However I just came across this little piece of information which made me wonder.

“..to enable them to make the case the oceans are warming, NOAA chose to remove satellite input into their global ocean estimation and not make any attempt to operationally use Argo data in the process. This resulted in a jump of 0.2C or more and ‘a new ocean warmth record’ in July.”

According to this NOAA has not used Argo data in computing their anomaly and with the Argo data the July temperature would have been 0.2C less.

Would you care to comment on this?

Regards

Richard

Phil was any yacht referred to in that quote? It compares this years ice to the last.

So you didn’t read the piece before you linked it? The title is ‘Northwest Passage wrap-up: Boats blocked by ice in Gulf of Amundsen’, the first two sentences name 4 boats and is headed by a photo of three of them!

I dont remember if the Fleur Australe had already passed the passage, but if they had then that confirms that conditions got worse after that, when they should have got better. And the Fleur Australe had a mighty tough time getting through. It wasnt a “clear passge” like the last two years.

It confirms nothing of the sort, they sailed along a lead (just like last year) which either closed or the later yachts picked a wrong line. Last year was not a “clear passage” either, here’s Berrimilla’s description of their passage last year a couple of days later:
“The Berri is just below the tip of the Tasmania Islands. Ice all around, “it’s a wall” but they can see one small opening to the NW. That is consistent with the ice charts and so that is where he will be heading.
Last night, Alex steered to”what seemed sensible” and is still underway.The Amodino is not so lucky.
The Berri crew has all been up all night dodging/fighting ice. They have not had time to do anything but handle the boat. (And I would hope to think- a quick bite) The call was short as Alex had to return to deck at once. He sounded tired and stressed. A long, long few miles and they will be out of it.
……….
The Amodino is stuck in the ice. They are much larger and can hopefully push their way around. Good luck to them. The Berri is too small and under powered to help, if there was a prayer to get close enough to help. ……….

Ice this dense,1/10 to 2/10, doesn’t just float around, it plays bumper penguin. One moving piece bumps into the next stopping but causes the next piece to take off, and so on. Openings close quickly and new opening happen just as fast.”

Richard (12:09:54) :
They went north of Baffin Island which is blocked this year.

No it isn’t, but this year the W-E yachts went through Bellot which was open this year but not last year and cuts some distance off the trip.

Phil please dont quibble over inconsequential stuff.

Well I suggest that you stop posting such inconsequential stuff then>

In the eyes of an administrator, strength usually takes precedence over truth…

-
Exaggerated scenario for the purpose of illustration:

If temperatures suddenly doubled, I would suspect natural causes.

The problem is that the public has been conditioned to think like this:
“If temperature goes up, it means anthro-CO2 is the cause.”

Like screwy economic models based on bad assumptions, this overly-simplistic reasoning constitutes a threat to civilization.

The arrival of the information age does not mean common sense can be abandoned – rather, it means that we now have easy access to statistics that are orders of magnitude more difficult to interpret sensibly.

“Wednesday, 13 August 2008 The Berri is going for it!
I just talked to Alex on the sat phone.

He just received my “It’s open” message. ..Alex was very excited about the ice report. The full length of western coast Boothia is open or very thin (East side of Ross- Larsen- Franklin). The Berri is going to skip Gjoa Haven and move up into Ross for the attempt…” and on the 18th of August they got through. They went north of Baffin Island which is blocked this year.

Phil please dont quibble over inconsequential stuff.

Phil was any yacht referred to in that quote? It compares this years ice to the last.

I dont remember if the Fleur Australe had already passed the passage, but if they had then that confirms that conditions got worse after that, when they should have got better. And the Fleur Australe had a mighty tough time getting through. It wasnt a “clear passge” like the last two years.

Can you post a link to that bit you have posted?

We can dance as fast as you can; so don’t worry about us being able to adjust to your adjustments. Don’t you wish they had left the blasted satellite alone where it was ? I bet it even has a different orbital period than what it used to have, so I’m sure you will find some new knobs you have to tweak as well, to try and compensate for what those vandals did when they moved your gizmo.

But I can tell you are having fun doing this; so that is a good thing; we are certainly having fun keeping up with your adventures.

There’s a certain satisfaction that comes with figuring out what really is going on; so thank you for your diligence, and for letting us in on the progress.

There really is a law of unintended consequences; when you change something; it’s a bit like Oliver Cromwell’s axe, in the British Museum. It has only had two new heads, and five new handles since Oliver last used it !

George

WEDNESDAY, 13 AUGUST 2008

The Plan
If such it could be said to be – we should be in Gjoa Havn this afternoon. The ice and weather are not looking at all good in the short term so we will wait in GH and see what happens. Options are to go back and look around the western and northern sides of King William and see whether we can get through to the west, or to nose out into James Ross Strait and feel the ice, or just to sit and wait for an easterly storm to open up a lead for us. If none of these, then we will have to park Berri somewhere for a possibly 50(F) below winter. I don’t know what facilities there are in GH, but I think that we might be able to get her out of the water in Cambridge Bay so contingency plans are hatching for any or all of the above. Appendages please – it’s early yet but not looking too rosy. If it all goes pearshaped, we will aim to be back in Cambridge Bay or GH by the end of September at the very latest.

Thank you clearing it up, however maybe you should also edit the original post as many may go there and not read the follow up?

Thank you for sharing these interesting comments.

Sorry I said the MELT was less – the way I put it was confusing.