JPMycos 1976 Journal 3 NAIRL to Leadin Dee Packs, via Newak, P. Barrow AK 1 June 1500 left NAIRL on three wheeler and snow mobile with Doug Woody and Russ Greenbaum. R.C.Stebbins take note. After yesterday heat wave, the evening hours cooled down such that this a.m. was 28. Still sunny, but with a hard crust everywhere and ice on the ponds. In the a.m. we did busy work plus a brief foray to POW-main and Smithsonian (see daily list - most notable is decline in pinnacles). Temp today rose to 34° or so, little wind (from E) and largely cloudless sky. Thru the whisper. To go to the lead, we sped along the ice parallel to the point until reaching Newak, where we disembarked and made a brief survey of the tundra patch. Unusual: the "tundra patch" is that which last year we found the red-necked stints, and is an island of Pucinella/Carex tundra surrounded by the gravel spit. Much of it - in fact 95% - is still snow covered today. A few bare patches by the radio tower at its NW corner, two whistling birds on the ground - an Anthus spinola, and Pluvialis dominica. Australifrons and Bregata nigricans overhead. Several hundred eider, mostly spectabilis A flock of Calidris moving among the bare tundra patch. Heading north from the Point we had smooth ice for about 2Km, similar or even smoother than it had been along the shore. Then abruptly we hit a series of ridges, of jumbled blocks of ice fortunately smoothed by slushy mushy snow in the sun. After 20 minutes of wrestling over the patch, bucking groaning continuously and nearly flipping both 3-wheeler + snowmobile, we reached the camp used by H. Braham, OCS marine mammal investigator. They all camped on a field of old ice, a plain meadow in the forest of jumbled blocks. Most of his crew, Abraham included, were thus sunning themselves in the torrid 34° rays. Actually it is quite pleasant, save the late glaring light. Polar bear tracks lead through camp, fresh from the morning. We left the vehicles there, at Russ's request - he was adamant about not walking to be jolted anymore than necessary, and walked ~300m to the camp's lookout over the lead. With fresh cracks and 5m pits of fractured ice, just beyond which an incredibly deep blue fissure of water, as a verandah, we remained for ~1hr looking for birds moving along the lead. See daily list. Over 1000 eiders went by, but compared to yesterday that is nothing.