By Sebastian Salamanca, Today, TheTyee.ca
http://thetyee.ca/News/2013/06/20/Row-Northwest-Passage/
Denis Barnett, Paul Gleeson, Kevin Vallely and Frank Wolf will leave Vancouver next week, destined for the Northwest Passage.
The four Vancouver-based adventurers plan to be the first people to row this legendary route; a 3,000-kilometre journey through one of the harshest climates on the planet.
WITH ONE EXCEPTION - MATHIEU BONNIER ALREADY ROWED IT SOLO IN 2010-2011 GOING 6,500-KILOMETERS FROM GREENLAND TO NOME ALASKA. SEE" http://www.expeditiontico.com/
It's a feat attempted by few, and never before achieved by a human-powered vessel in a single season.
Carrying nothing more than a select stash of supplies, the group will face polar bears, potential food shortages and injuries, and the threat of losing their way.
Why take the risk? To raise awareness about climate change.
It's a feat attempted by few, and never before achieved by a human-powered vessel in a single season.
Carrying nothing more than a select stash of supplies, the group will face polar bears, potential food shortages and injuries, and the threat of losing their way.
Why take the risk? To raise awareness about climate change.
HAS NO ONE HEARD ABOUT CLIMATE CHANGE AND BY ROWING IN THE ARCTIC THE PUBLIC WILL BE BETTER INFORMED? WHO WILL CHANGE USING THEIR AUTOMOBILE BECAUSE FOUR MEN ROWED IN THE ARCTIC? DAD, WHAT DID YOU ROWING IN THE ARCTIC ACTUALLY CHANGE? ANYTHING? EXPLAIN IT TO ME IN DETAIL. IT SOUNDS LIKE IT WAS ANOTHER ONE OF YOUR HAIR BRAINED ADVENTURES AWAY FROM FAMILY RATHER THAN WITH THE FAMILY.
The Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic sea, used to be covered with thick pack ice that made crossing a dangerous feat even for purpose-built ships made to withstand it.
However, global warming has melted Arctic ice to a point where, the men believe, a small rowing boat can now cross the passage, finding its way around ice floes.
The Northwest Passage, which connects the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans through the Arctic sea, used to be covered with thick pack ice that made crossing a dangerous feat even for purpose-built ships made to withstand it.
However, global warming has melted Arctic ice to a point where, the men believe, a small rowing boat can now cross the passage, finding its way around ice floes.
135 DIFFERENT VESSELS HAVE MADE 185 TRANSITS OF THE 3500 MILE NORTHWEST PASSAGE BETWEEN THE ATLANTIC OCEAN'S ARCTIC CIRCLE IN DAVIS STRAIT AND THE PACIFIC OCEAN'S ARCTIC CIRCLE IN THE BERING STRAIT. CHECK OUT THE RECORDS: http://northwestpassage2013.blogspot.com/2013/05/transits-of-northwest-passage-to-end-of.html
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Denis Barnett, 33, joined the crew after meeting fellow Irishman Paul Gleeson. The trip was their crewmate Kevin Vallely's idea originally, Barnett said.
The fourth adventure, Frank Wolf, may not be a world-class rower like Gleeson, but his role in the group is different. He is an award-winning documentary filmmaker planning to record the trip.
To Barnett, the idea is "to document everything from the adventure side of it, the fun we are going to have, the hardships and of course, the ultimate message is the climate change."
Originally from Dublin, Ireland, Denis Barnett, 33, joined the crew after meeting fellow Irishman Paul Gleeson. The trip was their crewmate Kevin Vallely's idea originally, Barnett said.
The fourth adventure, Frank Wolf, may not be a world-class rower like Gleeson, but his role in the group is different. He is an award-winning documentary filmmaker planning to record the trip.
To Barnett, the idea is "to document everything from the adventure side of it, the fun we are going to have, the hardships and of course, the ultimate message is the climate change."
