Coming home wasn’t easy for Don Mix
and the Bowdoin crew. Like Arctic explorers
before them, they found the weather
conditions there are unpredictable and caused
unexpected problems. And in this case they
almost didn’t come back, or more correctly,
the Bowdoin almost didn’t come back.

   The summer there was colder than expected.
Even though the ice disappeared beyond
the harbor, Refuge Harbor was covered with
ice, just as solid as during the winter before.
The wind and waves help break up the ice,
but the harbor was somewhat protected and
the ice there didn’t clear. Then the ice melted around the ship making an opportunity to brake free.

  Right: Don in Kayak next to the Bowdoin
surounded by ice.