One of my geology field seasons in the Canadian Arctic worked out of a base-camp on Axel Heiberg Island (west of and snuggled against Ellesmere Island).  It was the spring thaw and all rivers and streams were muddy.  Our only source of clean water turned out to be a small melt-water pond atop an iceberg in Strand Fiord, a few hundred metres offshore.  The helicopter would make daily trips with a 45-gallon drum to collect the water.  The ice and its water were crystal clear and probably a few thousand years old. It was a treat. Perhaps the only thing missing was the occasional Scotch or G&T. Continue reading →