Conclusions

In mid winter, periodic winter storms generate significant seas which propagate through the Bering Sea up toward Saint Lawrence Island. The influx of energy is there.

Other relevant factors are:

(1) the convex curvature of the shoreline on the west end of Saint Lawrence Island, which would focus incoming wave energy and,

(2) the tendency of the surface winds in winter storms in the Bering Sea to open polynyas along the west end of Saint Lawrence Island. When such areas of open water form, the incoming waves are in open water once they begin to shoal in shallow water near shore. This avoids the significant damping effect which a large area of shore fast ice would have.

The reports of heavy mid winter surf at Gambell remain in question, but can not be discounted. However, the bathymetry and climatology of the region seem to favor conditions that would allow high energy swell and seas to move relatively undiminished in energy beneath the pack ice of mid winter.

The idea of heavy seas propagating under the ice in mid winter is counter intuitive. However, the incident of the Polarstern and the observations analyzed by De Q. Robin give serious cause to consider the Gambell reports believable. Storms in the Bering Sea are not uncommon during winter, so such events should not be rare.

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