oren, yes, that giant jackboot is still holding in the Lincoln Sea. As for the strait freezing and thawing, agreed, to be expected this time of year, and I think evident in the image today as well, a thin ice skim between thicker floes. We are now at 12 hours daylight and increasing daily, so if Nares loses ice cover/albedo, I suppose that might make a tiny difference in the surface temp, which could knock on in ice-melt farther north in the passage?
Thanks for the image sources, will have a look.