WHAT REAL INFORMATION DO YOU EXPECT FOUR MEN IN A ROWBOAT TO CONTRIBUTE TO CLIMATE CHANGE? I THINK THE REAL REASON FOUR MEN IN A ROWBOAT ARE ROWING IN THE ARCTIC IS: 1) IN HOPES OF DOCUMENTING THEIR ADVENTURE INTO SOMETHING $BIGGER$, 2) FOR THE FUN THEY ARE GOING TO HAVE AND THE BIG REASON 3) THEIR CORPORATE SPONSOR "MAINSTREAM RENEWABLE POWER" IS PAYING THE $150,000 OF EXPENSES WITHOUT WHICH THEY WOULD STILL BE SITTING ON THE BEACH WISHING AND HOPING.
Barnett was at the Vancouver Maritime Museum when he took a break from working in the boat, the "Arctic Joule," to give The Tyee some insights about the trip they are about to start.
What's the route for this treacherous journey, and how long will it take?
"We'll drive from Vancouver all the way through B.C., the Yukon, all the way up to the Northwest Territories. We are going to put the boat down in a place called Inuvik, which is in the NWT, and there we are going to paddle down the Mackenzie River for about 150 kilometres and get to the start point, which is called Tuktoyaktuk.
Barnett was at the Vancouver Maritime Museum when he took a break from working in the boat, the "Arctic Joule," to give The Tyee some insights about the trip they are about to start.
What's the route for this treacherous journey, and how long will it take?
"We'll drive from Vancouver all the way through B.C., the Yukon, all the way up to the Northwest Territories. We are going to put the boat down in a place called Inuvik, which is in the NWT, and there we are going to paddle down the Mackenzie River for about 150 kilometres and get to the start point, which is called Tuktoyaktuk.
ROWING FROM INUVIK TO POND INLET - IS ONLY 1500 MILES, WHILE THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE IS 3500 MILES IN LENGTH DEPENDING ON WHICH OF THE SEVEN (7) ROUTES TAKEN. DO YOU SAY YOU CLIMBED MOUNT EVEREST BY HIKING TO BASE CAMP? OR MUST YOU CLIMB TO THE TOP OF THE MOUNTAIN? 135 VESSELS HAVE COMPLETED ONE OR MORE NORTHWEST PASSAGES ACCORDING TO THE ACCEPTED STARTING AND FINISH POINTS - ATLANTIC ARCTIC CIRCLE TO PACIFIC ARCTIC CIRCLE DEPENDING ON THE DIRECTION OF TRAVEL - IF YOU WANT TO DO A NORTHWEST PASSAGE GO FOR IT - BUT BE SURE TO PROVE YOUR TRANSIT ROUTE BY UPLOADING YOUR GPS RECORDS IN NEAR REAL TIME (SEE: http://www.findmespot.com/) AND THE SHIP'S OFFICIAL LOG TO YOUR WEBSITE FOR THE PUBLIC TO VIEW AND COMMENT ON - EVEN BETTER ASK GUINNESS WORLD RECORDS TO CERTIFY YOUR RECORD - I DOUBLE DARE YOU!
"Tuktoyaktuk is basically a small settlement in the Arctic, up at the top of the NWT near the border of Canada and Alaska. Then we row west to east across the Northwest Passage, ending up in a place called Pond Inlet, which is on the far side of the Northwest Passage by Greenland.
HERE IS A GRAPHIC OF YOUR INTENDED ROUTE - INUVIK TO POND INLET AS COMPARED TO THE REAL NORTHWEST PASSAGE - BIG DIFFERENCE!
"We estimate approximately 75 days [for the trip]. We're starting at the beginning of July, and by the end of September the ice is going to start to reform and it will get pretty cold, so as soon as the ice is back we are done. It's got to be less than 90 days, so we need to be there by mid-September at the latest."
Denis Barnett (left) and Paul Gleeson. Photo by Claudia Calvo.
I understand that some years ago it was impossible to make this trip.
"Climate change has changed everything in the Arctic. [The Northwest Passage] was once one of the most disruptive and impossible passages in the world. If we can row across it, that just shows you how dramatic the change has been. It was completely ridiculous to think that you could do this 20 years ago. That's how fast things are changing up there, that we can actually do this trip."
Has anyone tried this before?
"People have tried, but no one has ever done what we are trying to do before: to get across the Northwest Passage in a single season using just human power. We've been physically preparing for this for about 18 months."
