12/6-15

Position: 82° 50.1' N, 12° 55.9' W, temperature 0 °C, pressure 1023 hPa, wind 14 knots from the N. Ice drift 0.2 knot towards the S. A beautiful day. The former lead with present ice thickness of 0.6 m about 35 meter from the front of the hovercraft closed and quietly formed a 2 meter high pressure ridge. The Syquest echo box in camp does not find the bottom reflection. Water depth is around 3000 meter. CMR consulted the Syquest company and adjustments were made to resolve the issue. Made a CTD cast down to 1000 meter depth. Audun made a 5 hour ski trip to search for the two autonomous bathymetry buoys (# 4 and #5) not accounted for, but had no luck. This was our third unsuccessful attempt. Completed a major spring clean-up of the hovercraft cabin. Corresponded with Bert Rudels on oceanographic issues.