Fascinating reading

I knew that the Northwest Passage has been navigated before several times, but I had no idea just *how many* times! Check out this post, which is filled with reference links. In a nutshell, though, these are the years the Northwest Passage has been navigated.

1906
1940
1941
1942
1944
1957
1969
1977
1984
1988
2000

While we're at it, these two articles were published on the same day.

Scientists fear Arctic thaw has reached 'tipping point'
Seth Borenstein
Associated Press

Dec. 12, 2007 12:00 AM WASHINGTON - An already relentless melting of the Arctic greatly accelerated this summer, a warning sign that some scientists worry could mean global warming has passed an ominous tipping point. One even speculated that summer sea ice would be gone in five years.

Arctic Sea Ice Re-Freezing at Record Pace
After Record Summer Melt, Recovery Still Lags

The record melting of Arctic sea ice observed this summer and fall led to record-low levels of ice in both September and October, but a record-setting pace of re-freezing in November, according to the NASA Earth Observatory. Some 58,000 square miles of ice formed per day for 10 days in late October and early November, a new record.

Oh, and check this out - from the above article...

The record melting of Arctic sea ice this summer was widely viewed as a harbinger of global warming, though unusual wind patterns played a role and many factors affecting fluctuations in Arctic ice are poorly understood by scientists. Still, so much ice melted that the fabled Northwest passage opened for the first time in history,

First time in history? I wonder how they can make that claim?