July 5 2013 - List of Arctic Marine Expeditions - Northwest Passage and others

Updated list of Arctic expeditions as of July 5, 2013:

Comment1: No website updates nor e-mail reply - maybe she has given up her interest to challenge the Arctic in 2013. Her route map has a major error as an 'optimum' NW route. I do not recommend using McClintock Channel because of persistent sea ice not to mention this route is longer without any known benefit.
Anne Quemere
Skin-n-frame Sea Kayak 18' solo
Northwest Passage?
http://www.anne-quemere.com/?lang=en

Comment2: It appears from reading their blog that they are way late in preparations and should wait until 2014.
Matt McFadyen
Cameron Webb
Norseboat 17.5' open cuddy rowboat
Inuvik to Resolute Bay
http://www.beyondthecircle.com/

Comment3: As of today, July 5th, their SPOT GPS tracking beacon shows movement down the river from Inuvik... let the adventures begin...
Denis Barnett
Paul Gleeson
Kevin Vallely
Frank Wolf
ARCTIC JOULE - Experimental 25' cabin rowboat
Inunvik to Pond Inlet

NORTH BY NORTHWEST | Jun 30, 2013 | 38:47

NXNW Podcast June 30,2013

"Professor Banjo" Paul silveria on the square dance revival, BC Almanac's Mark Forsythe and Greg Dickon on their new WW1 book project, Adventure filmmaker Frank Wolf on his expedition to canoe across the Northwest Passage.

http://www.thelastfirst.com
Tracker: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0iRTKLUZYPqVvo9fjJlhupoJlQx9xQgLG

Comment4: No definitive word on a specific date.
Olivier Giasson
Sebastien Lapierre
Sea kayak 17' 
Tuktoyaktuk to Igloolik
http://www.revedeglace.ca/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/R%C3%AAve-de-Glace/342424112538131
Tracker: http://tracking.redportglobal.com/Anonymous/beyondthecircle


Comment5: A month ago in June was a blog entry... just don't understand how such an absence can mean anything but trouble in river city.
David Collette
Johann Sigurdson
From/To TBD (Manitoba, Hudson Bay, Greenland, Iceland)
GLORY OF THE SEA - Custom 50' sailboat yacht
http://faraheim.com/
http://faraheim.com/category/expedition-diary/

Comment6: This is going to be an extremely interesting Expedition to watch. Especially in the late Fall when they attempt routes which in all likelihood will be dangerous.
Tara Oceans Polar Circle Expedition
Motor Sailer TARA 20m aluminum research yacht
Single-season Arctic Circumnavigation counterclockwise (West-to-east)
Including Northeast and Northwest Passages
ETD 20130518 Lorient France ETA 20131206
http://oceans.taraexpeditions.org
Tracker: http://oceans.taraexpeditions.org/carte/

Comment7: Charles departed Wales Alaska 20130701 1830 hours local time alone in his rowboat ROWING ICE. Weather has been very good with south winds pushing him north. Team Hedrich is the most likely rowboat crew to make the greatest distance including a chance to reach goal in one season. CAUTION - Charles is all about public Media attention which provides revenues - his is a quest for fame before the challenge of a sporting adventure - remember this as time goes on or just visit his blog and see for yourself.
His blog claims the Ocean Rowing Society, will provide the official records and validation of the first record in the world as well as the official shipment tracking yet there is no information or links to those public records - I suggest any record attempt be done in the open with transparency - there in no reason to hide - note the other TRACKERS used by other expeditions - it makes good SAFETY to use trackers with messaging. See: http://www.sierraecho.fr/
Charles Hedrich
ROWING ICE - Custom 21' rowboat - See Mathieu Bonnier expeditiontico.com
Wales Alaska to Cambridge Bay to Pond Inlet to Atlantic Ocean Arctic Circle
http://www.charleshedrich.com/
http://charleshedrich-nordouest.blogspot.fr/
https://plus.google.com/116430189753834685869

