Rain! What a surprise to hear drops on the deck, to see them splashing on the windows, to feel water on the face... For the last nine months, we had only snow. The girls are very happy to play outside, and France takes advantage of it to wash the deck and the roof.

Mean temperatures have been positives for the past few days, and snow is melting fast, especially on land. It is hardly possible to make inukshuks, but it is possible to work bare hands outside without having fingers numb with cold, which is quite enjoyable to try to repair the oceanographic buoy Ukiuq (project Ice Sentries), or to set up the new icemeter (EM31) in the blue pulka (the previous one was send to the manufacturer for maintenance).

Season change is also marked by the arrival of wind: our loyal kite (made by France in Svalbard in 2006 with the remains of a tent destroyed by polar bears) could at least get some fresh air! Nothing better to let off steam, while preparing the coming sailing season.