WTH? OVER - What are BABUSHKA, ROWING ICE AND MANGO boats doing? UPDATE PLEASE!

Weeks ago all of the below boats reported regularly on their blog sites. Now they have said they are starting their expedition and nothing makes sense... they all have gone dark... let me explain:

1) Who are the boats?

BABUSHKA - a hybrid catamaran - attempting a world first record to sail from Barrow Alaska to the North Pole to Spitsberg (1750 miles)

ROWING ICE - Charles Hedrich rowboat - pictured starting a NWP on 20130701 from Wales Alaska.

LE MANGUIER - French motor tug which brought the above two boats to their starting lines and is planning to circumnavigate Banks Island then winter over in the MacKenzie River delta promoting a winter artist colony.


2) Where is BABUSHKA? - Checking their blog I learned that there has been no update since July 2nd, five days ago, saying they would be starting in a few days. Weather hold? Here is the current weather and outlook:


Zone Forecast: Point Franklin to Cape Halkett (PKZ235)

Synopsis...A 1015 MB HIGH WILL REMAIN IN PLACE OVER THE BEAUFORT SEA THROUGH SUNDAY EVENING. HIGH PRESSURE WILL BUILD SOUTH FROM THE ARCTIC OCEAN SUNDAY THROUGH TUESDAY. ON TUESDAY AFTERNOON THE HIGH WILL COVER MUCH OF THE CHUKCHI AND BEAUFORT SEA WITH A 1030 MB CENTER OVER THE NORTHERN CHUKCHI SEA. LOW PRESSURE WILL STRENGTHEN IN THE INTERIOR OF ALASKA SUNDAY THROUGH MONDAY...THEN PERSIST THROUGH WEDNESDAY. 

---

Today: E winds 20 kt. Fog.
Tonight: E winds 20 kt. 
Mon: NE winds 20 kt. Fog.
Mon Night: NE winds 20 kt. 
Tue: NE winds 20 kt. 
Tue Night: NE winds 15 kt. 
Wed: E winds 15 kt. 
Thu: E winds 15 kt. 

3) Where is ROWING ICE? - Checking Charles Hedrich's blog the last reported position was on July 4th at 66°18N 167°53W. WTH? He departed Wales on July 1st and on July 4th his reported position is only 50 miles distant? Something is wrong. I suspect to many Charles Hedrich imposters, namely his sons and wife are all posting information to his websites and blogs while Charles is rowing. Charles also reports that he does not use a tracking GPS beacon - this also does not make good sense... The Ocean Rowing Society would NOT allow the rowers themselves in this day and age to self report a  position without independent verification - a findmesport.com SPOT GPS tracking beacon also allows 9-1-1 emergency messaging - a must for anyone treking outdoors. Why does Charles Hedrich et al, his sons and his wife not provide a honest update - did he have a medical emergency? Did ROWING ICE suffer damage and require returning to shore for repairs?  What is going on?

4) Where is LE MANGUIER (known as MANGO)? - Checking the boat's blog it remains off Barrow. Likely it is waiting for better ice conditions before 'turning-the-corner' at Pt. Barrow to challenge Alaska's Arctic Coast. According to MANGO AIS (Automatic Identification System) he is at or near Barrow Alaska.

Anyone with additional information on these boats and crew is requested to post details in the comments below. THANKS!

20130707 NOON UPDATE

BABUSHKA's blog has updated with the following new information:

July 7, 2013: Top Departure
The day has arrived! We flew from Barrow to 16 hours this July 6, encouraged by Philippe of Mango and Anna's family that made ​​us great service during our final preparations.
7000 We sailed in open water up . .. decide which way forward.
This half-day has already offered a lot of different flavors of light, atmosphere and ice, can not wait to see more!

SAT-TRACKER url: http://www.sat-view.fr/interface/interface.php?login=voiedupole

The way of the pole
Boat type: hybrid catamaran / char to Ice Crew:Roubinet Sebastian and Vincent Berthet
Date and time of the last point:
07/07/2013 7:53:00 (French time) Last update map:07/07/2013 6:20:25 p.m.
Latitude: 71 ° 24.41 N Longitude: 156 ° 33.61 WCap: 311 ° Speed: 0.03 kts = 0.05 km / h speed: 0.03 kts = 0.05 km / h Distance: 0.00 Nm = 0.01 km
Tracking generated on the platform Sat-View
by company Sierra Echo with tags inReach

