“Global sea ice area is second highest on record for the date after 1988, and closing in the #1 spot. Antarctic ice is melting very slowly this summer, due to record cold Antarctic temperatures”. — Real Science, 21st December 2013
Certainly no irony would have been intended but irony there undoubtedly is when even The Guardian is forced to report that:
Antarctic expedition stranded as ship gets stuck in ice
Scientists and explorers on Spirit of Mawson voyage will spend Christmas and Boxing Day awaiting rescue. Explorers are stranded near Antarctica after their ship became wedged in by thick sheets of sea ice.
The Spirit of Mawson voyage, which includes scientists, explorers, tourists and the Guardian journalists Alok Jha and Laurence Topham, is trapped in Antarctic ice floes and awaiting rescue.
But with the nearest ship with ice-breaking abilities at least two days away, the crew will spend Christmas and Boxing Day stuck about 1500 nautical miles south of Hobart.
The Australian Maritime Safety Authority received a distress call on Christmas morning, notifying the rescue co-ordination centre that the ship was trapped and would need help. …
A view of the ice from the boat. Photograph: Laurence Topham
The voyage is part of a research expedition to commemorate the centenary of Douglas Mawson’s exploration.
The Australasian Antarctic Expedition leader, Chris Turney, wrote on Twitter: “Heavy ice. Beautiful; light wind. Only -1degC. All well. Merry Xmas everyone from AAE.”
Tags: Antarctica, Australian Maritime Safety Authority, Douglas Mawson, Global ice extent, Sea ice
The k2p blog 
December 28, 2013 at 9:27 am
[…] posted earlier about the irony of the Guardian having to report this story about the lack of the expected melting […]