Northwest Passage - 2017

[Erik de Jong]

Originally Posted by Catapault

What is the definition of "Central Arctic Ocean" ?

I'm afraid I'm curious and somewhat suspect as to these claims

"Arctic Mission’s furthest North was 80 degrees 10 minutes North, 148 degrees 51 minutes West"

"It is believed Arctic Mission has sailed further north from the coastlines surrounding the Arctic Ocean than any vessel in history without icebreaker support."

Dear Catapault'

The definition we use for the "Central Arctic Ocean" is the one that the United Nations defined. It is the ocean surrounding the pole outside the EEZ (Exclusive Economic Zone) of the 5 Arctic Countries (Canada, Russia, USA, Denmark with Greenland and Norway with Svalbard). This zone is a 200 nautical mile zone in which the bordering country makes up the rules and the regulations for that piece of water. The Central Arctic Ocean is therefore the piece of water that is more than 200 miles away from the nearest land. We are indeed not the vessels that have reached 'furthest north', in fact, 4 of the 10 team members of 'Arctic Mission' have been further north by sailboat than what we reached this summer.

Our claim is that we are the first non-icebreakers that have reached the Central Arctic Ocean. If we can with a 50' sailboat, than anybody with a fishing boat or other commercial craft can utilize the treasures of the Arctic Ocean. Mainly because there are no protective regulations currently in place. With our Mission we want to show the world that ice is retreating rapidly. 15 years ago it was impossible to bring a small craft into the CAO, now we sailed over a thousand miles in these vulnerable waters without having to push any serious ice.

The only other sailing vessels that have been in the CAO are the 'Fram' of Nansen and the 'Tara' under the lead of Grant Redvers. Both those vessels were frozen in the ice before leaving the EEZ of Russia and drifted in the ice until the were released near Greenland, so they have been there, but not in open water or maneuvering under own power.

I've been travelling to the High Arctic and Antarctic since 2010 and continue to be amazed at the rapid changes, shrinking of the sea ice, and the retreat of glaciers even in that short time.

We can argue all we like about why, but that change it occurring is fact...

We couldn't agree more. We have been traveling in the Arctic by sailboat since 1995, and have seen the changes myself as well. The scary thing is that the ice in the CAO used to be up to 5m in average thickness. This is now reduced to 2,5m or less. The surface area has not only been reduced to almost half of what it used to be in 1979 (when records began) but also half the thickness. So in fact 75% of the summer sea ice has disappeared in the last 3 decades.
The other disturbing fact about the theoretical records, is that for the sea-ice surface count, any water that has 15% ice coverage or more, is considered ice covered. In fact that means that waters that are considered 'ice covered' can have as much as 85% open water. The marginal ice zone is getting wider and wider, so the actual ice coverage expressed in square miles, is significantly smaller than what is generally published.

Sincerley,
Erik de Jong and Krystina Scheller, Owners and skippers of s/v 'Bagheera', one of the two vessels used in 'Arctic Mission'.

[JPA Cate]

We had a personal communication of 3 boats iced in at Weld Hbr. 71 deg 06 m N/96 d 23 m W, on 1 Sep 17.m They are hoping for an opening before closure for the season.

Ann

[Erik de Jong]

That opening happened a few days ago. Some friends of mine went through on the 4th.

[JPA Cate]

Originally Posted by Erik de Jong

That opening happened a few days ago. Some friends of mine went through on the 4th.

Thank you so much. I will assume that we will hear sometime, and that those 3 are all well.

Ann

[GTom]

Originally Posted by JPA Cate

We had a personal communication of 3 boats iced in at Weld Hbr. 71 deg 06 m N/96 d 23 m W, on 1 Sep 17.m They are hoping for an opening before closure for the season.

Ann

Speaking of icing in: are there any places along the coast where a boat can be left behind for winter - in case someone wants to spend more than a year around the NW passage?

[Erik de Jong]

Several. People have left boats behind in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Havn and Tuk.
No personal experience with those, I went through in one go. if you want to stay onboard during the winter, than there are many small coves you could use to anchor in before the passage freezes over. That gives you a lot more options.

