Clams collected in late August had concentrations of saxitoxin considered dangerous for human consumption. The samples were collected in August about 70 miles north of St. Lawrence Island and about 50 miles north of Cape Lisburne, much further north than previously documented.
In July, Norton Sound water surface temperatures reached 68.2 DEG F on 7/10 and 69.3 DEG F on 7/11, which is about 17 degrees above average. The water was warm enough to comfortably swim in.