Alex
I've just looked at the past year of ice charts. Freeze ups in maud not until Oct last year. serious freeze in mid Oct.
New Ice has two unexpected dangers. The first you know, we have all seen it on fishing boats as the ocean spray freezes to the deck, lines and everything. Call out the tough guys with sledge hammers in each hand.
The second real danger is young ice formed on still water can be reasonable fresh (no salt).It freezes hard and thin and acts like a knife to a tinder boat, cutting at the water line. We used to carry tarps to hang over the front to protect our walrus skins. You may see freezing as you move north...
Todays map, one year ago, looks surprisingly like today. As the fall weather deteriorates, so goes the ice. Then in Oct. it freezes overnight. The Berri has a couple weeks grace if you don't mind autumn misery!
The ice continues to look passable. The Berri is above the pacific weather 'arch' and below the arctic lows. I would expect confused wind.
Pat
