The Northern Sea Route is open and clear of ice. This is the shipping lane above Russia and Siberia through the Arctic Ocean.
The famous Northwest Passage will probably be open within a week. Is anyone aware of any attempts to sail it this year? Now, there are usually a few attempts each season, but I don't know if records are kept of the attempts.

Watch the passages open up at this site:
http://www.iup.uni-bremen.de:8084/amsr/

Sea Ice Maps and Data

Beto Pandiani is building an open cat in Germany for an attempt in 2013/14, Vancouver to Greenland. Check the float lines here

McClure Strait is now open! Any ocean sailor can sail the northern route of the famed Northwest Passage without seeing ice. Its time to start a Hobie Fleet in an Arctic port.