Hi Al,

...there were SO many more yachts transiting the NW Passage a couple of decades ago, than there are today... (grin)

Well, something is going up in the Arctic, pretty tough to dispute some of these figures... That passage was unthinkable 20 years ago for sailing yachts, and roughly 40% of ALL successful recorded transits of the NWP (from icebreakers to Hobie Cats and Norseboats), have come since 2007...

http://www.cruisingworld.com/people/passage-notes/northwest-passage-routes-made-passable

http://www.sailingworld.com/sites/all/files/_attachments_articles/nwp2012.pdf

http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2012/09/arctic-sea-ice-extent-settles-at-record-seasonal-minimum/

best regards,

Jon