We are attempting a unique route through the Northwest Passage that has never been achieved before. We plan on going much further up the West Coast of Greenland to the highest latitude possible before turning south following the coast of Ellesmere Island and instead of crossing Devon Island to the south by entering Lancaster Sound to reach Resolute which is the”traditional route” we will attempt to pass Devon Island to the North through Jones Sound, then join up with Norwegian bay to meet Northumberland Sound to sail down to Resolute from where we will evaluate the ice charts and if possible continue along the Viscount Melville Sound and attempt to cross the McClure strait.
All will depend on the ice coverage at the time but by studying ice charts and satellite images of the ice and trends over the years we believe we can safetly accomplish a never before travelled route by sailboat. In doing so we hope to bring about greater awareness to the changing climate of the Arctic as well as highlight never before explored areas by sailboat.
i live in hyder alaska, 100 miles from dixon entrance up the portland canal. single handed my newport 27 from valdez and across the gulf of alaska in 09. cool move your doin. you may find the bearing and gulf rougher than those over the top lattitudes. if i can help send an ahoy…..jim
Hello Edvin,
Is there anyplace on your website/blog that shows your current position?
Standing by,
Doug
I have the same question than Douglas. Where are you at the time of your writing? If you would just put Lat / Long next your date, we would be able to figure it out.
But anyway, I envy you and wish you all the best. Stay safe and good luck.
Robert
We are currantly working on getting a position system installed
Jim is right, this year NWP boats were just searching for the ice and from mid Sept. once they hit Bering square waves and the Gulf the sailing started. Anything less than 35 kn was not seen there since.
Till to day there is last yacht along the Inner Alaska Pass that managed NWP in no time. It is still located at Icy Str. near Chatham Str. waiting for good winds and currents. Only two boats managed the Gulf this year.
We are defenetly aware of the possibilety of not reaching vancouver next year and we fear the waves and weather of the beaufort sea and bearing sea.
Looks like your home page “header” map is updating your position – KUDOS!
Looking forward to your next posting.
MOO!
Doug
Canadians have a very short memory.
In 1944, the RCMP sailboat ST ROCH sailed through the Mc Clure passage successfully. This is well documented and there is a book about it.
This journey was a great adventure.
http://www.vancouvermaritimemuseum.com/modules/vmmuseum/treasures/?artifactid=86
It seems that the small research vessel on Iqaluit beach, the CALANUS, sailed through the McClure strait in 1955 or 56. But there are less info on this.
Both were sailboats.
The Calanus is on display at Iqaluit Maritime Museum, right on the beach.
Correction. St. Roch sailed in 1944 Eastbound along route W2 which is Davis Str. Lancaster Sd. Barrow Str. Viscount Melville Sd. Prince of Wales Str. Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Str. and not McClure as you state. If there was anything like Calanus then not in 1955/56. The closest was 1954 HMCS Labrador and 1957 USCGS Storis, Bramble, Spar including HMCS Labrador again to escort them. The very first after St. Roch was Williwaw of Willy de Ross in 1977 and I remember that and have the film.
All the transits were recorded by late Capt. T. Pullen of CCG up to 1991 and
later by Scott Polar Research Institute.
Forget the St. Roch? Don’t be ridiculous, John; it’s part of the national story. So, for that matter, is the first transit of the NWP in 1903-06, by Amundsen in the Gjoa.
But that has nothing to do with anything written above. The original transits were ‘steps for mankind’–the present cruising boom in the NWP is individual adventure, and, though still dangerous, far less treacherous than when the ice pack didn’t melt back through the archipelago almost completely every summer. (Ie., the ‘good old days’ of the last millenium.)
Oh, and one small addition: yes, the St. Roche was a sailboat (ketch-rigged), but she also had a Diesel (150 HP, upgraded to 300 for the second NWP transit.)
Thanks for the history on the St. Roch. This 100′ long ship is very different than the modern fiberglass boat that just did the transit, interesting comparison.
This is a great route for a great adventure for the cruising grounds that are opening way up north. I have cruised myself in warmer places and for years have followed adventures of NWP cruisers such as Fine Tolerance who made the passage and wintered in the ice back around 2004, read the book of Alvah Simon’s trip in 1994, more followed recently Ocean Watch, and similar high latitude sail adventures. This trip looks much different than any of those of the past – transiting with robust but common cruising equipment that is familiar to me and many others.
Good on the boys for making this a great trip. Really high quality documentation too in the photos and videos. For a few moments, I could see myself going there, first time ever. All the while, these sailors keep in mind that opening the new cruising grounds is not a positive development, one that we must reverse. All around, well done!
Craig
There is a second sailing group that have also been sailing the Northwest Passage. The yacht Teleport. Their website is http://www.yachtteleport.com/. They seem to be taking the traditional route.
Check them out.
This is a great story.i have been reading books that highlight the pack ice you dealt with.the first book i read was endurance pertaining to the shakelton voyage which should be mandatory reading to all.i also just read land of white death pertaining to valerian albanov which is a personal diary accounting the hardships that pack ice can cause.actually people create the hardships by challenging the ice but it is facinating to me.i would love to see you take a crack at the south pole which seems to be much more dangerous in terms of the rough seas.not diminishing your voyage at all. i admire your passion to go boldly where no man has gone before.
What is the traditional route? Sincerely, Joe W.
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