August 23, 2018 . At least 22 vessels are affected and several have turned back to Greenland.
Update September 3, 2018
News today from the Northwest Passage blog that S/V CRYSTAL has given up after hanging around Fort Ross hoping for a storm or melting to break the ice barrier blocking their way west.
As the vessel tracker shows, they have been forced to Plan C, which is returning to Greenland and accept that the NW Passage is closed this year. The latest ice chart gave them no hope for getting through.
The image below shows the ice with which they were coping.
More details at NW Passage blog 20180902 S/V CRYSTAL and S/V ATKA give up and retreat back to Greenland – Score ICE 3 vs YACHTS 0
Update August 28, 2018
S/V CRYSTAL (Polish Crew) at Fort Ross Nunavut waiting Franklin ice and weather window to dash westward toward Nome Alaska.
Note yachts can sail through green (3/10), so the hope is for red to yellow to green. But here are the last four days:
They are hoping for a storm Sept. 1-2 to open Franklin Strait where is the thick red ice. Plan B is to wait another week for a wider weather window and more ice disintegration. Plan C is to escape to the east.
From the Northwest Passage Blog (Aug. 22, 2018):
Good morning,
Due to heavier than normal ice concentrations in the Canadian arctic waters north of 70 degrees, the Canadian Coast Guard, recommends that pleasure craft do not navigate in the Beaufort Sea, Barrow, Peel Sound, Franklin Strait and Prince Regent. CCG icebreakers cannot safely escort pleasure craft. Operators of pleasure craft considering a northwest passage should also consider the risk of having to winter in a safe haven in the Arctic, or in the case of an emergency, be evacuated from beset vessels. Safety of mariners is our primary concern.
REGARDS,
NORDREG CANADA
August 26: FRANKLIN continues to improve with less ice and could be open by the first full week of September.
Science Matters 
Reblogged this on Climate Collections.
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Ron,
How early in the season is this? Is it normal or just because of storms piling up the ice?
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Gengis, for yachts like these, the window closes third week of Sept., give or take. IMO, Dr. Cohen’s diagram shows the high pressure ridge sitting over that area has prevented incursions of warm air that would stir up winds to break up or melt ice in Franklin strait.
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