French Team Pulls Plug On North Pole Sailing Expedition

A few weeks back I posted the story of two French sailors – Sébastien Roubinet and Vincent Berthet – who were attempting to sail from Barrow, Alaska to Spitsbergen, Svalbard via the North Pole aboard a specially designed catamaran that was built to cross both water and ice. At the time, the two men were still making their way north and were facing considerable challenges in the from of inclement weather and waterways that were more choked with ice than they had anticipated. On Saturday, the team elected to abandon their quest due to conditions that were deteriorating much more quickly than they had expected.

According to this story at ExWeb the team ran into problems after they crossed 82ºN. From there they started to see increased ice build up on the surface of the Arctic Ocean which was making it increasingly more difficult to make any kind of progress. On Saturday, August 31 they had only managed to cross .8 miles (1.3 km) by noon. Temperatures had fallen rapidly and the conditions were right for more ice to build up. Worse yet, the forecast said that those conditions would remain the same for the next eight days, which meant little or no progress in the future. It was than that Sébastien and Vincent made the tough choice to pull the plug on their adventure and head home.

Of course, even that won't exactly be easy to do. They are fairly far north and the bad weather conditions continue to hamper them. They also happen to be a long way from land. In fact, as of Saturday, they were just 100 miles from the Pole of Inaccessibility, which is the furthest point from land anywhere in the Arctic Ocean. That means they still have quite a journey ahead even if they aren't going to be able to complete their intended adventure.

I'm a bit sad to see these expedition come to an end. I was hoping to follow them all the way to Svalbard as I really liked the concept of their travels. It's too bad that they won't be able to continue, but it sounds like the conditions in the Arctic have been especially difficult this season, not just for this team but others who have been in the Northwest Passage. Lets hope these two men make back to land safely.

Two Teams Still Navigating The Northwest Passage

Yesterday I posted an update on the Last First expedition in which it was revealed that the team was pulling the plug on their attempt to row the Northwest Passage this summer. The four-man crew is en route to Cambridge Bay, which is a long way from their intended stopping point at Pond Inlet. Poor weather and an inefficient boat design resulted in slower than expected progress conspired against them to keep them from reaching their goal and within a few days, they should be off the water altogether. But it turns out that the Last First team isn't the only one paddling through the Passage this summer and while their journey may be coming to an end, there are two other teams who are pressing forward with their adventures even as the summer starts to wane.

First up, we have the team of Cam Webb and Matt McFadyen who have dubbed their journey the Beyond The Circle expedition. The two men set out in July from Inuvik in a small 17.5-foot (5.3 meter) rowboat that also happens to be equipped with a sail. This gives them the ability to harness the power of the wind when the can, allowing them to make better time in the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean. It hasn't exactly been a pleasure cruise for Cam and Matt so far but they seem to be enjoying their time out on the water and are making solid distances most days. They still have about half of their 2000-mile (3218 km) voyage to go, but they seem determined to see it through to the end. Watch for regular updates to their blog with more news and information on their progress.

The other Northwest Passage crossing attempt is by the Reve de Glace ("Ice Dreams") team, who are attempting to navigate the entire journey in a tandem sea kayak. If successful, they'll be the first to accomplish that feat in a single season. They set off from the village of Tuktoyaktuk in northern Canada and are paddling some 3500 km (2175 miles) to reach the tiny hamlet of Igloolik, which falls on one of the many waterways which gives entry into the Passage itself. The two men on this NW Passage attempt include Sébastien Lapierre and Olivier Giasson who hope to complete their journey in just 80 days. Find out more on their website, which is French but can be easily translated to get updates.

What is interesting is that all three of the teams, Last First, Beyond The Circle and Reve de Glace, are all roughly within the same area at the moment. The difference is that the Last First team is ready to go home, while the others will continue ahead. Hopefully the two teams that will continue on will stay safe and reach their destination as intended.

Many thanks to reader Steve Price for sharing these expeditions with me.

Rowing The Northewest Passage: The Last First Expedition Nears End

One of the adventures that we've been following this summer has been the Last First expedition, which is the attempt by four men to row the Northwest Passage from Inuvik to Pond Inlet. The team got underway back in July and had hoped to cover some 3000 km (1865 miles) along their route. Now, 70 days into the journey they're just hoping to hold on and make their way to an abbreviated finish line in Cambridge Bay. That end is in sight, but like all things have been with this expedition, the final few days won't be easy.

