful words about our oceans and the state of the planet and gave us a great boost of energy when we were just a little depleted.

The Pt. Dume Marine Academy was remarkable in Malibu with a school assembly of 300 grade school kids and then a science lab full of more extremely bright children who know their issues. On we went to Los Angeles and Marina Del Rey. More school groups and insightful children who give us faith in the future. They will make the necessary and hard changes which must be made but cannot by the current generation in power.

Now we are in Santa Barbara. Again more school groups and presentations at the SB Maritime Museum, our kind and gracious hosts. Captain Mark Schrader's father, Richard, lives here in town and at age 93 was on the dock to greet us. Special moment.

As happens, there is a gale, in fact, multiple gales. We are stuck in Santa Barbara while some of the crew split for Monterey. The hard core four, Mark, Dave Logan, Herb McCormick and I will sail the boat to Monterey and San Francisco. Nothing is ever easy out here, that is for sure.

We have published four features for Cruising World now with a new June article on the shelf with our Cape Horn article. Check it out. We continue to do our science along the way and are all busy working hard on the mission of this great Around the Americas expedition.

I will try to post more now with photos so stay tuned and watch for some website updates soon. Bye for now.

David

Arrival in Mexico

2010-04-17T12:36:00.000-07:00

Greetings from Acapulco. After 24,000 miles of sailing and over 40 stops around the Americas, we on Ocean Watch are one country and a few weeks from arriving back in the USA in San Diego May 4th. Wow, what a long, strange, fascinating trip it has been.

Just arrived from Costa Rica where we witnessed damaged reefs first hand on the eastern, Caribbean side of the country. This is the direct result of chemical applications and run-off from the banana plantations. Very tragic. The Galapagos Islands were hot and quite interesting. It was humbling to be in the land of Darwin and see first-hand many of the species he observed. They face all kinds of environmental threats there but probably the greatest threat currently is this very strong El Nino we are observing. The El Nino of 1982 caused the extinction of one species and devastated bird, tortoise and marine populations.

We sailed around Cape Horn in January and into the fiords and southern channels of Chile, one of the most beautiful areas of the world. Unfortunately, fish farming is omnipresent and destroying the marine environment in the channels. We exited Chile just before the devastating earthquake which destroyed the marina we had been at in Valparaiso.

The sail from Miami east and eventually south was marked by strong anti-currents and adverse trade winds. Very tough going and very, very hot along the coast of Brazil. It was above 90 degrees day and night in our main cabin and bunks for a solid six weeks. Holidays in Punta Del Este, Uruguay, and Mar Del Plata, Argentina. The surprise for us was the Falkland Islands. We met young scientists who are documenting all the species of the islands. A highlight was the King Penguin colony we observed and the rugged field trip out to the site.

Just a few highlights. Great voyage, wonderful experiences all.

Best to you all. Cheers! David

East Coast USA

2009-10-25T06:35:00.000-07:00

Miami ends our east coat run which has included stops in Boston, Newport, New York City,
Charleston and now Miami.

The crew of Ocean Watch has encountered many people from all walks of life from school children to top scientists in their respective fields of study. We are spreading the word by story-telling, presentations and news media of issues, especially in the Arctic, of changes to seas, oceans, ice, and culture.

While climate change remains the over-riding big issue tying all things together, the tropical and equatorial topics are changing the discussions now to coral reefs, bleaching, ocean acidification, currents, and fishery issues. These are just a few of the subjects we will be looking at as we move east to Puerto Rico and southeast to Brazil and beyond.

Keep up with us at aroundtheamericas.org

Thanks all, David

Halifax, Nova Scotia

2009-09-19T11:19:00.000-07:00

Well, after 8000 miles of sailing through the NW Passage from Seattle we are in our last Canadian port in the beautiful maritime city of Halifax. There is an open boat tour tomorrow and then I am off to speak at the New England aquarium in Boston on Monday. Whirlwind for sure.

Just as suspected, data is coming in and once again confirming the Arctic Sea ice is continuing its downward trend. Only the last two years have seen lower ice concentrations. Here is the latest from the NSIDC:

September 17, 2009
Arctic sea ice reaches annual minimum extent

Arctic sea ice appears to have reached its minimum extent for the year, the third-lowest extent since the start of satellite measurements in 1979. While this year’s minimum extent is above the record and near-record minimums of the last two years, it further reinforces the strong negative trend in summertime ice extent observed over the past thirty years.

St. John's, Newfoundland

2009-09-12T12:45:00.000-07:00

Ocean Watch sailed south of the Arctic Circle this past week and officially left the Arctic and in doing so completed the historic west to east transit of the Northwest Passage. We are the first American vessel to ever achieve this in a single season from the west and only the third small American vessel of any kind to make the easterly passage.

There were a record number of vessels attempting the passage this season another sure sign of a changing climate in the north. There will certainly be more and more attempts in the years to come. This comes with other consequences as sailors and boaters of any and all skill levels will be trying the north. The Canadian Coast Guard will be put to the test and as we found out this summer with another sailboat, it is very expensive when assistance is requested. The Canadian icebreaker burned through $25,000 in fuel to come to the assistance of the small sailboat only to find the owner had freed themselves of danger and not bothered to let the Canadian Coast Guard know. One of many stories.

The multi-year ice is diminishing and the cycle is in place for further melting. There is quite a discussion about how many events, such as the dramatic 2007 melt, the polar ice cap can withstand. I encourage everyone to take a serious look at the issue. Very easy to find information online. Here is some of the latest from the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC):

August 2009 compared to past years

Arctic sea ice extent for August 2009 was the third lowest August since 1978, continuing the downward trend observed over the last three decades. Only 2007 and 2008 had lower ice extent during August. The long-term trend indicates a decline of 8.7% per decade in August ice extent since 1979.

Now we are heading south and on to Halifax, Boston, NYC, Charleston, and Miami. Our focus will shift into the science, education, and presentation modes. We look forward to the challenges ahead.

Again, thank you to all who have assisted us on Ocean Watch and those of you who have helped me in so many ways in a more personal manner.

See you in a port closer to home very soon...

Completed Northwest Passage

2009-08-30T16:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, August 30th. Pond Inlet, Nunavut, Canada

Ocean Watch finally turned south and headed down Navy Board Inlet to this picturesque little Canadian hamlet on Baffin Island. We made it! Tomorrow we fuel up and head out into Baffin Bay and head south to ice-free waters and St. John's, Newfoundland.

We became the first American vessel in history to make the west to east passage in a single year and only the third American small vessel to ever complete a west to east passage. Amazing in 2009 there remains such small numbers, but they will be growing as more vessels hear it is doable. Probably 9-10 small vessels of various nationalities will make the passage this year. A record.

I am the first American sailor to make the Northwest Passage in both directions, and for sure the first to make the passage both directions in a single year (sailed on Roger Swanson's Cloud Nine, 2007, east to west). Of course a sailor from Iowa would do that, right, but I typify what is happening with more explorers of all walks of life, in all kinds of boats coming further north.

While some folks have been saying there was more ice this year and climate change therefore is not happening, I point once again to a record number of boats completing the NW Passage and the ice dissintegrating again, although slightly later than the last two years.

Actually all the warming and melting the last two years contributed to more ice in the channels here through the passage as older ice wwas released from the more northern pack ice and freed up to move south into more ice free waters and then refreeze with new, first-year ice more susceptible to the melt season. Older ice is thicker and less prone to the summer melt season. These were the factors this summer for our attempt.

