Abstract:  A few sentences about the vast seas of water on 
the planet Mars for those who haven't been there yet to 
experience these very dangerous areas at first hand.  And 
who whispers in my ear but those who haven't come back?...

What do we have on Mars?  A lot of wind, a lot of dust, and 
maybe at one time, a lot of water.

So... let's sit at the edge of a small lake, and stare out 
while the winds of Mars start to pick up the dust, and blow 
it across the small lake.

What happens?

Well, after a short time in the now becoming very severe 
winds, the lake is darkened from the the dust in the sky, 
and now the temperature drops because night is falling.

The surface of the lake freezes, and as it freezes the 
gravel settles in and freezes with it.

After a time we now have a small lake filled with dust and  
particulate.

After a time, the winds die down and the mud lake warms up 
on the surface during the day.  The seasonal winds pick up 
again and the unfrozen surface is now refilled with gravel 
and mud, and held in layered suspension and trapped by the 
water.  The water/mud freezes again during the night.

Where the water has been the water will always be. 
and one must be very careful when attempting to walk upon 
the seas of Mars, what is firmament is often not.

The seas are ready now to accept and consume, and then let 
sink, to the appropriate depth, all earth landers and all 
potential conquerors of all sizes.

Carbon Dioxide precipitate their snowflakes out of the 
atmosphere during the cold seasons and amends its frozen 
self upon the frozen mud lakes.

Strong sandblast winds erode and terrace the hills like so 
much flowing water.

The warm daylight weather now sublimates the frozen 
CO2 and into the air it goes, ready to 
participate in the next period of great winds upon the seas 
of Mars.

The seas of Mars soften and wait for the next cargo of dust 
carried by the winds.

And upon the horizon, one can see the old hulks of worn 
ships with broken masts with their torn, and shredded, and 
ripped, sails who dared to stay upon, and tempt, the seas of 
Mars.

Where sail you now oh foolish ship by the light of the 
evenings darkness upon those, the frozen seas of Mars?