The Situation Worsens: May 13, 1811

On Monday, the “frost diminished” and lanes of water appeared, bringing some hope of escape. For a while the temperature rose as high as 31 degrees (just below freezing), but by the mid-afternoon had fallen again to 18 degrees (-8 Celcius). Several ships, including the Resolution, attempted without success to bore their way out of the ice. Scoresby lists nine other ships close by, inclusing the Aimwell, and the James of Liverpool:

A swell is now our Chief hope although dangerous when heavy and amongst cose Ice yet is little chance of getting to the Nd without its aid to break up the Bay and thereby disentangle and set the heavy Ice at liberty.