The Antarctic sea ice last June set an all-time record high with an “excess” (more sea ice than normal for that date) of 2.116 million sq kilometers - an area larger than than all of Greenland. Today, the “excess” Antarctic sea ice is not as big - only 1-1/2 times the size of Hudson Bay. About 1.8 million square kilometers. 8<)
Averaged over all of April, the average Antarctic sea ice set a new monthly record also.
East Antarctic land ice is gaining mass as well - all but for three glaciers on the edge. West antarctic ice sheet is steady, but for three glaciers on the peninsula going up towards south America. But that is only 3% of the continent's area. (Pine Island and the Thwaits glaciers the ones they like to publicize. Because they are the only ones losing mass.)
Yes they doo..
Record Antarctic sea ice a logistic problem for scientists
http://news.yahoo.com/record-antarctic-sea-ice-logistic-problem-scientists-071717226.html
Growing sea ice surrounding Antarctica could prompt scientists to consider relocating research stations on the continent, according to the operations manager of the Australian Antarctic Division.
Rob Wooding said that resupplying Australia’s Mawson Station — the longest continuously operated outpost in Antarctica — relied on access to a bay, a task increasingly complicated by sea ice blocking the way.
“We are noticing that the sea ice situation is becoming more difficult,” Wooding told a media briefing on Monday ahead of two days of meetings between top Antarctic science and logistics experts in Hobart, the capital of Tasmania.