The Journals of Josloy/Dolthe 11, 5675
According to Captain Hegherg, we’ve officially passed into the Arctic. I believe this is the farthest north I’ve ever been, and it’s certainly feeling colder than anywhere else I’ve been, except during the darkest days of winter. I was curious how the sea keeps from freezing in the cold, and learned several things are involved. First, the seawater contains salt, so it freezes at a slightly lower temperature than freshwater. Second, a current of warmer water is flowing from the south. We’re following this current since it creates a channel of open water between two of the sheets of ice. The water will still be extremely cold, so no one plans to take any refreshing swims.
The largest sheet of ice anchors on the northern portions of Bagda, and covers most of the Arctic. That sheet of ice will be north of us the entire time we see it. We’ll encounter it first, probably in the next few days since we’re not far from the easternmost point of Bagda, and the cold winds from its icy north are a challenge even for the warm current we’re following.
The other sheet of ice we’ll pass is anchored to the two lands of Garna and Mekender, and will be south of us. From what I understand, the open channel between the two sheets of ice is always open, although the seasonal weather from the southern hemisphere determines its width. When it’s winter up here, it’s summer down there. As a result, I expect the channel will be wide and easily navigated.
There is a third sheet of ice attached to the northernmost portion of Etnyben, but we’ll be heading south by the time we near that longitude and won’t even see it from a distance. It’s the smallest sheet of ice in the Arctic, and is separated from Bagda by a current similar to the one we’re currently following.
I made the mistake of asking Veldon if it’s possible to catch the flying eels he claims swim in the seas. He threw a piece of wood at me, and stormed off to another area of the ship. I suspect he would have thrown me overboard if he had the authority to do so. I think I’ll avoid him for a few days, and hope he calms down.
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