Having just crossed the Arctic Circle, this time from the North to South and on the other side of the continent, is an exhilarating feeling. According to the definition of the Northwest Passage we have just completed our passage through the Arctic achieving the most Northern Northwest Passage ever accomplished by a sailboat!
We had left Resolute nearly twenty days ago and spent half that time picking through the ice of Viscount Melville Sound and M’Clure to achieve our dream of crossing through the strait and then the second half taking on the rough waters of the Beaufort and Chuckchi Sea to finally reach the Bearing Sea and complete our passage. While it has been an exhilarating few weeks of accomplishments our attention now goes to the Bearing Strait a legendary and bizarre place, both geographically and geopolitically.
Two massive Oceans cram into a little passage between Russia and the United states not even 40 miles wide and only 40 to 50 meters deep. A place we can imagine that would be quite challenging in any sort of weather, but we have been blessed with calm winds and flat waters. Last night after being hailed by the United States Coast Guard Ship Bertholf, and congratulated on our successful passage, for the first time the clouds dispersed and revealed the stars and the dancing Northern lights adding to the allure of this expanse of water.
While filled with excitement at realizing a two year dream our thoughts have also been slowly wondering to Nome Alaska where we will arrive in about 36 hours. After an extended period in the high Arctic where fresh vegetables, fruits and a cold beer were either next to impossible to find, too expensive or illegal we have an insatiable craving for all that we intend to satisfy. After making repairs, re-provisioning and catching up on sleep we will set sail for the Aleutians and then part of the Northern Pacific to reach the inside passage along Canada’s West coast.
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Thank you for an adventure with meaning for our times. Too many ‘first to the North Pole wearing yellow socks’ headlines could make you believe that there is nothing left to accomplish. Your trip took real risk, and had a simple but significant goal to bearing witness to ice melt and global warming.
Congrats again my friends. Great work pushing through that stretch. If you thought the Bering Strait was “a legendary and bizarre place,” wait until you experience Nome. It can be a hard place to escape from!
Good luck in the stretch down to Dutch Harbor. Make sure you have a nice weather window as it can really rip this time of year there.
The Norwegian, Roald Amundsen managed to get through the North-West Passage with his ship Gjoa – East to West from the Atlantic to the Pacific. It took three years to get through-from 1903 to 1906. In June, 1940-42’ the Royal Canadian Mounted Police ship St Roch, also took two years to get from Vancouver to Halifax west to east. In 1944, the same ship returned to Vancouver via a more northerly route. And arrived at Vancouver in only 86 days. In the year 2,000 the St Roch 11 went through the North West Passage.
Well done you guys. Admirable sailors all! What a fantastic trip. I bet you’re just itching to get on some dry land and have some real food. Well deserved for sure.
Have a great time on the rest of your journey. Hopefully clear sailing here on out. Will be keenly watching for your next post.
Amazing trip!
Party hard in Nome, but don’t forget to leave so you’ll make it to Vancouver in time.
CONGRATS GUYS!!!
Enjoy your beers in Alaska, you guys deserve them!
Hi,
I’ve let you a message via the “contact” form.
We’d like to have a phone interview with you!
Hi
Stop by in Campbell River Vancouver Island as I have a 1974 Monsun one of the few in Canada, I think there are only two here on the west coast
CONGRATULATIONS!
Have sent you an invitation (in the “contact form) to visit us – if your return trip takes you via Seattle.
Hope to see you and best wishes for a continued safe trip!
Claus
Congratulations on the success of your voyage. Not sure I would thrive in those cold latitudes. The only thing that will get me out in the snow is a foot of powder and a chairlift!
Fantastic photos and a very happy looking crew. Must be incredible to see such an amazing area with so much history – which you are now a part of,
Regards,
David