Comment8: Waitiing for better ice conditions before continuing after leaving BALTHAZAR to winter over on the hard in Inuvik.
François Roberge
BALTHAZAR (10·5m sailboat) - Canada
Wintered Inuvik
http://www.voilierbalthazar.ca/passage-du-nord-ouest
Tracker: http://share.findmespot.com/shared/faces/viewspots.jsp?glId=0I85NqqxZDA2fRNAem0tsCUlifyaziNsE

Comment9: Waiting for bette rice conditions before continuing. TRANQUILLO wintered over in the Arctic - details on Twitter?
Bart Veldink
TRANQUILLO (17·6m sailboat) - Netherlands
Wintered off Pim Island
https://twitter.com/BartVeldink

Comment10: In Barrow Alaska waiting for weather and sea ice before departing.
Sebastien Roubinet and Vincent Berthet
BABUSHKA
Hybrid catamaran
Attempting a world first record from Barrow Alaska to the North Pole to Spitzberg 1750 miles
http://www.sebroubinet.eu/english/home.html

Comment11: Arrived in Barrow Alaska with BABUSHKA aboard after pushing  through sea ice from Nome.
Philippe Hercher

LE MANGUIER (known as MANGO)

21,10 m x 6,50 m x 3,40 m
Plans to circumnavigate Banks Island and winter over in the MacKenzie River Delta - See website for details.

http://www.navirelemanguier.com/

http://lemanguier.typepad.fr/le_manguier/

Comment12: Waiting word on POLAR BOUND - going back to the Arctic? Will it be the Northern Sea Route to complete a Polar Circumnavigation after an epic world first McClure Strait Route 1 NW Passage in 2012 or will it be a sixth Northwest Passage west to east for British yachtsman David Scott Cowper with crewmember Jane Maufe who is the fourth Great Niece of Sir John Franklin. 

POLAR BOUND 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Scott_Cowper

Comment13: In Greenland comes reports of the ARCTIC TERN - planning a NWP attempt? - No reply to emails.
Les and Ali Parsons
ARCTIC TERN - 43' Steel Bruce Roberts Cutter
http://www.arcticternexpeditions.co.uk/wordpress/?page_id=24
Tracker: http://www.arcticternexpeditions.co.uk/wordpress/?page_id=27

Comment14: No reply from Jurgen aboard La Belle Epoque cruising on the Greenland coast. Website say they are planning a NWP attempt.
Jürgen and Claudia Kirchberger
LA BELLE EPOQUE - 15.5 meter Ketch with cutter stay
http://www.fortgeblasen.at/segelpage/webside/english.htm
http://www.fortgeblasen.at/segelpage/material/nordwestpassage/eisprognose.pdf
Tracker: http://www.winlink.org/dotnet/maps/PositionReportsDetail.aspx?callsign=OE5YCL

Comment15: Just learned of a late challenger from the east.Jean Gilles Lemieux
ACALEPHE - 45' Nouanni 45 DI (Version Maeva) aluminum sailboat
http://www.lemieuxarchitecte.com/

http://www.lemieuxarchitecte.com/?p=74
Tracker: http://www.lemieuxarchitecte.com/?p=66

ANY OTHERS? DETAILS PLEASE.

Maltese Falcon?

Noeme (FRA)

Isatis (FRA)

Tooluka (NED) See: http://www.tooluka.nl/

Lady Dana (POL) See: http://arctic2013.pl/en/route/

Dodo's Delight (GBR) See: http://www.bobshepton.co.uk/index.html
(2012 NWP returning on a west to east NWP 2013)

Gitana (USA)
Johnson to Attempt NW Passage - http://www.latitude38.com/lectronic/lectronicday.lasso?date=2013-02-27
February 27, 2013 – Latitude 38 World Headquarters
For many years Mike Johnson has been cruising to far-flung corners of the Earth with little fanfare. Although his exploits could easily be the focus of a series of a National Geographic features, he travels aboard his 44-ft fiberglass schooner Gitana — and previously aboard his Westsail 32 Aissa — simply for adventure and the personal satisfaction of exploring remote destinations.

