considering that the first person to reach it was less that a century ago, which was only a few years after the LIA ended, and few people have been there, and none stayed for long, its hard to say that this is that unusual. Until the advent of the satalites. there was no way to keep it under survalence for more than a few minutes per decade. Since the first stalites did not monitor the north pole much if any, and it was not to much later (i believe the 1990's) that satalites flew over it constantly takeing reading, there is little if any data about it long term. one of the common things known about ice flows is that they dont flow smoothly at all times. some times gaps appear. Considering that this accord shortly after the hottest year on record (1998), this really is not that unexpected.
now if they could say that it had open water every year since 2000 then it might be a evidence of global warming. As it is, what it is, is evidence that we have warmed up since the LIA.
