Please select your home edition
Edition
X-Yachts X4.3

North West Passage - ice levels alarming for transiting yachts

by Douglas Pohl/Sail-World Cruising on 19 Aug 2013
Comparison between 2012 and 2013 SW
The North West Passage, once thought of as an impossible dream for sailors, has been more and more ice free over the last few years, encouraging more and more yachts to the adventure. But 2013 is shaping up to be very different, possibly alarming for the boats who have already started. Here, Captain of the 55ft motor vessel Grey Goose and keen NW Passage correspondent Douglas Pohl tells the story:

Over the last three weeks, Arctic ice area has declined by 662,000 km², which is 60% of normal and the slowest on record.

Slow ice melt means more ice choke-points to navigate - many specific locations have been near impossible to even try with 90% ice concentrations. In 2013 there has been a 55%increase in Arctic ice since this date last year.

Basically the summer melt season has been the slowest on record.

There are more pronounced ice 'choke-points' for vessels attempting a NW Passage than in recorded history. Seven vessels have been waiting around Lancaster Sound unable to navigate south nor west while other vessels in the Western Arctic have been delayed in reaching Cambridge Bay from ice in Amundsen Gulf.

Westerly winds have also pushed the Beaufort Sea ice up tight against Banks Island. The 2013 ice season is nothing like the 2012 ice season - a black & white difference.

The bottom line is: If and when the ice melts 'enough' to allow open navigation by small yachts, will there be enough of the summer ice melt season remaining?

...or put another way: When will Mother Nature close the door and the sea freeze over, preventing anyone exiting the Arctic in 2013. It appears that slower sailing boats are at risk of being trapped in the Arctic.

Turning the western corner at Point Barrow has always been a risky proposition at the best of times, and Queen Maud and Bellot Strait are 'choke-points' for either direction of travel this season.

Sailing boats known to be in the area this season intending a transit or a partial transit are the following:

East to West:
Acalephe, Canadian, 13.9m, aluminium cutter rigged
Arctic Tern, British, 43ft Steel cutter rigged pilot house
La Belle Epoque, German, 13m steel cutter rigged ketch
Libelule, Swiss, 47ft catamaran
Tooluka, Netherlands, 14.15m steel sloop
Traversay III, (USA?), sloop, thought to be fibreglass


West to East:
Anna, thought to be French, 10.5 steel ketch
Balthazar, Canadian, 10.5m welded steel
Dodo's Delight, British, 33ft fibreglass sloop
Empiricus, USA, 50ft yawl
Tara, French, 36m aluminium expedition schooner motor-sailer

There are other boats in the region, some have cancelled their journey, others have a different intent than a North West Passage crossing, some are motor boats. Here are a few of those also in the region:

Arctic Joule, Canadian, cabin rowing boat
Babushka, French, a hubrid catamaran with cuddy cabin, going for the North Pole
Bernard Explorer, 46ft motor sailer, historical research expedition, Banks Island
Fairmont's Passion, USA, 17.5ft Norseboat - Inuvik to Resolute
Glory of the Sea, Canadian, 50ft aluminium cutter rig, circling the eastern side
Ikimaya, Canadian, tandem kayak, Tuktoyaktuk to Igloolik
Lady Dana, Polish, 14.3m steel sloop, doing an Arctic circumnavigation
Le Manguier, French, 21.1m steel hulled tug with stay-sail rig, circumnavigating Banks Is
Noeme, French, 14.5m cold moulded epoxy, route unknown
Polar Bound, British, 48ft custom aluminium expedition motor vessel, 6th transit
Rowing Ice, French, 21ft cabin rowing boat, West to East, part transit
Tranquillo, Netherlands, 56ft aluminium sloop, centreboard

They could all experience conditions worse than they had been expecting, and, no doubt, the Canadian rescue services are gearing up for what could be a challenging year.

You can follow Douglas's blog at : http://northwestpassage2013.blogspot.com/
Vetus-Maxwell 2021 v2 FOOTERJeanneau Sun Odyssey 350Rooster 2025

Related Articles

Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 3
Mother Nature teases the competitors Mother Nature teased the competitors today and made them wait a bit, but she did not disappoint; the sun came out and a big westerly built to 18-20 knots!
Posted today at 5:22 pm
A century of human endeavour
The Fastnet Race is regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds For 100 years, the Rolex Fastnet Race has been regarded as one of offshore sailing's most complete proving grounds. It is a place where ambitions and dreams meet harsh reality, where skill, endurance and fortitude are severely tested.
Posted today at 10:14 am
Martine Grael in Racing on the Edge
First female driver to win a Fleet Race captured in behind-the-scenes documentary Major milestone moment for SailGP captured in behind-the-scenes documentary series, which reaches 10 million total viewers since launching in 2021.
Posted today at 8:45 am
Get ready to celebrate world's best sailing photos
16th edition of the Pantaenius Yacht Racing Image Award Professional photographers from around the globe are invited to submit their best yacht racing images captured between October 14, 2024, and October 12, 2025.
Posted today at 7:15 am
Alli Bell & Restless crew to make Transpac history
On course to be the first woman skipper to win Transpac overall Alli Bell and the crew of her Cal 40 Restless took a winch handle to the notion that winning the Transpacific Yacht Race's top corrected-time prize requires membership in an old-boys club or a mighty war chest.
Posted today at 6:28 am
Rolex Fastnet Race IRC Four preview
The pinnacle of grass roots sailing has 97 entries The very largest yachts, including the 100ft Ultim foiling trimarans and 60ft IMOCAs are an essential part of the spectacle of the Fastnet Race, however a critical element in the race's enduring appeal is that this is predominately a grass roots event.
Posted on 14 Jul
Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta day 2
Classic Long Beach conditions return The weather conditions at the Long Beach Olympic Classes Regatta shifted noticeably today, delivering the classic Long Beach breeze that many expect from this world-class venue.
Posted on 14 Jul
NYYC International Women's Championship update
Third group of skippers includes Nicole Breault, Dominique Proyoveur, Laura van Veen While there is no nationality requirement for the crews that will compete in the 2026 New York Yacht Club International Women's Championship, a number of teams are embracing the opportunity to wave their respective national flags at the debut edition.
Posted on 14 Jul
The Sardinia Cup set to return in 2026
The competition will make its long-awaited return to the waters of the Costa Smeralda The Yacht Club Costa Smeralda (YCCS) is pleased to announce the return of the Sardinia Cup, one of the Club's most iconic regattas and a renowned international sailing event.
Posted on 14 Jul
How inclusive is sailing?
Largest global survey aims to find out The Magenta Project has today launched the 2x25 global survey, marking the start of the most ambitious equity and inclusion review ever undertaken in sailing and the wider marine industry.
Posted on 14 Jul