Thanks so much Wipneus!
I assume that we're seeing is ice that is predominantly >2 years old and has been through the grind of compaction on more than one occasion. The relatively smooth surface it presents was not what I expected, though perhaps snow is hiding a more rough, ridged understructure.
Despite there being no evidence of the more normal arch shape it seems to be holding up to the stress. When it first lodged in place in early January I didn't think it would last the week.
The quality of the images you are posting is amazing and allows us a very intimate view of Arctic.
I've been drawn to the changes in fast ice along the Arctic coasts as I think that as these are swept away it they take with them any hope the deniers have of claiming that this is all part of some natural cycle that will soon reassert itself to refreeze the Arctic.
The driftwood located at the head of fjords that had been locked in place for ~5,000 years make mockery of their claims that things were warmer when the Vikings disembarked in Greenland, let alone the claims that it was warmer in the 1930's.
When the melt season has progressed perhaps I'll be able to get the Lat & Long for a particular drift wood sample that has been carbon dated & we could make an image of the region showing open water lapping on the rocks. Even the most oblivious would have to admit that what they are viewing proves that this in no repeating phenomena responding to solar cycles, the AMO or any of the other excuses they typically offer.
Terry