Lots to study, data to assemble, and presentations to ready as we now head south on Ocean Watch to poulation centers along the eastern seaboard of both continents and discuss sea and ocean issues with scientists, educators, school children and the public at large. We cannot wait to have and share these opportunities with you.

Thanks to all who have assisted me personally and Ocean Watch in general. Could not have done it without you. More to come soon along the path as we head south to the Arctic Circle now and exit the Arctic, my sixth time across this northern boundary.

Stayed tuned to the Ocean Watch website (link to the right). Great work accumulating there and we have a surprise in a book being published and released for our NYC arrival! New articles in Cruising World, BoatUS, and Soundings magazines. Real Science online also has good coverage.

Thanks again everyone. See you very soon in a port near you! Signing off for now.
Photographer and crewmember, David Thoreson over and out of here.

A few highlights from recent events.

2009-08-18T09:20:00.000-07:00

Yes that is DT looking for open leads in the pack ice and at last, finding them. Also we found the Brits in the small boat (www.arcticmariner.org) and my pictures on the Jumbotron on Times Sqare, NYC.... and so we on Ocean Watch roll on to Gjoa Haven.

Arrived in Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Arctic Canada

2009-08-16T20:55:00.000-07:00

August 16 Cambridge Bay, Nunavut, Canada

It has been some three weeks since updating my blog. Apologies but hey you know it has been a somewhat busy time in life.

We have sailed from Barrow, Alaska, to Cambridge Bay, a great NW Passage stop in the Canadian territory of Nunavut, 200 miles north of the Arctic Circle. There are three sailboats (maybe four as I write) here doing the passage and the first east to west boat has just arrived. This is a French sailboat captained by the famous French sailor/racer Philippe Poupon. He is with his wife, four kids and a dog.

We on Ocean Watch have encountered great people and gathered rich experiences along the path at Cooper Island with George Divoky, Herschel Island and its great whaling history, Tuktoyaktuk and traditional hunting/fishing, Summer's Harbour and Pearce Point with amazing landscapes, nature, and new friends. We found lots of ice in Amundsen Gulf and worked our way through the maze and discovered two British Royal Marines doing the passage in an open 17' sailboat. And then went ice-free and sailed unencumbered into Cambridge last night.

Ice reports look pretty good to run over to Gjoa Haven, Roald Amundsen's infamous winter harbor for two years. Then we will see what happens in the channels to the north. Right now we enjoy a break and try to soak in the experiences and fathom the issues of the Arctic.

Ice Waiting in Barrow

2009-07-18T09:39:00.001-07:00

Barrow is proving to be quite a stop with now three Northwest Passage sailboats in the area. The Canadian Open Passage Expedition is in town. I consulted with Cameron Dueck over a year ago on how to transit the passage. Now here he and crew are, poised to move east, investigate for themselves, and see what happens. The other vessel is Baloum Gwen, a custom 49-foot metal sailboat skippered by Thierry Fabing of France which did the passage last year east to west. Now they are attempting to go back west to east. I believe this is unprecedented.

Everyone is looking at climate change issues. We have been meeting with NOAA scientists and whale experts including native eskimo whale captains. We played soccer on the blue field and while there heard stories of houses here in Barrow becoming unstable because the pilings weren't deep enough into the now unfrozen "permafrost." Traditional deep food storage in the permafrost is now in jeopardy as they need to be up to 25 feet deep instead of the 12-15. Hunters and fisherman are falling through the ice even in winter as warmer, fast-moving currents are melting the ice from beneath.

Today we listened to much of the Pt. Hope, Alaska, energy conference where oil companies were doing their usual things offering gifts of high-payng jobs and thriving local economies if only they are allowed to drill n Arctic waters. Native people are wondering what happens to their subsistence fishing and hunting when whales ears explode from seismic testing or these waters are fouled by an oil spill.
There are no large ship ports in the north and it is very shall. Quick response to a spill is virtually impossible.

These are a few of the issues and items we ponder as we wait for ice to clear to the east and continue on into the heart of the NW Passage.

Ice Outlook from National Snow and Ice Data Center

2009-07-15T07:07:00.000-07:00

This is a quote from the NSIDC which leaves some speculation as to what is taking place up here this summer. Sounds similar to my 2007 success on Cloud Nine but less rapid breakup of the ice. What will we see?

The Arctic is now in the midst of the summer melt season. Through most of June, ice extent tracked below the 1979 to 2000 average, and slightly above the levels recorded during June 2007. Warm temperatures and southerly winds led to quickly declining ice concentration in some regions, such as the Laptev Sea.

The contrast between high and low pressure is broadly similar to the atmospheric circulation pattern that set up in 2007. In 2007, that pattern contributed to a significantly accelerated decline in ice extent during July, and a record minimum low in September. Will the same acceleration in ice melt occur this year? If so, a new record low minimum extent becomes more likely. So far, an acceleration has not been observed. As July progresses, the Arctic sun gets lower on the horizon, incoming solar energy decreases, and the chances of such a rapid decline become less likely.

Photos From Nome to Barrow- From Ice to Science

2009-07-15T00:38:00.000-07:00

Top of the World

2009-07-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

July 14, 2009 Barrow, Alaska
Here we are at our icy corner where we make a hard starboard and head east and into the heart of the Northwest Passage. But for now some rest and regrouping is going on aboard Ocean Watch. Our young mate Tyler Osberg left this morning and our educator, Zeta Strickland has arrived and is aboard OW to Boston now.

We had plenty of ice coming into Barrow and had to slip in close and take a shore lead through 1-3 tenths ice. Some trying conditions to make it in. We anchored off the downtown boatramp and immediately the current pushing ice like bowling balls our way. Within a couple minutes of dropping the anchor we had a huge ice floe on our anchor chain. Three of us grabbed ice poles and tried to pivot it off. No way. After some back and forth a piece broke off and the imbalance allowed us to spin it off.

We had to move. Around Pt Barrow we went. Found a better anchorage after 1-2 tenths ice and dropped the hook. 0530 July 13th. It had been 12 hours in the ice. We were beat.

Right in the middle of the big ice floe nailing our chain, Dave and Herb saw a "sea monster." A huge jellyfish. So we had science going on also in the midst of the chaos. Off went Michael, Bryan and Tyler for the jellyfish kit. We landed the biggest jelly yet and dissected it for a sample. Jellyfish as we now know are the "canary in the coal mines" of the seas and oceans. They tell us much about the health of our ecosystems so this is a huge part of our work aboard Ocean Watch. Sometimes science just happens at strange moments indeed.

The passage from Nome was eventful. Great sailing, Bering Strait, crossing the Arctic Circle and sailing the Chukchi Sea. The midnight sun was just as ordered on a spectacular evening off Icy Cape northward. Herb and I got some great kayaking in off Cape Lisburne above the Circle on a beautiful evening and we recovered a grounded Arctic research buoy on the way up here. We have been very busy out at sea.

Ice reports look favorable. We will wait a few days before proceeding east and hope a nice lead opens up for a great run to Herschel Island and Tuktoyuktuk. In the meantime, Barrow and an interesting community and some surprises to come...
DT signing off for now.

French Kayaker in Nome

2009-07-06T12:45:00.000-07:00

We have a new friend. Jean-Gabriel Chelala just rescued from the Bering Sea in his kayak is now in Nome. He is fine but his dream has temporarily ended. He will soon try to get going again in Russia. I will tell more of the story here shortly. We just had breakfast while he told the Ocean Watch crew his amazing story. There are many news media links out there. Google- French kayaker rescued.

