North Pole Since 2002, the Russians have also annually established a base, Barneo, close to the Pole. This operates for a few weeks during early spring. Studies in the 2000s predicted that the North Pole may become seasonally ice-free because of Arctic ice shrinkage, with timescales varying from 2016 to the late 21st century or later. The sea depth at the North Pole has been measured at by the Russian Mir submersible in 2007 and at 4,087 m (13,410 ft) by USS "Nautilus" in 1958. The nearest land is usually said to be Kaffeklubben Island, off the northern coast of Greenland about
Lake North Pole Lake North Pole Lake North Pole, also known as The North Pool, is a small, shallow lake near the North Pole, and is currently the northernmost lake in the world. It came into existence in 2002, occurring each year, then freezing over in the winter. The lake, which is approximately one foot deep, is composed almost entirely of fresh water melted from the ice beneath. A web camera is stationed beside the lake to monitor changes. It was built by the Polar Science Center. On July 26, 2013, the depth was estimated to be approximately 40 cm. Members of the