30' 



7f?' 



//o° 



30' 



W 





Ylb" 



100° 



105" 



110° 



Figure 146a. State of the ice in Vilkitski Strait on 8 July 1943. 



The aerial reconnaissance of 8 July coincided with the end of the synoptic period and there- 

 fore the ice situation was quite clear: an accumulation of ice off the coast of the mainland and open 

 water off the southern coast of Bolshevik Island. The aerial reconnaissance of 24 July fell to the 

 middle of the synoptic period, therefore the preceding period was completely opposite with respect 

 to the position of the isobars and the resultant ice drift. This made the disposition of the ice 

 relatively indistinct. Just the same, we can see that on 24 July off the continental coast there were 

 either open leads on polynyas or very scattered ice, i.e. , a situation diametrically opposed to the 

 one observed on 8 July. Undoubtedly such phenomena have a very substantial influence on the 

 possibilities of navigation of Vilkitski Strait. Ship captains do not always have aerial reconnais- 

 sance data by any means nor do they always have good synoptic maps. Therefore, on passing 

 through such straits as Vilkitski, Sannikov and Laptev one must always keep a close watch on the 

 wind and to emerge windward as much as possible. 



As already pointed out, prevailing winds create more or less permanent leads or poljmyas. 

 These are especially conspicious on the leeward shore of capes which stretch out into the sea and 

 on the leeward side of individual islands. 



Southwesterly winds prevail in the neck of the White Sea (Gorlo Belogo Moria) during winter, 

 creating at least sca:ttered ice here if not polynyas or leads. This is also why such openings form 

 off the Summer Coast (Letni Bereg) of the White Sea, as has been noted by Timonov. 



394 