Happy Independence Day

2009-07-04T01:15:00.000-07:00

Happy Independence Day to all. I want to say that I am thankful everyday that I am fortunate enough to be out here experiencing the beautiful natural world. Yes, it is under seige from many directions, but yet one must still sit back, enjoy and be in awe of the wonderful spectacle which only the natural world can supply. We must protect our natural resources for future generations.

Media Accumulating

2009-07-03T10:27:00.000-07:00

Starting to be some good media stories out on our venture from the University of Washington, NASA, to REAL Science. Bad internet here in Nome, but please Google some of these sources if you have time. Thanks

Ice Forecast from the Canadian Ice Service

2009-07-02T13:45:00.000-07:00

Well folks read this and make your own informed decision as we proceed in the Northwest Passage next week by crossing the Arctic Circle. You can get ice reports from the "links" button on my website and go to the Canadian Ice Service. Same ice info we have. Good luck with your own anaysis....

The only region where mean temperatures were above normal was in the Resolute
Bay area. The breakup pattern is quite normal for the Central Arctic region
except for the eastern Barrow Strait region which is already depleted of ice; this
typically occurs in the third week of July. In the Western Arctic region, the
breakup pattern is 1-3 weeks early in many coastal areas and by as much as one
month in isolated areas. During the last 2 weeks of June, open drift or less ice
conditions into Wainwright developed as well as an open water route between
Cape Lisburne and Point Barrow albeit small areas of coastal fast ice are still
present north of Wainwright. Kugmallit Bay cleared of ice during the last week of
June and some fast ice still lingers in the northeastern entrance to Mackenzie
Bay; the clearing of Mackenzie Bay is already 2 weeks late. The fast ice in
Amundsen Gulf and along the Tuktoyaktuk Peninsula fractured; this occurred 7
to 10 days earlier than expected. A 60 to 100-mile wide area containing very little
ice developed along the southern Beaufort Sea west of Banks Island all the way
to just east of Point Barrow. This wide area quickly shrinks to only a few miles
wide north and northeast of Point Barrow.

A Few Photos

2009-07-01T17:32:00.000-07:00

Ocean Watch arrives in Nome, Alaska

2009-07-01T16:46:00.000-07:00

Again, lots of catch up but I am keeping a few notes daily and posting when we arrive.
Sitting at the Nugget Inn where OW has a room for working and off boat water usage. No water on our dockspace. Cleaned up the boat this AM. The local gold dredgers are more busy than ever. Gold rush times again. Now on to work....

Saturday, June 27 Bering Sea
0830 lazy morning departure from Dutch Harbor after quite a sleep by the crew; guess we all needed it. Dutch was its usual blend of locals, native peoples and company workers. The single entity is UniSea, a huge fishing top to bottom conglomerate who literally owns everything in Dutch from the bar and hospital to the police station. Mostly foreign workers from Asia Pacific rim. We learned that the fishery out here is changing. Fishing boats are having to venture farther away and Russia is effecting Dutch with their Barents Sea operations and transplanting species into that realm. Calm now in the Bering. Heading to Nome. Lots of birds and an unknown whale today with lots of scars. Now 100 nm offshore.

Sunday, June 28 Bering Sea
Great sailing day in the Bering Sea. Roaring along efficiently with the constant hum which begins at about 8 knots. Knocking off miles.

Monday, June 29 Bering Sea, Nunivak Is.
Just off Cape Vancouver near old friend Nunivak Island where Cloud Nine stopped going south in the lee of a big southern blow. Now Ocean Watch has stopped for a different purpose in calm, shallow waters (under 40') to do some science. Taking some jellyfish samples and doing some underwater accoustics with the hydrophone. Perfect opportunity to do some video interviews also.

Oh yes, and we identified the whale. It is a somewhat rare sighting of a Baird's Beaked whale. They are not seen often but are here in these waters of the Alaskan Gulf, Bering Sea and Northern Pacific waters.

We now are closing in on 3000 miles of sailing by Nome. What have we learned thus far? Ocean Watch has spent this time in the Pacific Northwest, Canadian/Alaskan Inside Passages, Gulf of AK, Aleutians and now Bering Sea/Norton Sound. The common theme in all is fisheries. The state of these fisheries is a mixed bag at best.

The native fisheries of Alert Bay are very strained and younger people have lost interest in fishing as a livelihood, but the sea remains alive in their culture. Upland issues in forests (over-logging, etc), like the Tongass, for example, lead to numerous problems downstream for the fisheries, as does commercial development. Farmed fish are a major competitor, but also pose a health/food safety risk as do all confined animal farming operations. Over-fishing and illegal fishing continue to plague the industry. Cruise ships have a huge impact on local communities/cultures and tax the infrastructure. A growing human population worldwide adds to the stresses already on the fisheries.

Climate change and ocean acidification are extremely complex additions to the equation. We sailed through an area of the Gulf of Alaska which is a "carbon sink" with a lower pH and is more acidic. The oceans and seas are absorbing CO2 at an alarming rate, an unsustainable one. The warming trend associated with a changing climate attracts invasive species and forces fisherman into more remote areas using more fuel in the process. Alaskan Polluck are heading north to cooler waters for instance.

Alaskans are fortunate to have had some good leadership but the continued popularity of seafood in growing population centers worldwide is going to add tremendous stress on an already stressed system. These are a few of the things which I, and we, on Ocean Watch are trying to learn more about and share as we can.

Tuesday, June 30th Norton Sound, Alaska
Last leg in. Under 100 miles. Into Nome tonight. Fantastic passage. Translated this means quiet, safe, and free of big moments. So different than 2 years ago. Looking forward to our open house and presentations in Nome on July 2nd.

Wednesday, July 1 Nome, Alaska
Arrived at dock 0030 Hrs. Safe and dry. Ready for our Nome visit.

Dutch Harbor, Alaska. Big milestone.

2009-06-23T20:38:00.000-07:00

OK folks. Here is some catch up. Lots of work to do in Dutch Harbor, AK, on the world's deadliest sailboat, Ocean Watch.

Monday, June 15 Hoonah, Alaska
Sitting at the dock in Hoonah, AK, after a short run yesterday from Juneau. "Hoonahlulu" as we are calling it is a little, mostly native, fishing village on Chichigof Is. It will be the last stop before Dutch Harbor. Our scientist, Micheal Reynolds, has his probe in the water this morning taking multiple readings in the harbor, including acoustic measurements. Not much for sun/cloud info today as it is overcast and raining. Captain Schrader shared some wonderful stories last night from his solo days, especially from the Falkland Islands where he had a magnificent adventure in a time of war and conflict.

Tuesday, June 16 Gulf of Alaska
Making our crossing of the Gulf now on our way to Dutch Harbor. About 1000 miles from the little "hobbit" town of Elfin Cove where wooden boardwalks wind around the entire town and you have a constant feeling of being in someone's living room. We departed from this funny little hamlet into Cross Sound at 0700 and are now some 100+ miles off the coast.

The weather cleared and we could clearly see the Glacier Bay wilderness in the distance and then at over 60 miles offshore, the majestic St Elias Mountain range popped up above the clouds. At 19,551 feet, Mount Logan anchors this remote coastal range. Glassy seas and little wind. Ocean Watch motors along this evening looking for some clear skies and lot of stars on a moonless night.

Thursday, June 18 Gulf of Alaska
Happy Birthday Mom! Miss you, sailing the blue waters of Okoboji, all my great friends and loved ones.