Mike (right) and a former boatmate showed us Gitana's proposed route across the top of the world.  Photo Latitude / Andy © 2013 Latitude 38 Publishing, LLC

A former Army paratrooper with a Masters in Psychology, he’s been around Cape Horn three times, up to Greenland, Iceland, Spitzbergen, and through the Gulf of Aden, experiencing wild, wonderful and sometimes terrifying things along the way. The worst was a 360° rollover in his Westsail in the Southern Ocean (with Californian Becky Walker aboard as his only crew). That made getting hit by a sperm whale — which had happened previously — look tame.

Although Mike, now 68, is not from the West Coast, we’ve gotten to know him because he recruits paying crew by advertising in Latitude 38’s Classy Classifieds. As we described him in an October 2011 interview, he’s a “soft-spoken southern gentleman with tousled gray hair and a smile so broad that it makes his eyes squint.” Where’s he off to next? He dropped by our Mill Valley offices the other day to say hi and show us his planned route, east-to-west, through the Northwest Passage this summer with two crew aboard.

Aboard his Westsail 32 and 44-ft stays'l schooner, Johnson has been to the far north (above), the far south, and just about everywhere in between.  © 2013 Michael Johnson

As he pointed out on a chart, the route will take them through a maze of potentially ice-covered waterways, so there’s no guaranteeing that they’ll make it. As he explained to a potential boatmate, “There are four possibilities: We’ll 1) make it all the way; 2) haul out halfway across and winter-over at an Inuit village; 3) turn back; 4) disappear and never be heard from again.” We hope to receive updates from Mike and his crew along the way. In the meantime, we’ll hope for any outcome other than #4.

- latitude / andy

Sidebar:

http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/07/06/co2-to-destroy-the-planet-in-one-billion-years/

CO2 To Destroy The Planet In One Billion Years

Posted on July 6, 2013by stevengoddard

Astrobiologists from Scotland’s St Andrew’s University have predicted a death date for the Earth, which is 4.54 billion-years-old, as 2000002013, making our home a relative 50 in human years.

According to leading scientist Jack O’Malley-James, life on Earth will perish in more than a billion years when a warming sun boils oceans and forces out CO2, damning plants and subsequently animals.

Watch out for the hot flushes (a few billion years away): Earth enters its mid-life crisis – News – The Independent

Ignore the boiling oceans. It is the CO2 that is going to kill you.

1940 Shock News : Greenland Glaciers Melting At Catastrophic Rates

Posted on July 6, 2013by stevengoddard

 the melting had increased rapidly. By far the largest number of local glaciers in north-east Greenland had receded very greatly during recent decades, and it would not be exaggerating to say that these glaciers were nearing a catastrophe.

06 May 1940 – Greenland’s Climate Becoming Milder

SONG: Northwest Passage by Stan Rogers

Youtube video/with embedded audio song link: http://youtu.be/VOW1gVW2S5w

[Chorus]
Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

[Verse 1]
Westward from the Davis Strait 'tis there 'twas said to lie
The sea route to the Orient for which so many died
Seeking gold and glory, leaving weathered, broken bones
And a long-forgotten lonely cairn of stones

[Chorus]
Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

[Verse 2]
Three centuries thereafter, I take passage overland
In the footsteps of brave Kelso, where his "sea of flowers" began
Watching cities rise before me, then behind me sink again
This tardiest explorer, driving hard across the plain

[Chorus]
Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

And through the night, behind the wheel, the mileage clicking west
I think upon Mackenzie, David Thompson and the rest
Who cracked the mountain ramparts and did show a path for me
To race the roaring Fraser to the sea

[Chorus]
Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

How then am I so different from the first men through this way?
Like them, I left a settled life, I threw it all away
To seek a Northwest Passage at the call of many men
To find there but the road back home again

[Chorus]
Ah, for just one time
I would take the Northwest Passage
To find the hand of Franklin
Reaching for the Beaufort Sea
Tracing one warm line
Through a land so wild and savage
And make a Northwest Passage to the sea

Not A Single Honest Word From TheLastFirst Rowing Team - Global Sea Ice Area Above Average - ROWING STOPPED BY ICE

http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/not-a-single-honest-word-from-or-about-the-rowing-team/

Not A Single Honest Word From Or About The Rowing Team

Posted on July 4, 2013by stevengoddard

The Northwest Passage shipping route from the North Atlantic to the North Pacific has a huge amount of ice in it, and almost no open water.

