First off, Amundsen did not sail through, he skiied the last 800 kilometers,
He DID reach open waters. The skiing was only to reach a telegraph outpost, and spread the news, but his secret message for the press was not kept secret.
Amundsen did not have a nuclear powered icebreaker. He sailed, in a tiny 45 ton sailing ship with a tiny auxiliary engine, into open waters west of the Canadian north on a multiyear trip on a route that in parts is too shallow to be commercially feasible, even today with less ice.
I only brought this up to point out the ice variabiity from year to year. I agree no interest in posting various "proofs" for one side or the other. Climate change is real, but the "why" has become like religion. Maybe the "truth" is somewhere in the middle.
Steve - thanks for the aerial pictures and getting us back on track. I'll stop. PS: I cannot tell if that is South Lake. In August it was nearly empty for dam repairs when we went by. Maybe it has filled up since then? That sounds too fast.