Friday, June 19 Gulf of Alaska
Now 450 miles as the crow flies to Dutch Harbor. Should be in Monday morning. Long slog through these waters. Confused sea yesterday after some really good sailing Wednesday. Miles pass, days fade, discussions come and go. Drifting into more science today and the carbon "sink" we are sailing through which is the northern Pacific and Gulf of Alaska where the waters are more acidic (less basic) than the world average. This is an important function of the world's seas and oceans as a "sink" but they are being overwhelmed by the shear amount of carbon in the atmosphere to absorb. See my blog on the AtA site on 6/20.

Saturday, June 20 Gulf of Alaska
The Gulf is kicked up. Right in our face. Just took the second reef and it was messy. Night, dark, dangerous. All of the above. About 175 miles east of the Shumagin Island group, then another 175 to the cut at Unimak Pass.

Sunday, June 21 Gulf of AK
Happy summer solstice. Funny how I have wished this from the north a few times, cold lonely places far away. But in these places there is discovery. We are crossing Cloud Nine's rumb line from a couple years ago. Dutch Harbor Seems an eternity away. 2200- later, things have settled down. Problem is still wind on our nose. Cooling off too. Now 5.5 C. Starting to look for Shishaldin Volcano, 9500' of wow.

Monday, June 22 Unimak Island, AK
Found Shishaldin and its mate, Isanotski Peak. These are amazing formations along the Aleutian Islands. You almost expect them to blow at any time. Shishaldin is a perfect cone volcano. Alaska has 10% of the world’s earthquakes and is situated on the "ring of fire." I remember this area well and use the image I took two years ago in my presentations on climate change.

Tuesday, June 23 Dutch Harbor, AK
We made it! 0230 hrs arrival. Back at the commercial fishing dock where Cloud Nine was two years ago after finding no room in the small boat harbor. Made a bit of a toast together at 0330. A long, long sail across the Gulf against the grain. 1100 miles. Big milestone here folks. We can now go north and set the table for the NW Passage. Got in the bunk at 0400. Sleep came easy. Lot's to do now in Dutch. Science lecture and slideshow tonight to begin. First, breakfast and shower, not necessarily in that order. Look for photos and twitter feeds... Happy to be here.

Check In Checking Out

2009-06-14T09:05:00.000-07:00

Hello All,
It has been an extraordinary trip to Juneau. We absolutely had a great time here learned so much from all the dedicated folks in and around this beautiful area. Thanks especially to Theresa and Jeff. You two are amazing. And my personal port hosts (complete with Iowa connection) Bill and Nancy, you two rock! The salmon bake with a fire on their green roof yesterday was a real highlight.

Now on to Dutch Harbor. A long 1000 mile passage through the Gulf of Alaska where two years ago we had 60+ knots and big seas. This will be the first big test of Ocean Watch at sea since Seattle. Please stay tuned to the AtA website; Herb and I will be doing weblogs and updates. I will work on the image library and get that all up and going. We have over a year out here and things are developing as we go, so bear with me and the voyage and it will iron out. Take care out there. Check in soon.
David

Greetings from Juneau

2009-06-11T21:45:00.000-07:00

Hello All, lots going on to say the least. We have had a fantastic visit to Juneau full of science, education and media. Lots of work being done aboard Ocean Watch and we have our first big open house tomorrow. Mark and Michael did radio interviews with Alaska Public Radio and we were on the Juneau Empire front page two days in a row. So excellent local press- http://www.juneauempire.com/stories/060809/loc_448715983.shtml

Yesterday we had a visit and interview with Susan Murray and Christopher Krenz from OCEANA. Their offices are right here in Juneau. Check them out. They are dedicated to ocean and sea issues, legislative initiatives, and active public campaigns. http://www.oceana.org/north-america/home/

Last night our scientist, Michael Reynolds, was the keynote speaker at the University of Alaska SE here in the Juneau area. Mark Schrader also spoke and I did a slide show to illustrate our journey up to this point and time. First time out of the blocks for all of us. It went very well.

Today we hiked up to Mendenhall Glacier with glaciologist, Roman Motyka. We learned more about the rapidly receding glacier and the cumulative effect this is having in the north, especially in Greenland with its massive ice cap.

Ice reports continue to come in from the Arctic. After a slow beginning to the melt season, the Arctic's ice is beginning it's seasonal melt and is proceeding at a rapid rate of loss. We are expecting the usual pattern of the last couple seasons where the Northwest Passage is completely open once again. Probably good for us, not so good for the planet.

We saw lots of wildlife on the way up especially after entering Alaskan waters. We observed Orcas, lots of dolphins playing wonderfully about the bow, eagles, and a couple humpbacks. We stopped and dissected a jellyfish for sampling and did some acoustic testing. All in all, a great trip north. Just the way we envisioned it could happen.

Alert Bay and out to Sea to Juneau

2009-06-06T13:27:00.000-07:00

Watch for a big update from Juneau...
Amazing storyteller William in beautiful and culturally rich Alert Bay.

Campbell River, Vancouver Island, BC

2009-06-04T15:46:00.000-07:00

Unbelievable stop. We are here with the former owners of Ocean Watch.

Victoria, CANADA

2009-06-02T08:03:00.000-07:00

Arrived yesterday. Lots to do today. Leave tomorrow for Juneau. Great day yesterday with Carol Hasse and great sailmaking team. More later...

Voyage of Ocean Watch Begins

2009-06-01T07:55:00.001-07:00

At 1200 Hours, May 31, 2009, the 64' steel sailing vessel, Ocean Watch, left the dock in Seattle on her 25,000 mile voyage of discovery. It was a scramble to be sure to get going, but thanks to first mate, Dave Logan, and his fine team, we made in the nick of time. We have a great send-off, lots of media, the public, and even bagpipes. 20 people on board made for a festive atmosphere for the short go to Port Townsend, a lovely sea-faring town full of characters and wooden crafts of all sorts. Fantastic home-cooked me for us and wonderful people. Off to Victoria Canada today. Stay tuned, we have begun.

Thoughts from David Rockefeller-
David Rockefeller, Jr., co-founder of Sailors for the Sea, said, “ This project is definitely an expedition for our times. The health of our oceans is important to all of us, not just those who live by the sea. Our food sources, our climate and even the air we breathe are dependent on the vast ocean systems. Around the Americas will demonstrate both the current deterioration of the ocean condition and what we as individuals can do to reverse or at least slow the negative effects.”

Preparing For Ocean Watch Launch May 31

2009-05-28T19:27:00.000-07:00

Final preparations are taking place in Seattle for the launch this weekend of the Around the Americas expedition. The boat is frantically being finished off by Dave Logan and his team. Final science and educational materials being put in place including lots of cool stuff on board for kids. We are all being trained to be citizen scientists. We have Saturday night events and a Sunday morning send off at the Corinthian YC in Seattle at noon. Come see us off or visit the website- aroundtheamericas.org
Thanks. Hope you have fun following us.

Arctic's Indigenous Peoples Meeting in Anchorage

2009-04-20T12:18:00.000-07:00

"Indigenous peoples have contributed the least to the global problem of climate change but will almost certainly bear the greatest brunt of its impact," said Patricia Cochran, chair of the Inuit Circumpolar Council, an organization representing approximately 150,000 Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland, and Chukotka in Russia. The council is hosting the event.

Organizers said the summit will conclude Friday with a declaration and an action plan, and a call to governments around the world to include indigenous people in any new regimes on climate change.

Conference recommendations will be presented to the Conference of Parties at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen, Denmark, this December.

The problems of climate change are real and pressing for many, organizers say. Take the case of Newtok, a village of about 325 people in western Alaska. The Ninglick River is rapidly consuming the land around the Yupik village, forcing residents to relocate to higher ground.

