During May 1988 a 1230-m ice thickness profile was drilled across a floe in Fram Strait. The probability density function of this data set corresponds closely to extensive ice draft measurements from submarines and the thickness distribution of floes sampled randomly in the area. The observed similarity is attributed to the topography of the pack ice in Fram Strait where each floe is composed of a spectrum of smaller components. This may imply that mutual independence and representativeness of thickness measurements can be satisfied to some degree even for short profiles. ¿ American Geophysical Union 1989