Arctic Voyages 2013 – Update 1

Although their "Trip Tracker" doesn't reflect this as yet, the Mainstream Last First expedition have just reported on their Facebook page that the Arctic Joule is currently:

Beached at Dew Line Station under the Arctic eagle's watch

at Cape Parry. They've also posted a picture of themselves rowing in the Arctic twilight:

Paul Gleeson and Denis Barnett rowing through the Arctic twilight

The satellites' view of their location is currently hidden by clouds, but here's the Canadian Ice Service's view of the sea ice in their vicinity:

The state of the Amundsen Gulf sea ice on July 26th 2013

Although the water immediately in front of them currently contains little ice, slightly further ahead their way is blocked by 90% concentration ice over 1.2 metres thick. As the map shows, the recent cyclone in the Arctic is still generating westerly winds which are causing the sea ice near the Arctic Joule to drift in an easterly direction at around 8 nautical miles per day. It looks like the route will be blocked for a while yet.

Meanwhile Séb and Vincent report from Babouchka that:

We are fast approaching the 75th parallel, the symbolic marking of the beginning of a more favourable terrain, where the waterways will be much rarer. Already the ice sheets do not have the same look, while they were brown and battered to the south, they are now mostly very white and rather thin. Finally we've got a bit of sun that has allowed us to dry our clothes and sleeping bags!

Here's the course they have steered thus far, over a total of nearly 1,000 km:

Babouchka's progress by July 27th 2013, with north at the top.

The glimpse of sun they mentioned means the satellites can just about make out the Chukchi Sea from space, through some hazy clouds. Here's what Terra can see, courtesy of Arctic.io:

The Chukchi Sea on July 27th 2013, with north at the bottom!

The Babouchka is roughly in the middle of that picture on the edge of the main pack of sea ice, which is currently looking rather battered in the wake of the cyclone.  Babouchka is designed to travel over ice, unlike the Arctic Joule, but it looks as though the ride will be bumpy for quite some time to come.