"The global warming is really strong," said Newtok resident Stanley Tom, one of the conference delegates. "The whole village is sinking right now."

Tom said with the increase in temperature, the permafrost has become extremely delicate and the tundra now is prone to tearing if vehicles run over it in the summer.

President Obama Makes Bold Prague Statement

2009-04-13T06:51:00.000-07:00

"Together we must confront climate change by ending the world's dependency on fossil fuels by tapping the power from the sources of energy like the wind and the sun and calling upon all nations to do their part. And I pledge to you that in this global effort the US is now ready to lead."

Let's hold him to it. It will take all of us doing our parts and replacing representatives in election cycles when necessary. This is an urgent situation with climate change accelerating and time of the essence.

Arctic's Positive Feedback Loop

2009-04-08T22:07:00.000-07:00

This to me is the simplest way to illustrate what is happening in the Arctic. The polar ice cap reflects the sun's energy back into space. But there is now less older ice and more open water in the melt season (darker, absorbs energy as heat). More new ice forms in freezing season. It replaces older ice but is less thick. Breaks up easier in summer, more light penetration, more heat....feeds on itself....

Arctic Sea Ice Thinner + Positive Feedback Loop

2009-04-07T08:10:00.000-07:00

This data visualization from the AMSR-E instrument on the Aqua satellite show the maximum sea ice extent for 2008-09, which occurred on Feb. 28, 2009. Credit: NASA Goddard’s Scientific Visualization Studio
__________________________

Until recently, the majority of Arctic sea ice survived at least one summer and often several. But things have changed dramatically, according to a team of University of Colorado, Boulder, scientists led by Charles Fowler. Thin seasonal ice — ice that melts and re-freezes every year — makes up about 70 percent of the Arctic sea ice in wintertime, up from 40 to 50 percent in the 1980s and 1990s. Thicker ice, which survives two or more years, now comprises just 10 percent of wintertime ice cover, down from 30 to 40 percent.

According to researchers from the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo., the maximum sea ice extent for 2008-09, reached on Feb. 28, was 15.2 million square kilometers (5.85 million square miles). That is 720,000 square kilometers (278,000 square miles) less than the average extent for 1979 to 2000.

“Ice extent is an important measure of the health of the Arctic, but it only gives us a two-dimensional view of the ice cover,” said Walter Meier, research scientist at the center and the University of Colorado, Boulder. “Thickness is important, especially in the winter, because it is the best overall indicator of the health of the ice cover. As the ice cover in the Arctic grows thinner, it grows more vulnerable to melting in the summer.”

Launching a New World

2009-03-30T22:20:00.000-07:00

For Immediate Release:

Information Contact: Dan McConnell 206-819-9211

64-foot Ocean Watch sailboat gets official launch for sea trials:

Historic Sailboat leaves May 31 for first-ever circumnavigation Around the Americas:

SEATTLE—On Tuesday, March 31at 12 noon, the sailing vessel Ocean Watch will be officially launched from Ballard’s Seaview East Boatyard to begin sea trials in Puget Sound. On May 31, the boat and crew will leave Shilshole Marina for the first-ever circumnavigation of the Americas through the Northwest Passage, around Cape Horn and back to Seattle in July, 2010.

This unique voyage, called Around the Americas, has two primary objectives:

1) Engage and educate citizens in North and South America about ocean health issues using science-driven, online education materials and shore-side activities.

2) Inspire and empower citizens to change their behavior to mitigate adverse effects on the health of our seas.

Seattle’s Pacific Science Center has launched Around the Americas in collaboration with non-profit Sailors for the Sea, inspired by David Rockefeller Jr.’s work on the Pew Ocean Commission, the University of Washington’s Applied Physics Lab, and the Joint Institute for the Study of the Atmosphere and Ocean. The 13-month effort, with planned stops in 30 host ports, will build awareness about ocean health on an international scale,

Through most of April and May, Ocean Watch will be conducting sea trials around Puget Sound to get ready for the difficult west to east transit of the Northwest Passage. With a permanent crew of four, led by world-record-holding two-time solo circumnavigator Mark Schrader and NW Passage Sailor David Thoreson, along with an onboard educator and scientist, the steel-hulled, newly outfitted boat will be conducting a variety of ocean science research projects during the voyage. The sea trials will give the crew their first opportunity to work with the scientific equipment installed on board. Measurements and observations to be recorded during the voyage include sea ice coverage, seawater chemistry (including measurements of salinity, temperature, pH), aerosols, and cloud cover.

Noted conservationist David Rockefeller, Jr. said today, “Individuals can play an important role in protecting and improving the health of our oceans, whether they live in a seaside town or in the Midwest or the pampas. We need to mobilize the citizens of the Americas to take action to protect our fragile oceans. Our life on land is dependent on the health of our seas. It is this message that is being carried on Ocean Watch around the Americas.”

This multi-million dollar Around the Americas awareness effort has currently received major support from the Tiffany & Co. Foundation, the Osberg Family Foundation, and more.

Fundraising efforts are continuing and tax deductible donations in the name of Around the Americas can be sent to Pacific Science Center, 200 Second Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109-4895 or Sailors for the Sea, 56 Commercial Wharf East
Boston, MA 02110

Stimulus is Good Green Environmental News

2009-02-13T09:07:00.000-08:00

Those in the know are saying positive things about buried environmental news in the stimulus bill. Let's hope they are right.

"It's rare for a compromise to make a bill better, but that's what happened yesterday," said Gene Karpinski, president of the League of Conservation Voters. "According to the reports we've seen, the members of the Conference Committee kept the best aspects of the House and Senate versions of the bill. Tens of billions of dollars for clean energy, energy efficiency, public transportation, scientific research and a smart energy grid remain. Tens of billions set to be wasted on coal and other outdated energy sources were removed."

"This is a huge win, for our planet and for taxpayers who want stimulus funds to be invested wisely," said Friends of the Earth President Brent Blackwelder. "The bailout in question would have thrilled nuclear industry lobbyists but done virtually nothing to stimulate the economy. Congressional leaders did the right thing and prevented waste by removing this bailout."

University of Miami Rosenstiel School-Speaking Feb.18

2009-02-11T13:59:00.000-08:00

2009 Sea Secrets Speakers Announced

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Sailing The Northwest Passage in  The Era of Climate Change

Famed Filmmaker Examines “Chilling” Reality of Global Warming

VIRGINIA KEY, Fla. — The conquest of the Northwest Passage, a sea route through the Arctic Ocean, winding along the northernmost coast of the Americas, has baffled and intrigued explorers for centuries. Its treacherously frigid waters represent untold beauty and unparalleled economic access as one of the only free transit routes left in the world. The Artic pack ice has long left this route impassable, but now climate change has opened up previously frozen straits to a whole new era of explorers. February 18, join the University of Miami’s Rosenstiel School as it welcomes David Thoreson, explorer and Blue Water Studios photographer and filmmaker as part of its 2009 Sea Secrets lecture series.

Thoreson will provide a perspective on polar exploration through his stunning photographs and tales of adventure, and share firsthand accounts on how climate change is shining new light on a mysterious northern wonder. The presentation will take place in the Rosenstiel School Auditorium, 4600 Rickenbacker Causeway, Virginia Key. The event includes a reception at 5:30 p.m., followed by the lecture at 6:00 p.m., and is free and open to the public.

2009 Expedition AtA

2009-02-09T21:07:00.000-08:00

The Arctic continues a downward trend in sea ice. As the Around the Americas campaign kicks off from Seattle, May 31, for the Northwest Passage, this is one of the trends we will be taking a look at. I sailed the Passage in 2007 from east to west. Will the Passage again be open for a west to east transit? And what will be the conditions of the sea during the summer of 2009? Stay in touch through my website and follow the links as we embark on a 25,000 mile sail around the North and South American continents.