Yet all we hear about the rowing team, is that global warming has melted the ice and made their trip possible. Another 100% pure global warming fraud.



EOSDIS Worldview (Alpha)

Andy Oz says:
July 4, 2013 at 12:04 pm

So Reggie. Are you the PR rep for Lamestream Renewable Power? The sponsors of the Rowing Team? How much are they paying for the Rowing trip to promote their over priced product? How much in taxpayer funds have mainstream received to date to stay in business? You realise Mainstream renewable power will get more press coverage if the rowers have a disaster than if they make it safely? Is that planned for?

Chewer, says:
July 4, 2013 at 5:14 am

They’re not taking the ferry over the Mackenzie or Peel?

Andy Oz says:
July 4, 2013 at 3:55 am

Take their GPS, satellite imaging and telecommunications off them and see if they do better than Amundsen taking 3 years. They should keep their shotguns cos they’re gonna need them. They should remember ” don’t poke the bear”.

Melody Harpole says:
July 4, 2013 at 3:57 am

I think they can do it. (If they put their boat on a sled and buy a team of dogs.)

Traitor In Chief says:
July 4, 2013 at 3:59 am

I think somewhere in my travels (and I’m too lazy to find it now) I read that “The Team” indicated that “Passage” described every form of travel. Perhaps this means they will drink their funky Toe drinks, then, the following morning, take some pics of themselves sitting in a little puddle of water, drag the canoe a few hundred feet, and then FLY to their destination for the Victory celebration. Excelsior!

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 4:43 am

This blog is not about you.

The topic of discussion is the wildly dishonest communications about the state of the ice

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 4:45 am

Are you completely daft?

Olaf Koenders says:
July 4, 2013 at 4:49 am

Yes Reggie, sponsored by Brawndo, sponsored by Vallely. You missed the headline: “Not A Single Honest word From Or About The Rowing Team” – much of it coming from you.

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 4:51 am

I guess you are completely daft

They claim that the trip is made possible by global warming and sponsors who want to highlight that, yet the entire route has normal to above normal sea ice. The entire premise of the expedition is fraudulent.

Jorge says:
July 4, 2013 at 4:52 am

Reggie, in all your posts you haven’t ever presented anything worth refuting. What facts have you ever provided? I can’t think of anything you have written that was evidence for anything. You repeatedly give your opinion that you think these guys will succeed and you ignore all the evidence to the contrary that might block their travels. Anyone can convince themself that they’re always right, when they just ignore information which proves them wrong.

The only person here engaged in “faith based” belief is you, son. You believe the ice in the artic is melting and will melt to the point where a couple of idiots can canoe to the north pole or wherever they’re canoeing to. The evidence shows an abundance of ice there now though. The evidence shows this winter/spring/summer have had lower than usual temperatures in the artic, sometimes by several degrees ON AVERAGE. The evidence shows that the ice melt will be no where near what it has been these past few years. But you hold out hope that these facts are wrong and your heroes will make it through to great propaganda and infamy.

But your opinion is based on hope alone, or faith shall we say. Then you project those feelings on to the people who provide you with real facts which contradict your belief. The area is covered in ice, but you pretend the ice isn’t there or that it’s insignificant.

In all honesty, i’m not sure what you are hoping to prove here.

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 5:01 am

You are such a flaming liar

The route they are taking is not the “Northwest Passage” They are skipping the entire Beaufort Sea which has above normal ice area. The Canadian Archipelago and Baffin Bay both have normal amounts of ice.

