Second sampling with the hovercraft today.
Cracks are multiplying and getting wider, ice surface has patchy brown colors and is getting thiner while the water level is rising faster and faster.
Ice blocks have started to climb on the river bank in some places and first compression crests are growing little by little here and there.

Yesterday was the last snowmobile sampling of the mission.
Water is rising more and more and we have heard that first
ice cracks appeared downstream Igarka.
We visited Gravika river this morning, the water is already colorful even if a cap of ice remains on most of the chanel.
Hovercraft sampling is scheduled for tomorrow afternoon, let’s go catch the spring flood!

Yesterday we sampled with the hovercraft, crossing cracks and slowly moving ice, the Yensisey is awaking!

We are still sampling on the ice but yesterday the snowmobile and the trail were surfing!
In the sampling zone there is a thin layer of ice covering about 40 cm of melted snow on top of a thick ice layer of about 80 cm.
Seagull are arrived which is, according to locals, a sign that the ice break is coming.
Fishermen have brought back their cabines on the earth and are now fishing close to the river bank.
fDOM values are around the levels of the days just before the ice break of the previous years.
The water is now rising quite steadily (our landmark, a old stranded boat is disappearing).

We are sampling only every two days because we are running out of sampling bottles and are waiting for a precise date of delivery of the freight sent from France.
Sending freight is tricky in spring because the only way to do it is by plane and cargo is booked mainly for fresh food (fruits and vegetables).
Indeed the winter road closed 1 month ago and the first boat is expected by the end of may…

Very first signs of spring are now visible along the Yenisei bank.
Locals develop different type of strategy to cross Yenisei melting edges.

Good ice condition let us sampling everyday during the last week.
Snowy then sunny but cold weather keep nice snowmobile track on the Yenisei.
Watercolour starts to change.
As every year, fishermen are out on the ice to catch fish migration before spring flood.
A good indication that spring is coming!

Nikita, Elena and Roman arrived today for the spring flood period.
For the first time, the historical team will sample together the Yenisei.
First attempt to get data from the Gravijka river sonde implemented since July.
We shared happy “into the wild” moments.

After two days sampling in cloudy/snowy conditions, the sun was back for an ideal sampling time on the shinny ice of the Yenisey.
Current temperatures are quite cold about -3 to -6 °C during day and from -10 to -18 °C at night.
Thus ice is still thick (near 1m) and there are almost no sign of melting.
Fishermen in their cabines still have some great days of fishing to comme.
According to weather forecast, positive temperature should occur on friday, let see what happen next!