February 3, 2009
Ice extent continues to track below normal.
National Snow and Ice Data Center

As is typical during mid-winter, sea ice extent increased overall in January; maximum monthly extent is expected in March. However, January ice extent remained well below normal compared to the long-term record. Ice extent averaged for January 2009 is the sixth lowest January in the satellite record. Also of note is that from January 15 to 26, ice extent saw essentially no increase; an unusual wind pattern appears to have been the cause.

2008 year in review

Arctic sea ice in 2008 was notable for several reasons. The year continued the negative trend in summer sea ice extent, with the second-lowest summer minimum since record-keeping began in 1979. 2008 sea ice also showed well-below-average ice extents throughout the entire year.

The ice cover in 2008 began the year heavily influenced by the record-breaking 2007 melt season.

Ultimately, summer 2008 finished with the second-lowest minimum extent in the satellite record, 9% above the 2007 minimum and 34% below average. A more diffuse ice cover and a thinner pack nevertheless suggested a record-low ice volume (ice area multiplied by thickness) at the end of summer.

2008 Documentary Premier on Climate Change

2008-11-26T18:11:00.000-08:00

I am proud to announce the premier of my documentary, "An Arctic Journey in a Changing World," is making its debut on Thursday, December 4th, 7 pm on Iowa Public Television. This documentary combines expedition, history, and climate change, from a personal viewpoint, into a compelling issue-oriented piece. Thank you all out there for your patience and help along the way. There are links on the top right of the page to YouTube and IPTV websites for promos and slideshows. I will post on news happening soon and believe me, there is much going on. Enjoy the premier and promos. Keep thinking about hope and positive change. Thanks again, especially to IPTV and all the great people who make this one of the finest public television facilities across the country.

More Melting in the Arctic

2008-09-04T12:41:00.000-07:00

There are more disturbing signs that the positive feedback loop is now in "fast forward." Sea ice is dissipating all the way to 90 degrees north, potentially this month yet. Polar bears have been seen swimming far out into the Chukchi Sea looking for an ice edge and food supply which has disappeared. As with last year, a number of small vessels have been moving on through the NW Passage not encountering any ice whatsoever. And the drilling pressure and exploitation of resource issues are mounting.

As we move on into the autumn and political season, it is good to keep in mind the biggest issue facing us on the planet is climate change. It trumps all else and absolutely must be dealt with by the human species. This is a critical time to be involved. Make sure your representatives know how you feel about the issue and vote for the candidates who are taking this issue seriously.

More New York Thoughts

2008-06-08T09:35:00.000-07:00

Well, it has been a week since the World Science Festival and I am still buzzin' with all the excitement generated by this first and probable annual event. Here are a couple images of Dr. Richard Leakey and myself, Bernie Krause and his lovely wife Kat. What a great time in New York City for science.

World Science Festival Notes

2008-06-03T08:53:00.000-07:00

Yes, that is me speaking at the World Science Friday evening. Nice to have a huge screen for my images, all the fantastic help, and, of course, the latest technology.

Wow. Just returned from the five day festival in NYC which was one of the true highlights of my life. Every event sold out, lines around the block for tickets, and 100,000 people out for the street fair at NYU.

My event entitled the "Sixth Extinction" was remarkable. I spoke for about ten minutes on climate change and sailing through the NW Passage last summer at the moment in time when the Arctic's summer sea ice disappeared for the first time in recorded history. I followed paleontologist, Dr. Richard Leakey, oceanographer, Dr. Ellen Prager, with audio historian, Bernie Krause, in turn, following me.

What a special evening. Sold out crowd at Columbia University and a round table discussion followed our individual presentations. Special time with special people.

I want to thank the entire WSF staff, from top to bottom, for the tremendous work you accomplished and the great success achieved. Not only were you very professional, Id have to say you were all quite fun. Cheers mates!

I will continue to post links and quotes from the various sources who covered the event from Science Magazine, NY Times and ABC News amongst others. This was truly a remarkable event to be involved with and quite an honor to say the least.
Enjoy the reading and I will keep compiling!

Live links-
Science Magazine
NY Times
Science Festival News Links

World Science Festival

2008-05-19T07:24:00.000-07:00

Exciting news! I will be a featured speaker at the World Science Festival in NYC, speaking at Columbia University on Friday evening, May 30th. This is the first of its kind event and I will tell of my adventure through the NW Passage and the disappearance of the ice in the Arctic Ocean. It is a great honor, and quite humbling, to be selected to speak with Dr. Richard Leakey and other renowned scientists, artists, actors, etc, at this event.

Here is my event listing. Clicking on any of the highlighted links will take you to the official website. Thanks for checking it out.

Friday, May 30, 8:00 PM - 9:30 PM , Columbia University - Miller Theatre

Celebrated paleontologist and conservationist Richard Leakey sounds the alarm: life on Earth is under siege. From disappearing bees and deformed frogs to diseased crops, the evidence is everywhere. Leakey is joined by famed oceanographer Sylvia Earle, who takes us underwater for an equally vivid call to arms.

Featuring presentations of sounds now extinct from the wild, as well as recent video footage from the Arctic, this astonishing and moving picture of the planet today presents in no uncertain terms what’s at stake in the fight to preserve our planet’s rich biodiversity.

Participant(s):

Sylvia Earle

Sylvia Earle is an oceanographer, marine botanist, ecologist, and writer. The National Geographic Society's explorer-in-residence since 1998, she tirelessly works for the preservation and exploration of the world's marine ecosystems. She has led more than 50 expeditions and spent more than 6,500 hours of her life underwater.
Bernie Krause

Bernie Krause is a bioacoustician — an expert on the sounds of nature — who has traveled the world recording and archiving the sounds of endangered creatures and environments. He is President and CEO of Wild Sanctuary, Inc., one of the world’s largest archives of natural sounds.
Richard Leakey

Paleontologist Richard Leakey’s discoveries have helped shape our understanding of human origins. He is a committed conservationist and staunch advocate for the protection of Kenyan wildlife. A former director of Kenya’s Wildlife Service, he is the author of several books including The Sixth Extinction.
David Thoreson

David Thoreson is an adventurer, photographer and sailor who has bicycled 10,000 miles around North America; sailed 36,000 miles around the planet; and crossed the Atlantic three times by sail. In the summer of 2007, he completed the Northwest Passage, where he filmed a documentary about the effects of climate change.

Erratic Weather Patterns

2008-05-09T13:46:00.000-07:00

Last week, May 2nd, I was driving back to the upper Midwest from Santa Fe, NM, and listening to "The Weather Makers," by Tim Flannery on my iPod. This is an amazing piece of work on how the climate works and how we have gotten to this point in our history.

As I drove along the eastern plains of the Rockies the wind began to blow and I altered course to get to the interstate ASAP. Winds built to @70 mph and I could not help to think how crazy this was to listen to this book about weather patterns changing while the weather patterns were changing.

Near the lovely hamlet of Limon, CO, I nearly got my truck ripped apart by a gust the Weather Channel later reported to be over 90 mph. Soon it began to snow and a blizzard began out of nowhere, this on May 2nd mind you.

I managed to turn around and inch back to Limon and hit happy hour with the ranchers at the South Side Tavern. I was happy to be in for sure. I could not help overhearing a rancher next to me state, "this has been the windiest spring I can ever remember." This to me is more evidence, "folk evidence," as I like to call it of our climate changing.

