Three weeks ago they announced that they were going to row the Northwest Passage – because global warming made it possible. Now they say that the trip isn’t possible because it is too cold and there is too much ice, and that global warming is making it too warm there.

Strange weather has defined the year we are told. It’s been colder than usual and the ice has been very slow in going out. Climate change critics may quickly point this out as a damning argument but the reality of climate change is not reflected in specific anomaly but rather in overall trend.

Yes. All the ice melted except that there is more than normal.

The locals in Tuktoyaktuk describe an Arctic that is in profound change. We are told the summer is longer on both ends by at least two weeks. “They shot a grizzly bear at the north end of Banks Island,” explained Billy, a local elder “They saw a wolverine too”.

The elders say that it is really cold, and that it is getting really warm.

We receive a stern warning from our weather router stating unequivocally: “Unwise to move ahead, you are ready for your route but your route is not ready for you.” We immediately tuck into the lee of a sandy spit and access our options. Our arrival in Tuk to our departure is less than 24 hours

In other words, their route is blocked with ice.