After two years of very successful ice thickness surveys north of Qikiqtarjuaq, I was glad that we found an opportunity this year to finally visit the regions south of Qikiqtarjuaq, near Padloping Island, thus gathering information in all directions from Qikiqtarjuaq. Together with Jay and Eric we enjoyed four most remarkable days with great company, beautiful scenery and weather, and the most amazing polar bear spottings. Living off the land with fulmars and cod were some other highlights of this unforgettable trip, as was the excellent data quality and the documentation of thin ice regions and slush along our 440 km long journey. Thank you Jay for your insightful guidance, and France and Eric for your hospitality!

Every year since 2011, I look forward to welcome our colleague and friend Christian Haas, and to go together for long sea ice survey. This is the highlight of the year in our collaboration to study sea ice. This last four-day trip was up to our expectations: great data on the variability of the thickness of the ice, a stunning stop to the automatic scientific station on the ice island (a huge iceberg), sumptuous landscapes, ten polar bears encountered along our 450 kilometres survey, easy cod fishing, tasting Fulmar, a lot of snow but not too much slush... a fantastic journey shared again with our Inuit friend Jaypootie.

Marzena and Mojtaba are PhD students at York University in Toronto. They came here in Qikiqtarjuaq to learn about sea ice and snow measurements. I was pleased when their supervisor Christian Haas asked me if I could welcome them for one week of field work. We had various weather conditions, I took them to thick ice and low snow areas, as well as thin ice and thick snow areas, even to some very slushy places. Measurements went well and I had fun showing them all kind of tricks to get work going smoothly out on the ice.

Today came a charter flight full of GreenEdge equipment. The second field work season is about to start, to study the phytoplankton spring bloom. You can also follow this big scientific project on GreenEdge Expeditions blog.

Three people from Qikiqtarjuaq, poorly equipped for their journey by snowmobile, have survived nearly a week in an igloo eating two caribous. Party time when they came back in town.

While spring is starting, the weather mast is installed again on the ice for about three months, in the same place than in 2014 and in 2015. With the help of Erin and Joseph, from Qikiqtarjuaq.

Our friend Jaypootie invites us to spend the weekend in his parents tent-hut, Leah and Joanasie, on the small island of Honey Moon, about thirty kilometers from the village. We are alone on the island, with our dogs.

Long and beautiful trip for France and I today, north of Qikiqtarjuaq, up to Kivitoo. Ice is sometimes very rough, sometimes nice and flat. We meet Billy and his group of tourists in search of polar bears. Big disappointment for us when the icemeter (EM31) fails and when 130km of data is lost! But this trip remains one of the most beautiful we did this winter.

Earlier this month, Leonie has been very successful in class with pictures and movies of her trips to Brittany (home), Greenland and elsewhere.

This month, students all participated in an anti-soda campaign!

Last week, Leonie was delighted to be invited to stay over night with her girlfriend Maléane.

Aurore and Léonie are enjoying school a lot in Qikiqtarjuaq, and keep bringing back very good report cards.

Tonight, Sheema is sleeping on board, it's a little party! She was also here three days ago to look for Easter eggs.

Christian Morel is on board, as part of the artist residency I organized. Every day is a challenge to produce images out of step, with Inuit volunteers, on the theme of sea ice. But every photo shared finally offers a good time, good memories for everyone. "It was fun!" Adrian tells me, after waiting for the train in vain, suitcase in hand on the ice at sunset. Or Sarah watering flowers coming out from the ice, William as a shaman in the middle of a circle of fire, Joy placing her bare feet carefully polish on the snow... Even Leonie and Aurore's friends took part and enjoyed it! A web gallery on Qikiqtarjuaq's website will soon show this work for the community. We will also be able to see these images on Vagabond's website soon.