I later learned there was a record number of tornadoes ahead of this violent system and four feet of snow in the Black Hills of South Dakota. Very interesting times we live in to be sure.

Issues Making Sense

2008-02-05T11:44:00.000-08:00

Journal Entry- Tuesday, February 5, 2008.

It is all making sense now. Linkage. It is important to pull little bits out over time and connect them. Yesterday I posted something very interesting which has been gnawing at me for some time like a carcass left out in Nunavut.

Tipping points. We are seeing them NOW.

Published on Tuesday, February 5, 2008 by The Independent/UK
Scientists Identify ‘Tipping Points’ of Climate Change
by Steve Connor

Nine ways in which the Earth could be tipped into a potentially dangerous state that could last for many centuries have been identified by scientists investigating how quickly global warming could run out of control.

Professor Lenton added: “But we should be prepared to adapt, and to design an early-warning system that alerts us to them in time.”

Irreversible changes

* Arctic sea ice: some scientists believe that the tipping point for the total loss of summer sea ice is imminent.
* Greenland ice sheet: total melting could take 300 years or more but the tipping point that could see irreversible change might occur within 50 years.
* West Antarctic ice sheet: scientists believe it could unexpectedly collapse if it slips into the sea at its warming edges.
* Gulf Stream: few scientists believe it could be switched off completely this century but its collapse is a possibility.
* El Niño: the southern Pacific current may be affected by warmer seas, resulting in far-reaching climate change.
* Indian monsoon: relies on temperature difference between land and sea, which could be tipped off-balance by pollutants that cause localized cooling.
* West African monsoon: in the past it has changed, causing the greening of the Sahara, but in the future it could cause droughts.
* Amazon rainforest: a warmer world and further deforestation may cause a collapse of the rain supporting this ecosystem.
* Boreal forests: cold-adapted trees of Siberia and Canada are dying as temperatures rise.

Booby Traps and Tipping Points

2008-02-04T08:08:00.000-08:00

The 2007 Time Magazine book on global warming was one of the best all round features on the issues I have seen to date. We all tend to think of natural history moving at small, incremental, and glacially-slow speeds, but recent revelations suggest otherwise. This quote has stuck with me:

"Global climate systems are booby-trapped with tipping points and feedback loops, thresholds past which the slow creep of environmental decay gives way to sudden and self-perpetuating collapse." 2007 Time Magazine special edition on global warming.

Bridging History on a Changing Planet

2007-12-29T08:18:00.000-08:00

Journal Entry- December 12, 2007

The headline was blunt and unmistakable, “The Arctic is Screaming,” it read. The Arctic is screaming I thought as I sipped coffee and thought back five months to the day when I arrived in Halifax, Nova Scotia, to sail the infamous Northwest Passage.

Sitting in my comfortable, dry quarters in Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a long way from the Arctic, but the 6,640 miles and 73 days of sailing through the ice-free Passage is still fresh on my mind.

I have to admit to being a bit numb after the intensity experienced during a long, cold, and successful run through the Arctic. We made some sailing history for sure, but what is the real story here, what does it all mean, and how best to share this story with the public?

These thoughts swirl through my mind constantly as I struggle to reimmerse myself back into the daily grind of life and work. Well, if the Arctic is screaming, and I was certainly there to listen, what did I hear? This seems to be the place to begin assembling the many voices from the north making all the noise.

A bit of preface, we transitted the NW Passage on a 57’ ketch, named Cloud Nine, during the summer of 2007 (see my other blog for the full story). I was also aboard Cloud Nine in 1994 when we tried the Passage the first time. We got hopelessly trapped in the ice and barely made our retreat out of the Arctic’s grip to safety. Cloud Nine also attempted the Passage in 2005 with the same results.

Bridging History

From the Minneapolis Star Tribune, October 4, 2007:

David Thoreson after the completion in Kodiak, Alaska, “The good news for Cloud Nine may be bad news for the planet.”

"We expected to see less ice, but we didn't expect almost no ice," said Thoreson, who kept a blog of the journey, adding entries whenever he reached a place he could write.

"I feel strongly that we have witnessed the end of an era and the beginning of a new one," Thoreson wrote at one point. "The golden age of exploration, Amundsen's era, has come to a close, and a new era of exploration involving study and change in the Earth's climate is just beginning."

"We on Cloud Nine have experienced both eras. Frozen in and stuck in the ice twice over 13 years, and now sailing through unscathed and witnessing an ice-free Northwest Passage. We have bridged the two eras."

This was my small voice calling out to those who would hear it that I had witnessed something profound. Little did I know that the summer of 2007 actually blew the top off all Arctic records.
We were a small “canary in the coal mine” contributing in our own way to the growing evidence of rapid melting and disintegration of the Arctic ice cap.

I would like to add my voice, as I can, to some of the voices and evidence below, to scream loud, long, and hard for everyone to listen to the greatest challenge facing the human race, climate change.

Published on Wednesday, December 12, 2007 by Associated Press

Ominous Arctic Melt Worries Experts
by Seth Borenstein

An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years.

Greenland’s ice sheet melted nearly 19 billion tons more than the previous high mark, and the volume of Arctic sea ice at summer’s end was half what it was just four years earlier, according to new NASA satellite data obtained by The Associated Press.

“The Arctic is screaming,” said Mark Serreze, senior scientist at the government’s snow and ice data center in Boulder, Colo.
Just last year, two top scientists surprised their colleagues by projecting that the Arctic sea ice was melting so rapidly that it could disappear entirely by the summer of 2040.

This week, after reviewing his own new data, NASA climate scientist Jay Zwally said: “At this rate, the Arctic Ocean could be nearly ice-free at the end of summer by 2012, much faster than previous predictions.”

- Surface temperatures in the Arctic Ocean this summer were the highest in 77 years of record-keeping, with some places 8 degrees Fahrenheit above normal, according to research to be released Wednesday by University of Washington’s Michael Steele.

New data, from a NASA satellite, measures ice volume. NASA geophysicist Scott Luthcke, reviewing it and other Greenland numbers, concluded: “We are quite likely entering a new regime.”
Melting of sea ice and Greenland’s ice sheets also alarms scientists because they become part of a troubling spiral.

White sea ice reflects about 80 percent of the sun’s heat off Earth, NASA’s Zwally said. When there is no sea ice, about 90 percent of the heat goes into the ocean which then warms everything else up. Warmer oceans then lead to more melting.

“That feedback is the key to why the models predict that the Arctic warming is going to be faster,” Zwally said. “It’s getting even worse than the models predicted.”

Beyond Science to Reality

Everywhere I traveled this summer in the Arctic, from Greenland, sailing east to Alaska, there was story after story of changing cultures.

Local hunters in West Greenland talked of unstable sea ice because of too many icebergs produced and then refrozen into the pack ice. The icebergs constantly shift making sea ice dangerous to travel by sledge and snowmobile. Hunters and fisherman in Nunavut, Canada, spoke of the increased average summer wind speeds and shorter calms in the summer resulting in treacherous small boat voyages to traditional hunting camps. And I even met a birder who was going Siberia to see migrating species which had never been seen that far north. An Alaskan elder in the Little Diomedes observed barn swallows which had never been seen in recorded, or oral, histories.

Then there are just the bizarre climate change stories, as in Ireland.