"Tuktoyaktuk is basically a small settlement in the Arctic, up at the top of the NWT near the border of Canada and Alaska. Then we row west to east across the Northwest Passage, ending up in a place called Pond Inlet, which is on the far side of the Northwest Passage by Greenland.
HERE IS A GRAPHIC OF YOUR INTENDED ROUTE - INUVIK TO POND INLET AS COMPARED TO THE REAL NORTHWEST PASSAGE - BIG DIFFERENCE!
"We estimate approximately 75 days [for the trip]. We're starting at the beginning of July, and by the end of September the ice is going to start to reform and it will get pretty cold, so as soon as the ice is back we are done. It's got to be less than 90 days, so we need to be there by mid-September at the latest."
Denis Barnett (left) and Paul Gleeson. Photo by Claudia Calvo.
I understand that some years ago it was impossible to make this trip.
"Climate change has changed everything in the Arctic. [The Northwest Passage] was once one of the most disruptive and impossible passages in the world. If we can row across it, that just shows you how dramatic the change has been. It was completely ridiculous to think that you could do this 20 years ago. That's how fast things are changing up there, that we can actually do this trip."
Has anyone tried this before?
"People have tried, but no one has ever done what we are trying to do before: to get across the Northwest Passage in a single season using just human power. We've been physically preparing for this for about 18 months."
WHAT A BUNCH OF POPPY COCK RHETORIC - JUST TELL THE TRUTH RATHER THAN MINCE WORDS. MATHIEU BONNIER ROWED SOLO FROM GREENLAND TO NOME ALASKA, 6500KMS.
What do you expect to be the biggest challenge?
What do you expect to be the biggest challenge?
MIGHT I OFFER THEIR BIGGEST CHALLENGES - 1) TELLING THE TRUTH AND 2) RETURNING ALIVE AND HEALTHY?
"We will be rowing four hours on, four hours off for the most part. Apart from rowing 12 hours a day, seven days a week, sleep deprivation is a problem. There is 24-hour daylight up there, so trying to get sleep when we do have time will be an issue.
"It's a very small space to share with four people, for three months essentially, so there is the whole dynamic of the group that we have to be very well aware of, you know, when you have four people who don't really know each other very well. We have got to coexist, and the mental challenge can change everyday."
Tell us about the boat.
"The boat is a custom-built, ocean-rowing craft. It is a self-riding [propelled by oars], very strong boat, designed to pop-up on ice if we do get caught on an ice flow. If you squeeze it together, it will pop out of the water. It is essentially made of fibreglass and Kevlar, very strong but also slightly flexible."
"We will be rowing four hours on, four hours off for the most part. Apart from rowing 12 hours a day, seven days a week, sleep deprivation is a problem. There is 24-hour daylight up there, so trying to get sleep when we do have time will be an issue.
"It's a very small space to share with four people, for three months essentially, so there is the whole dynamic of the group that we have to be very well aware of, you know, when you have four people who don't really know each other very well. We have got to coexist, and the mental challenge can change everyday."
Tell us about the boat.
"The boat is a custom-built, ocean-rowing craft. It is a self-riding [propelled by oars], very strong boat, designed to pop-up on ice if we do get caught on an ice flow. If you squeeze it together, it will pop out of the water. It is essentially made of fibreglass and Kevlar, very strong but also slightly flexible."
ANOTHER FALSEHOOD - THE BOAT FAILED TO AUTO-RIGHT UPRIGHT DURING THE VIDEO PROVIDED ON THEIR WEBSITE - THE BOAT IS AN EXPERIMENTAL CRAFT DESIGNED AND BUILT BY A KAYAK BUILDER WITH NO NAVAL ARCHITECTURE DEGREE OR LICENSE CERTIFICATION. THE BOAT WAS NOT INCLINED TO DETERMINE ITS STABILITY CHARACTERISTICS OR PROPER LOADING AND OPERATION. I WOULD NOT BE PUTTING MY LIFE NOR CREWMEMBERS LIVES ON THE LINE IN THIS CRAFT - IT'S A ONE WAY TRIP TO THE FROZEN NORTH - COMING BACK IS QUESTIONABLE...
See the 'Arctic Joule' in action. Video by Sebastian Salamanca.