UPDATE 20130708 1000 HOURS

CHARLES HEDRICH - ROWING ICE

07/07/13 POSITION RAMEUR ICE
67 ° 31N 165 ° 34W
"It's okay, good 40 milles progression. Objective Kivalina for replenishment."

http://charleshedrich-nordouest.blogspot.fr/2013/07/christian-bex-raconte-charles-hedrich.html

"Helping satellite thread 9:50 p.m., Saturday, July 6. Hedrich is somewhere on the icy Arctic Ocean all the way to the entrance northwest. Nothing works aboard his boat. Electronics is harbor. Certainly short circuit somewhere, but can not find the origin. Fortunately a small solar panel enables it to recharge his satellite telephone. headwinds from the start having delayed, it has nothing to eat or drink. He drinks rainwater. He tries to go down to a small village that had not planned as a step to refuel. "seals are curious but they remain at a distance conservative than a hundred meters, "he said." I can not even say I'll drive out to feed me. "Sea Barracks boat in every sense, it overturned several times. insult to injury," j 'got seasick but fortunately it happened he says. Charles Hedrich drool for the first days of his challenge to cross the Northwest Passage from Alaska to Greenland. Winds remain north in his nose. But it shows the full shape and high spirits. "For now he laughs I want to rainwater, and it rains a lot!"

WHAT A BUNCH OF SENSATIONAL NEWS REPORTING? ONCE AGAIN I SUBMIT THAT CHARLES HEDRICH IS DOING THIS AS A MEDIA STUNT - NOT AS A SPORT ADVENTURE CHALLENGE - IT IS FOR THE CHANCE TO BE PAID FOR INTERVIEWS, BOOKS, VIDEOS, PHOTOGRAPHS, STORIES  ETC... ITS ALL ABOUT THE M-O-N-E-Y! HIS FAMILY TEAM IS PROMOTING AND RECEIVING THE FINANCIAL BENEFITS... I GUESS ITS CALLED EARNING A LIVING?

IF IT WERE NOT A MEDIA CIRCUS THEN WHY IS HIS BLOG FILLED WITH SO MUCH MEDIA COVERAGE? FOR THE M-O-N-E-Y!

CHARLES HEDRICH DEPARTED WALES ALASKA ON JULY 1ST, A CALM WEATHER DAY (CONFIRMED BY BLOG AND VIDEO COVERAGE) AND HAD FIVE DAYS OF EXTREMELY NICE SOUTH WINDS AND A NORTHERN FAVORABLE SEA CURRENT TO PUSH HIM NORTH TO HIS DESTINATION AT POINT HOPE ALASKA ONLY 192 MILES DISTANT. HAD HE JUST ROWED AT 2-3 MILES/HOUR HE WOULD OF MADE GOAL IN CALM WEATHER. INSTEAD HE FUSSED WITH ELECTRONICS AND ELECTRICAL PROBLEMS - HE LOST SIGHT OF HIS GOAL - TO STAY SAFE. HE SHOULD OF MADE A BETTER DECISION - EITHER TO ROW TO HIS NEXT PORT OR RETURN BACK TO WALES ALASKA FOR REPAIRS.  HE MADE A VERY POOR DECISION TO STAY IN THE OCEAN. HIS ROWBOAT CAPSIZED SEVERAL TIMES. 

WHY DID THIS OCEAN ROWBOAT WHICH WAS ALSO USED BY MATHIEU BONNIER FROM GREENLAND TO CAMBRIDGE BAY NOW ALL OF A SUDDEN CAPSIZE? IS IT LOADED INCORRECTLY? BEFORE CHARLES CONTINUES HE MUST ANSWER THIS CRITICAL QUESTION. CAPSIZING WILL SOONER OR LATER KILL HIM.(PERIOD)

DO NOT CONTINUE WITHOUT ANSWERS TO WHY HIS ROWBOAT CAPSIZED.  MAKE TESTED REPAIRS AND CHANGES BEFORE RESUMING!

CHARLES HEDRICH MUST LEARN THAT MOTHER NATURE DOES NOT GIVE SECOND CHANCES IN THE ARCTIC - HE DODGED A BULLET THIS TIME - IT IS TIME HE STARTS MAKING BETTER DECISIONS AND ASK HIS FRIENDS AND FAMILY ON SHORE TO STOP MAKING DECISIONS. ALLOW CHARLES HEDRICH TO BE THE MASTER OF HIS SHIP - HE ALONE IS RESPONSIBLE FOR THE SUCCESS AND OR FAILURES.

GOD SPEED THE GOOD BOAT ROWING ICE AND HER CREW!