So this would mean.........?

Sorry to harp on like this, but I feel a sermon from the pulpit of Jesus Christ the bleeding obvious headeth this way.

Yea and verily brothers and sisters! For in the year 1854 a ship was lost in the high Arctic. A ship by the name of HMS Investigator was once sent to find a previously lost expedition. Its crew beset with scurvy, this sailing vessel was caught in pack ice off Bank's Island and the wreck has now been located.

The graves of some of the crew were found on Bank's Island close to a chache of buried supplies. Now the seasonal ice melt has allowed this discovery to be thoroughly investigated. Let's think about those two factually true statements for a moment before continuing. Ready for juxtaposition Cap'n? Engage.

Around 150 years ago, those waters were ice free enough to allow the relatively slow passage of a sailing vessel. The ground was soft enough to allow graves to be dug for the men who died of scurvy. Right. Errr... so that would mean that logically that particular bit of sea is open for navigation every so often. Like in 1903 when Amundsen first navigated the North West Passage. So this ice melt thing some people claim is all mankinds fault has been happening for, er, 150 years at least. Before all those ungreen SUV's and suchlike.

Never mind the open leads of water at the North pole which have been used by surfacing Nuclear Submarines since 1959. Even discounting the uncertain claims that a Chinese fleet commanded by Zheng He may or may not have 'found' the North West passage in the early 15th Century. What is certain is that the North west passage is open periodically. Since before all this 'man made climate change' malarkey. Ergo, it is not unreasonable to assume that ice coverage will 'recover' as it has done throughout the centuries. Atmospheric trace gases notwithstanding. Current global, Arctic and Antarctic ice coverage stats sourced from all the major providers can be viewed via this weblink.

Hallelujah! We're not all doomed then. The ice will be back. No need to panic. Until then we have the Summer. That reminds me, I've got a salad to prepare and some cold beer to buy. Here endeth the lesson. The liquor store is open and school is out. TTFN.