[GTom]

Originally Posted by Erik de Jong

Several. People have left boats behind in Cambridge Bay, Gjoa Havn and Tuk.
No personal experience with those, I went through in one go. if you want to stay onboard during the winter, than there are many small coves you could use to anchor in before the passage freezes over. That gives you a lot more options.

I would prefer an inhabited place with supplies and airfield like Gjoa. I'd probably also want to haul out a fiberglass boat for the icy months.

[newhaul]

Well its official the season is over ice is once again gaining as of 3 days ago .

[SailOar]

Here's an interesting page that shows time-lapse images of Arctic Ocean sea coverage, for any selected month, from 1985 to 2015. Note how 5-year-old ice has virtually disappeared in the past twenty years.

Satellite Observations of Sea Ice Change | National Snow & Ice Data Center

[GTom]

On that animation actually the Norteast passage looks better sometimes! Bureaucracy and infrastructure along the way is another question...

[SailOar]

M/V POLAR BOUND completes round trip NW Passage via Routes 7 West & Route 5 East | ArcticNorthwestPassage.blogspot

Yachtsman David Scott Cowper (76) aboard his 47 foot aluminum motor vessel POLAR BOUND (GB) has achieved a record 8th NW Passage by completing a round trip Northwest Passage in 2017.

Starting from Julianehaab Greenland he navigated as a World's First Record NW Passage Route 7 West through Fury and Hecla Strait, discovered in 1822 by Admiral William Edward Parry. David Cowper sailed with his son, Freddy Cowper, as crew, on this record voyage in 2016.

After wintering over in Petersburg Alaska, David navigated a return Route 5 East this past September with Jane Maufe (Author and four-times great niece to Arctic Explorer Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin), as crew, back to Julianehaab, Greenland.

2016 Route 7 Northwest Passage (purple color)

2017 Route 5 Northwest Passage (purple color)

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by newhaul

Well its official the season is over ice is once again gaining as of 3 days ago .

Time for Northwest - Passage 2018

http://www.cruisersforum.com/forums/...ml#post2487791

[newhaul]

Originally Posted by jackdale

Time for Northwest - Passage 2018

Let's see how good the winter freeze-up goes first eh

[SailOar]

Transits of the Northwest Passage to the End of the 2017 Navigation Season






Seven routes have been used for transits of the Northwest Passage with some minor variations:

1: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Barrow Strait, Viscount Melville Sound, McClure Strait, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. The shortest and deepest, but difficult, way owing to the severe ice of McClure Strait. The route is preferred by submarines because of its depth.

2: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Barrow Strait, Viscount Melville Sound, Prince of Wales Strait, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. An easier variant of route 1 which may avoid severe ice in McClure Strait. It is suitable for deep draft vessels.

3: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Barrow Strait, Peel Sound, Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait, Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. The principal route; used by most vessels of draft less than 10 m.

4: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Barrow Strait, Peel Sound, Rae Strait, Simpson Strait, Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. A variant of route 3 for smaller vessels if ice from McClintock channel has blocked Victoria Strait. Simpson Strait is only 6·4 m deep, it has shoals and complex currents.

5: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, Bellot Strait, Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait, Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. This route is dependent on ice in Bellot Strait which has complex currents. Mainly used by eastbound vessels.

6: Davis Strait, Lancaster Sound, Prince Regent Inlet, Bellot Strait, Rae Strait, Simpson Strait, Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. A variant of route 5 for smaller vessels if ice from McClintock Channel has blocked Victoria Strait. Simpson Strait is only 6·4 m deep, complex currents run in it and in Bellot Strait.

7: Hudson Strait, Foxe Basin, Fury and Hecla Strait, Bellot Strait, Franklin Strait, Victoria Strait, Coronation Gulf, Amundsen Gulf, Beaufort Sea, Chukchi Sea, Bering Strait. A difficult route owing to severe ice usually at the west of Fury and Hecla Strait and the currents of Bellot Strait. Mainly used by eastbound vessels as an alternative is practicable

[jackdale]

Originally Posted by SailOar

Transits of the Northwest Passage to the End of the 2017 Navigation Season

I did not see Northabout on that list. Looking at the history of the transits o=is telling.

Here is a beach cat that made it through.

https://www.facebook.com/ybourgnon/