Glacier in free flow

This morning we has a spectacular hike to the mouth of the 14th of July Glacier.
This glacier is dramatic with brilliant blue ice spikes calving in the front of the glacier into the water. Icebergs are floating around in the bay.
Upon landing at the beach, Mark Drinkwater from ESA gave an elaborate talk about glaciers, ice and climate change.

The mixing of sea water and fresh  water from the glacier provides interesting dynamics for climate change models and the warm Atlantic water (today 4+C) makes it such that sea ice can’t form anymore.
No sea ice means the glaciers can flow freely – like a cork on a wine bottle – once gone there is nothing to keep them in place.
This made quiet an impact on the group – the beauty of the glaciated landscape yet so under threat.
As you walk along the beach you can see the recent retreat of the glacier, a 100 meter wall hollowed out by erosion.

This afternoon we visited NY Alysund the science station of many Arctic scientists.
Maarten Loonen gave us a tour of the complex explaining what kind of science is conducted and his field reserch of Canadian Geese.
Unfortunately, the first  geese are already spotted and there is nothing to eat because everything is coated in ice due to the rains in Feb which are now all transformed in ice.