The team is made up of experienced adventurers who all have previous experience on difficult expeditions. The crew consists of Kevin Vallely, Paul Gleeson, Frank Wolf and Denis Barnett. They've been rowing a specially built 25-foot rowboat through the Arctic with the hope of reaching Pond Inlet for days, but they simply haven't been able to travel as fast and often as they would like. This summer has seen more ice in the Passage than was previously anticipated and frequent storms have often hindered their progress as well. As a result, there is no possible way for them to reach their intended destination before the season comes to an end.

With that in mind, they've pointed their rowboat towards Cambridge Bay and hope to reach it sometime in the next few days. But before they can row back to land they must first address another problem. The  team's fresh water supply has become contaminated with sea water and they must replenish it with some fresh water first. Today they will stay close to the shoreline while they search for a stream with which they can refill their water tank. If that can be quickly and easily taken care of, they will then proceed towards the end.

Judging from their latest blog entries I'd say the boys are ready to be done with their time in the Northwest Passage, even if it means they won't be completing their original objectives. It has been a difficult and demanding journey that has tested them in ways that they didn't expect. Progress has been painstakingly slow or nonexistent at times, which has been a constant source of frustration. If the weather holds and the seas cooperate, they should reach Cambridge Bay within the next 3-4 days, bringing an end to their row.

Rowing The Northwest Passage: Last First Team Struggle To Make Progress

It has been a few weeks since we checked in with the Last First crew. You may recall, they're the group of four rowers (Kevin Vallely, Paul Gleeson, Frank Wolf and Denis Barnett) who are attempting to cross through the Northwest Passage this summer. They set out from Inuvik in Canada a few weeks back and are now hoping to row more than 3000 km (1865 miles) through freezing waters choked with ice bergs and other obstacles to reach Pond Inlet. If successful, they'll be the first to row this route in a single season.

So far it has been anything but easy for the crew. Despite the fact that it is summer, the only time of the year that the Northwest Passage is open at all, the weather conditions have been poor with high winds making it difficult to make substantial progress. In fact, some of the days have been so rough that the team has manned the oars for hours just so they don't lose any ground. Throw in the constant threat of icebergs, which could trap their boat or even break its hull, and you begin to understand just how difficult this undertaking has been.

With the wind at their backs, the boys can make excellent time however, as evidenced just a few days ago. While rowing near Franklin Bay they managed to cover 120 km (74.5 miles) in a 24 hour period. That was more than double what they had done on their best day previously. They paid for it yesterday however when headwinds and shifting ice kept them pinned down for most of the day, seeking refuge from the weather as best they could. After scrambling for most of the day just to avoid being dashed against the shoreline, the crew learned that it is best if they wait out the poor weather rather than expending a lot of energy to go nowhere. How well that plan will work remains to be seen as they still have the bulk of their journey ahead of them and the summer is passing quickly.

You can follow their progress on the expedition's official website and Facebook page as it unfolds in the weeks ahead.

Rowing The Northwest Passage: The Last First Expedition Set To Get Underway

Way back in August of last year I wrote about a potential expedition that as set to take place this summer. The plan was for four adventurers to row across the Northwest Passage in a single season, something that has never been accomplished before. At the time, the expedition was still in the early planning stages with just a few details to be shared. Now, the team is en route to their starting position and will soon hit the water for a 3000 km (1865 mile) journey through some of the most challenging waters on the planet.

Dubbed the Last First Expedition, the plan is to set off from Inuvik in northernwest Canada and row to Pond Inlet in the northeastern part of that country. Along the way they team of rowers will make their way through incredibly cold waters strewn with icebergs and other hazards as they hope to complete their journey while also helping to raise awareness of the impact of climate change. It wasn't all that long ago that the Northwest Passage was accessible only by steel-hulled ships designed to slice through the ice. Now, it is freely navigable for several months of the year and while that window remains a narrow one, the fact that it is possible at all is a dramatic departure from what we've known in the past.

The four men making the journey include an experienced team of adventurers. They are led by Kevin Vallely who has skied to the South Pole, covered the length of the Iditarod trail on skis and raced in some of the toughest adventure races on the planet. He is joined by Paul Gleeson, who has rowed across the Atlantic and ridden his bike across Australia. Frank Wolf is an award-winning filmmaker who has traveled more than 2400 km (1491 miles) on foot, bike and pack raft through some of Canada's most remote wildernesses. Denis Barnett is the final member of the team and he has a background that involves rugby and sailing, but this will be his first major expedition.

