And farther south again, on the NE coast of Newfoundland, the Canadian Ice Service chart for Feb 28 shows some lessening of pressure, with concentration close to shore dropping to 7-8/10, down from 9-10/10 last week. Most likely this is a function of offshore winds, as bairgon has noted. Bonavista Bay has also cleared out---for now, of course. A change in wind can bring it all back in. The ice in this area--the traditional "front" for the Newfoundland seal hunt----is almost entirely wind-dependent. Melt-out is a matter of when, not if. This is the time of year when we Newfoundlanders start to pray for sustained sou'westerlies, to blow the damned stuff back out into the Labrador Current and on south to warmer waters.