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Post by cuttydyer on Aug 8, 2014 6:32:46 GMT
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Post by neilhamp on Aug 9, 2014 6:23:59 GMT
The "Great Northern Adventure" log reads:- blog.mailasail.com/suilven/216More and more boats are arriving in Dundas Harbour, most intending to try and make it through the North West Passage. Six yachts are currently anchored here, four British and two Canadian. A few others have gone West and are keeping us informed about ice conditions there and some have already headed South towards Nova Scotia and the Eastern US, or back to Britain. After our ice adventure, we are taking good heed of the advice given to us by Peter Semotiuk, a former resident of Cambridge Bay, now Yellowknife, who has for many years helped yachts through the North West Passage. He is saying that all the other bays on the South of Devon Island are prone to ice choking and Dundas Harbour is the safest place to stay. Much as we would like a change of scenery, we are staying put for the time being. The boats that have gone West, have indeed encountered ice and are having to keep a constant anchor watch which with only three on board would be very tiresome indeed. There is a lot of to-ing an fro-ing between the yachts, and exchange of information about ice, prospects for opening up of channels, and what the best alternative plans might be. Canadian and American boats have reinforced that trying to get to Vancouver any time after mid September is crazy. Huge storm systems arise out of the blue driven by the change in temperature at that time of year. Two or three huge storms would be guaranteed on any crossing. We are therefore looking at places to winter the boat in Alaska, should we make it through. This would mean the following summer taking the boat in short hops down the Alaskan coast which is apparently stunning. Another American boat has waxed lyrical about sailing in Maine. They have given us detailed charts of the area, and also contact details of marinas and yards where we could winter the boat. We would have to work out the best way of getting there avoiding the worst of the ice bergs. It might mean going back to Greenland, and perhaps seeing some of the South of the country which we missed on the way up. As each day goes by, we are getting closer to the stage where we will have to make a decision as to whether we go on or whether we move on to Plan B. Western Lancaster Sound and Prince Regent Sound have been opening up, but Peel Sound, the preferred route, remains stubbornly blocked and there is solid ice beyond which is showing little sign of breaking up or melting. We do not intend to wait much longer, as we do not want to find ourselves in the Western Part of the NWP as the weather starts deteriorating. So our plans now are to go over to Arctic Bay later today, where we can refuel and re-provision. This is now apparently ice-free. We will have internet access there and will be able to study all the ice charts and decide whether we will be turning left or right when we sail North again out of Admiralty Inlet.
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Post by nonentropic on Aug 9, 2014 8:17:14 GMT
you do want them to go and try the news would be great " five boats crushed in ice 20 body bags needed all green but red inside.
I love it!
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Post by neilhamp on Aug 9, 2014 10:58:35 GMT
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zaphod
Level 3 Rank
Posts: 210
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Post by zaphod on Aug 9, 2014 13:36:29 GMT
Reading through the sailors' recent blog entries and announcements, what seeps through is naivety. I wouldn't want to put my life in their hands.
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Post by Andrew on Aug 9, 2014 15:10:54 GMT
Made it to Arctic bay in time for Saturday drinks and have reported no ice blog.mailasail.com/suilven/217They will probably want to make it into Resolute for next Saturday.
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Post by sigurdur on Aug 9, 2014 17:10:02 GMT
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Post by Andrew on Aug 10, 2014 12:39:05 GMT
This link will provide the location of all of the small boats trying to get thru the north west passage from the West or the East. www.thenorthwestpassage.info/If you tick a boat in the box on the right you will see a marker appear somewhere on the route. 15 are marked as Sailing Vessels, 1 row boat and one kayaker either in the passage, waiting to get in it or enroute The same person providing that information is making some interesting comments about the lack of preparation and experience of some of the boaties. northwestpassage2014.blogspot.fi/2014/08/grocery-prices-in-arctic-bottled-water.htmlNot all of the boats look like an ordinary sailing boat: French boat Le Manquier which overwintered at Cambridge bay and going East This couple seem determined to have an adventurous life: empiricusembarks.wordpress.com/author/empiricusembarks/
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zaphod
Level 3 Rank
Posts: 210
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Post by zaphod on Aug 11, 2014 12:40:28 GMT
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Post by Andrew on Aug 12, 2014 4:41:35 GMT
This boat has a reasonable chance of making the passage. The boat is a converted French Navy tug boat. All they need is some more melting and a wind shift which should be possible before the refreeze lemanguier.typepad.fr/
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Post by neilhamp on Aug 12, 2014 11:54:22 GMT
Looks like two boats have decided to turn back Two down nine to go! "Aventura was the first to arrive, and over the next two weeks a procession of boats passed through this well protected bay: Suilven (GB), Manuvai (F), Arctic Tern (GB), Lillian B (USA), Drina (AUS), Revenge (USA), Moloda (CND), Catryn (GB), Gjoa (CND), Maia-B (GB) and Snow Dragon (USA). The latter two were not planning to continue west but return to Greenland." I wonder if there is any significance in the way the boats are now displayed cornellsailing.com/sail-the-odyssey/blue-planet-odyssey/follow-the-rally/track-the-boats/Both are now shown sailing East!
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Post by Andrew on Aug 13, 2014 4:10:33 GMT
Empiricus is already at Gjoa Haven (after over wintering at Cambridge Bay), so that position page I linked to is many days out of date. Latest news and positions here: share.delorme.com/empiricusembarks
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Post by neilhamp on Aug 13, 2014 11:02:13 GMT
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Post by Ratty on Aug 13, 2014 11:20:28 GMT
Any idea how many ships have sailed thru in those open years?
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Post by sigurdur on Aug 13, 2014 12:34:43 GMT
Ratty: The number of actual deep sea ships sailing thru is very small. The southern route of the NW passage is not a deep water route. The Northern Route is, the one the St Roch sailed in 1944. However, the Northern Route stays plugged, and has for decades.
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