Arctic expedition to study global warming put on hold because of too much ice“A carefully planned, 115-day scientific expedition on board the floating research vessel, the CCGS Amundsen, has been derailed as the icebreaker was called to help resupply ships navigate heavy ice in Hudson Bay.
“Obviously it has a large impact on us,” says Martin Fortier, executive director of ArcticNet, which coordinates research on the vessel. “It’s a frustrating situation.”
One year, it's an ship full of eco-trourists stuck in Antarctic ice, another it's polar explorers counting on a wet path to the North Pole, this year its a ship full of global warming researchers.
During the summer, the Amundsen operates as a floating research centre with experiments running 24 hours a day. This year it was scheduled to reach North Baffin Bay.
But the icebreaker has been rerouted to escort commercial ships en route to resupply communities in Northern Quebec on the eastern side of Hudson Bay.
Johnny Leclair, assistant commissioner for the Coast Guard, said Tuesday conditions in the area are the worst he’s seen in 20 years.”
Arctic ice is doing fairly well this summer, certainly nowhere near disappearing, as Al Gore promised it would by 2013, but on track to be the most in several years:
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