Non-native jellyfish wipe out salmon fishery in Northern Ireland – another warning sign?
Sunday, December 02, 2007

Over the Thanksgiving holiday, a massive bloom of “mauve stinger” jellyfish, in a dense pack covering 10 square miles 35 feet deep, thousands of miles north of their preferred ocean habitat, feasted on about a half a million pounds of gourmet, organic salmon being raised in pens off the coast of northern Ireland and slated for market during the upcoming holiday season. All indications are that climate change played a key role in the fatal intrusion.

The village of Shishmaref, northwestern Alaska, is having to be moved because of rising sea levels, more wind, and massive coastal erosion. Thus we have the first climate refugees and potentially a $150 million dollar tab to move the 300 native inhabitants. "I went to school on the mainland, and when I came back, my house was gone. They moved it to the other side of the village, or it would've fallen in the sea." Leona Goodhope, Shishmaref, Alaska.

Permafrost is melting making iceroads and transportation corridors unstable and buckling local roads and airport runways. Meltwater from the tundra is picking up silt and making the deltas in western Alaskan more shallow adding to the storm surges further erosion. And yes, there is another greenhouse gas, methane, which has been locked up in the permafrost which is now being released through the melting process in unprecedented amounts.

Stalemates, Arrogance, and Ostriches.

Of course there are some rather large obstacles turning deaf ears to all of the science and personal narratives. There will always be skeptics who want to prevent change to new and clean energy resources and technologies.

“I think we have a problem on global warming. I think there is a debate about whether it’s caused by mankind or whether it’s caused naturally, but it’s a worthy debate. It’s a debate, actually, that I’m in the process of solving…” President Bush in July 2006.

On December 12, 2007, the US House Oversight and Government Reform Committee approved a majority report that concludes that the Bush Administration politically interfered with climate change science communication and misled policy makers and the public about the dangers of global warming.

With this obvious stalemate at the federal level and no hope of ratifying the Kyoto treaty, it seems to be local and state entities that are supplying the leadership on the climate and carbon issues. Following are some examples of the quiet revolution which is taking place across the nation and beyond.

"We need an energy bill that encourages consumption."
-President Bush, Sept. 23, 2002, Trenton, New Jersey, speech

Well sir, I disrespectfully disagree. And so do the vast majorities of American and world leaders and citizens. We can see change, innovation and leadership forming all around us. This is the hope to solve the interconnected issue of climate change.

On February 16, 2005, the Kyoto Protocol, which proposed to reduce global warming by cutting greenhouse-gas emissions 7 percent below 1990 levels by 2012, became law for the 141 countries that signed the agreement. Since the United States was not one of the countries that signed that agreement, Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels launched the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement to advance the goals of the Kyoto Protocol at a local level through leadership and action. Under the agreement, participating cities commit to take the following three actions:

• Strive to meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol targets in their own communities, through actions ranging from anti-sprawl land-use policies to urban forest restoration projects to public information campaigns;
• Urge their state governments, and the federal government, to enact policies and programs to meet or beat the greenhouse gas emission reduction target suggested for the United States in the Kyoto Protocol -- 7% reduction from 1990 levels by 2012; and
• Urge the U.S. Congress to pass the bipartisan greenhouse gas reduction legislation, which would establish a national emission trading system

**Since the agreement was launched in 2005, 830 cities have signed the agreement.

My home state, Iowa

Thank you Iowa Governor Culver for taking a strong and bold leadership role in what is turning out to be a new state’s rights issue and movement across America.

Culver and other “regional” leaders agreed to help reduce the critical threat of global warming and promote economic development when they signed a pact to significantly reduce carbon emissions, Iowa environmental leaders said.

Culver joined leaders of five other Midwestern states and the Premier of Manitoba, Canada in a pact to cut carbon pollution 60 to 80 percent, as recommended by scientists. The historic, multi-state agreement, signed at a meeting of the Midwest Governors Association, will spur investment in clean, renewable energy and energy efficient technology – fueling the growth of local industries in Iowa.

“Our governors today will propel Iowa and the Midwest to a clean energy economy. Boosting our use of wind, solar, and biomass will create thousands of new jobs,” said Nathaniel Baer, energy director at the Iowa Environmental Council.

Already wind turbine manufacturers have brought nearly 1,000 new jobs and over $100 million in capital investments to Iowa. Studies by the Union of Concerned Scientists and the Environmental Law & Policy Center show that thousands of additional jobs and investments are in store from the kind of clean energy policies recommended in this platform.

American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

“We (over 400 strong), the undersigned presidents and chancellors of colleges and universities, are deeply concerned about the unprecedented scale and speed of global warming and its potential for large-scale, adverse health, social, economic and ecological effects. We recognize the scientific consensus that global warming is real and is largely being caused by humans. We further recognize the need to reduce the global emission of greenhouse gases by 80% by mid-century at the latest, in order to avert the worst impacts of global warming and to reestablish the more stable climatic conditions that have made human progress over the last 10,000 years possible.” Excerpt from
The American College & University Presidents Climate Commitment

College of the Atlantic Goes "Net-Zero" for Carbon Emissions
By Associated Press
December 19, 2007

BAR HARBOR, Maine - College of the Atlantic has become the nation's first "net-zero" campus for carbon emissions, school officials said Wednesday.

The college said it has offset its entire emissions output of 2,488 tons over the past 15 months by investing in a greenhouse gas reduction project in Oregon.

At his inauguration in October 2006, College of the Atlantic President David Hales pledged to make the campus carbon-neutral by this month. Since then, more than 450 other universities and colleges have also taken "net-zero" pledges through the American College and University Presidents Climate Commitment program.

Bush’s EPA Denies California's Right to Mandate Emissions

Sometimes the Bush administration picks a really, really bad fight with the wrong leader. When that leader is the head of the world’s sixth largest economy and “terminates” his enemies, it is best sometimes to listen, and possibly, fall into line. California’s trends usually sweep the country. It is very important this trend is coming from a very upset, and recently more progressive (and populist) Republican, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Governor Schwarzenegger issued the following statement after the U.S. EPA, after nearly two years of delay, rejected California's request to regulate tailpipe emissions from passenger cars and light trucks.

"California has a long and proud history of leadership in reducing pollution and fighting for clean air. Our citizens place a high priority on good health and a clean environment, and we are ready to implement the nation's cleanest standards for vehicle emissions. It has been nearly two years since we requested the waiver and, now, sixteen other states are following our lead to reduce our dependence on foreign oil, increase fuel efficiency and help reduce harmful greenhouse gases. A ruling from the U.S. Supreme Court earlier this year made it clear that the EPA has the authority to limit greenhouse gas emissions from motor vehicles.

Schwarzenegger assailed the EPA, "It is disappointing that the federal government is standing in our way and ignoring the will of tens of millions of people across the nation. We will continue to fight this battle. California sued to compel the agency to act on our waiver, and now we will sue to overturn today's decision and allow Californians to protect our environment."

States that have adopted, or are in the process of adopting, California's strict automobile emissions standards are: Arizona, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Utah, Vermont and Washington.

"The Supreme Court told EPA it has to take action on global warming. It affects our health and our environment. It's not just about fuel economy."

Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) echoed the prevailing sentiments and called the EPA’s decision "disgraceful."

Hmmmmm.....seems the times they are a changin’ as an old muse once said. The trends are there. The political will seems to be lining up from all sides. It’s all about inertia and the ball is rollin’ along an interesting path.

One final thought. Has any “higher” authority ever checked in on this? Let’s see...

Genesis 2:15 specifically calls us "to watch over and care for" the bounty of the earth and its creatures. Scripture not only affirms this role, but warns that the earth is not ours to abuse, own, or dominate. The Bible clearly says in Revelation 11:18 that "God will destroy those who destroy the earth."