As I write this, the team is now driving to Inuvik and should be there sometime in the next couple of days. Once there, they'll get their boat ready for the Passage and will set out in a matter of days. You'll be able to track their progress on the expedition's website as well as on Twitter and Facebook.


Introduction from Mainstream Last First on Vimeo.

Beyond The Circle: Rowing, Sailing And Trekking Across the Northwest Passage

Australians Cam Webb and Matt McFadyen are preparing for what is sure to be one epic journey next summer. The two men are planning to cross the Northwest Passage in a 17-foot boat that they'll row, sail and drag through the icy waters of the Arctic Ocean, covering more than 2000 miles (3218 km) in the process.

The expedition, which they call Beyond the Circle, is scheduled to get underway next July from Inuvik, located in Canada's Northwest Territories. Cam and Matt estimate that it will take approximately three months to complete the crossing, eventually ending in Resolute in September or October.

In recent years, climate change has opened the Northwest Passage and made it more accessible than ever before. Where it was once frozen shut, it now opens during the summer, allowing ships to pass through for a brief time. That window of opportunity is often a narrow one however and the large icebergs that choke the waterway are still dangerous to navigate through. That's why our two adventurers have elected to take such a small ship, designed by Norseboat,  through the tight passage. Not only will it be more maneuverable in the Arctic Ocean, it'll also be easier to row when necessary and drag across the ice when their is no passage at all.

The expedition will serve as a fund raiser for two California based charities as well. Cam and Matt are hoping to raise funds and awareness for both Save Our Shores and the Coastal Watershed Council, two worthy organizations focused on protecting the oceans.

Once they officially get underway, you'll be able to follow the adventure through satellite tracking, blog posts, and Twitter. As Cam and Matt describe it, this expedition will be 4 Oars + 3 Months + 2 Men + 1 Small Boat = The Journey of a Lifetime.

Polar America Traverse: Across The Arctic By Ski and Kayak

Explorer Yuri Klaver has announced his next expedition and it's a big one. Beginning in July of this year, Yuri will attempt a traverse of the Arctic on skis and in a kayak. The journey, which he calls the Polar America Traverse, will follow a similar route taken by Roald Amundsen in 1906, traveling approximately 10,000km (6214 miles) from Europe to Asia.

In order to accomplish this epic task, Yuri has broken his expedition down into three segments. This July he'll begin on the Kamchatka Peninsula and start heading east, crossing the Bearing Strait and traveling into northern Alaska. He'll start in his kayak and paddle upstream as much as possible before traveling on foot through the Brooks Range mountains. The plan is to use his kayak as a sledge for his gear and to ski to the Beauford Sea, which he hopes to reach by May of 2013.

The second phase of the journey will begin in the winter of 2014, when Yuri will employ the use of kites to cross the Northwest Passage  to Baffin Island, where he'll return to his kayak for more paddling. Then in 2015 he'll wrap up the expedition with a traverse of Greenland, followed by crossing the sea to Iceland.

Yuri is still working out the logistics and details on some of these phases and obviously the schedule could be impacted by weather, finances and other forces. But he is moving ahead with his start in July and has every intention of sticking to his schedule.

Find out more and follow along with his progress at OutdoorEmpathy.com. And watch for an app to track the expedition for iOS devices in the near future.

Video: The New Northwest Passage

Back in 2009, explorer Cameron Dueck successfully sailed through the Northwest Passage where he witnessed first hand the impact of global climate change on the Inuit people that live there. The four-month long voyage was an adventure in and of itself as Dueck and his three-person crew contended with massive storms, icy waters and the challenges of navigating through unknown waters. On April 10 a book entitled The New Northwest Passage: A Voyage to the Front Line of Climate Change will be released. That book will chronicle the 15,000km (8100 nautical mile) journey that was both an amazing adventure and a revealing look at the impact of global warming on a group of people who are witnessing its effects first hand. The promo video below gives us a tiny glimpse into what that voyage was all about.


Book Promo -- New Northwest Passage: A Voyage to the Front Line of Climate Change from Cameron Dueck on Vimeo.