Seal Breathing hole drains

As the sea ice starts to melt under the 24 hour sunlight in Nunavut, fresh water starts to pool and flow on the surface of the snow and ice.  In places where seals maintain breathing holes, the meltwater drains down the hole, through the ice and into the salt water beneath.

Some of the bays and inlets are full of the holes and channels.

They can be quite stunning from the air on a sunny day.

In this photo, you can see a dot on the ice next to the drain.  That's the seal who maintains the hole, up for a bit of sun lying out on the ice.

This is the same drainage system as the above shot with the seal.  You can see a bit of dirty ice where the seal hauls up and how big of an area drains through the hole.

Not as complex a drainage system, but the hole through the ice is pretty clear in this shot.

Photo Credits: Tim Rast