We are surrounded with compacted floes of immense area.

Openings appear between these floes and we slide crab-like from one to another with long delays between.

It is difficult to keep hope alive.

There are streaks of water sky over open leads to the north, but everywhere to the south we have the uniform white sky.

The day has been overcast and the wind force 3 to 5 from the E.N.E .-- snow has fallen from time to time.