It looks pretty small. How are you planning to carry supplies?
"We have a desalination plant on board, which will take sea water and filter it to make fresh water. We have freeze-dried food, so all the food will be made by adding boiling water and waiting 10 minutes. It is not great, but... we plan to bring around 80 days of food, and we are expecting to collect some food along the way.
"The comforts of home are not going to be there: we don't have a washroom, we don't have a shower, but these are the sacrifices you make for an expedition like this.
What do you think is going to be the most difficult part of the trip?
"From a physical point of view, it's going to take its toll. As time goes by, days and days, it grinds you down. It is going to be tough, and we all know that, but the biggest jolt we are going to find is seeing the change there. We are going somewhere that used to be completely soaked in by ice, and now there is nothing there.
See the 'Arctic Joule' in action. Video by Sebastian Salamanca.
It looks pretty small. How are you planning to carry supplies?
"We have a desalination plant on board, which will take sea water and filter it to make fresh water. We have freeze-dried food, so all the food will be made by adding boiling water and waiting 10 minutes. It is not great, but... we plan to bring around 80 days of food, and we are expecting to collect some food along the way.
"The comforts of home are not going to be there: we don't have a washroom, we don't have a shower, but these are the sacrifices you make for an expedition like this.
What do you think is going to be the most difficult part of the trip?
"From a physical point of view, it's going to take its toll. As time goes by, days and days, it grinds you down. It is going to be tough, and we all know that, but the biggest jolt we are going to find is seeing the change there. We are going somewhere that used to be completely soaked in by ice, and now there is nothing there.
BOY YOU HAVE NOT DONE YOUR HOMEWORK - YOU ARE GOING TO LEARN THAT THERE STILL IS ICE - THE ARCTIC IS COLD. JUST ASK THE MANY BOAT CAPTAIN'S WHO HAVE COMPLETED A NORTHWEST PASSAGE. NAVIGATING AROUND AND THROUGH ICE WAS A CHALLENGE.
"We will see how local people now deal with these circumstances, how nature, animals are struggling there. I think we are all going to learn a lot in this trip. Unfortunately, it is not going to be all good news. There is a crisis up there.
"We will see how local people now deal with these circumstances, how nature, animals are struggling there. I think we are all going to learn a lot in this trip. Unfortunately, it is not going to be all good news. There is a crisis up there.
AND FOUR MEN IN A ROWBOAT ARE GOING TO "HAVE LOTS OF FUN".
You are leaving in a week. How are you feeling?
"Excited and very nervous. We have been meticulous about our planning, but it is terrifying to even think of how bad things can get. We planned for the worst and hope for the best."
You are leaving in a week. How are you feeling?
"Excited and very nervous. We have been meticulous about our planning, but it is terrifying to even think of how bad things can get. We planned for the worst and hope for the best."
ROALD AMUNDSEN SAID "Adventure is just bad planning"
Stay tuned to The Tyee later this summer for an update on the Arctic Joule's journey through the Northwest Passage.
THIS ADVENTURE IS GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING.... CHECK BACK...
Attempting to be the first to row across the Atlantic from Africa to North America, a crew of four men - including Canadian Olympian Adam Kreek - was forced onto a life raft after a large wave overturned their row boat north of Puerto Rico. A rowing team that includes a Canadian 2008 Olympic gold medalist has suffered a "catastrophic capsize" 73 days into an 80-day trans-Atlantic expedition.
Greg Spooner, spokesman for the expedition, said the four rowers made it safely aboard a life raft and were last seen by a U.S. Coast Guard airplane next to their overturned boat, approximately 400 miles north of Puerto Rico.
Stay tuned to The Tyee later this summer for an update on the Arctic Joule's journey through the Northwest Passage.
THIS ADVENTURE IS GOING TO BE VERY INTERESTING.... CHECK BACK...
Greg Spooner, spokesman for the expedition, said the four rowers made it safely aboard a life raft and were last seen by a U.S. Coast Guard airplane next to their overturned boat, approximately 400 miles north of Puerto Rico.
LOOKS LIKE THE SAME ADVENTURE? (Media Rhetoric continues...)
No comments:
Post a Comment
Enter your comment(s) here...