Bagan, another North West Passage survivor, arrives Seattle
by . on 8 Nov 2009
Bow in the icefield.JPG Sprague Theobald
Bagan has arrived Seattle! Along with the several sailing boats that made the journey through the North West Passage thie year, there were several powered boats, one of which was Bagan, sailed by filmmaker Sprague Theobald and a crew.
Their journey was east to west and took five months. They set out from Newport Rhode Island in June and have just arrived at their destination this week. The journey was not without its dramas and dangers, but Sprague has returned with stunning footage for the making of his planned film.
After a relatively smooth start to the 8,500-mile voyage the Bagan was hit hard by an ice floe that trapped it in ice for days. Locked in the ice, the vessel was nevertheless driven by strong currents towards a rocky coast. For a period of time the crew thought they would have to abandon both their boat and their mission.
However, in the end determination, a good dollop of bravery, some experienced nautical maneuvering, and a dash of good luck freed them from the ice and landed them safely on the other side of Canada's Northwest Passage.
The crew -- comprised of filmmakers, sailors, and divers, then navigated the unforgiving Bering Sea before sailing down the west coastline of Canada to arrive in Seattle.
The voyage was Sprague's second transit of the North West Passage in two years. This time he returned with 250-hours of stunning high-definition video footage -- including underwater shots, surreal landscapes, active glaciers, wildlife, and historical landmarks including grave sites from the doomed Franklin Expedition of 1845.
Sprague interviewed Inuit elders, met up with some of the sailing boats attempting the Passage, local politicians, and conservationists. He interviewed them all on film about the changes and issues in the Arctic.
'The documentary will show the beauty and power of the Arctic and what the world risks losing if its not properly cared for,' Theobald added.
It also became a personal adventure for the award winning filmmaker, as among the crew were his son and two step-children.
Theobald will produce his 5th full-length documentary from the experience.
Crew members recorded regular video diaries throughout the trip and their boat was wired with video cameras running 24/7-- capturing the day-to-day challenges, frustrations, fears and triumphs amidst the epic and desolate Arctic scenery.
You can follow the just finished journey from beginning to end by going to Sprague's www.NorthwestPassageFilm.com/arctic!BLOG.
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