No place in the Northwest passage has below normal ice.

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 5:16 am

You can’t possibly be as stupid as you pretend to be. The Beaufort Sea is almost completely full of ice and has been above normal for weeks

http://arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/IMAGES/recent365.anom.region.11.html

Latimer Alder says:
July 4, 2013 at 5:06 am

For Sale: Canoes & oars – never used. Will swap for sledge and huskies. Apply – NW Passage expedition,.

stevengoddard says:
July 4, 2013 at 5:30 am

You win the booby prize

http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/07/04/we-have-a-winner-3/


Lee says:
July 4, 2013 at 12:24 pm

Both sides of the arguments set forth in this particular set of comments are forgetting the basic tenet of global warming science:

BASIC TENET OF GLOBAL WARMING SCIENCE: “IT IS APPROPRIATE TO HAVE AN OVER-REPRESENTATION OF FACTUAL PRESENTATIONS (LIE ABOUT) HOW DANGEROUS (GLOBAL WARMING) IS.”

Also of interest:

What happens when you tell people you are going to row across the north pole (or whatever these people are claiming)? Perhaps Eric Schmidt has the answer.

THAT WORKS BOTH WAYS: Google executive chairman Eric Schmidt: “The thirst for information is ultimately the solution to the problems we talk about here,” he said. “You can hold back knowledge; you cannot prevent it from spreading. You can lie about the effects of climate change, but eventually you’ll be seen as a liar.”

Jeremy Poynton says:
July 4, 2013 at 1:53 pm

I know what will happen when they hit the ice.
They won’t be able to row any further.

Next
1 + 1 = ?

Vallely will call the Expedition off saying Global Warming is to blame for all of the ice preventing them from rowing - see he proved it.... lol

Global Sea Ice Area Averaging 2,500 Manhattans Above Normal In 2013

Posted on July 4, 2013by stevengoddard


arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/timeseries.global.anom.1979-2008


http://stevengoddard.wordpress.com/2013/07/02/rowing-through-ice-free-waters/
Rowing Through Ice-Free Waters To Draw Attention To Climate Change
Posted on July 2, 2013by stevengoddard

A four-man crew is embarking today to row through the Northwest Passage in about 80 days. The feat has been made possible by global warming, which has freed Arctic waterways of more ice than ever.

The rowers hope to draw attention to the effects of climate change, the Ottawa Citizen reported.

In 2007, however, U.S. scientists reported that the Northwest Passage was completely free of ice for the first time since satellite tracking began in 1978.

Climate Change Enables A Summer-Long Rowboat Trip Through The Northwest Passage | Popular Science

This is what their ice-free route looked like yesterday.


arctic.io – Arctic Terra – (2013/182)


To follow the progress of TheLastFirst Expedition, go to findmespot.com at:
http://share.findmespot.com/shared/gogl.jsp?glId=0iRTKLUZYPqVvo9fjJlhupoJlQx9xQgLG



ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR BOAT.... (when the ice melts....lol)

A new QUASI-SCIENCE NORMAL for Arctic sea ice - and a few good laughs for the July 4th Holiday

Global warming and climate change hyperbola is all a Media circus... so the government has now changed the reference points so it can continue to "prove" their points.

If MAN cause CO2 was to blame then how did overall ice retreat SLOW this year compared to last year? Surely NOT because MAN generated less CO2? The cause-effects spoken by the Media using buzz words of Global Warming and Climate Change could not be further from the truth nor from the real science.


- - - snip - - -

http://nsidc.org/arcticseaicenews/2013/07/a-new-average-for-arctic-sea-ice/


July 2, 2013

Arctic sea ice continues to track below average but remains well above the levels seen last year. The relatively slow ice loss is a reflection of the prevailing temperature and wind patterns. As of July 1, NSIDC Arctic Sea Ice News and Analysis and the Sea Ice Index have transitioned to a new 30-year baseline period, 1981 to 2010.

June is a transition period for Arctic sea ice as 24-hour daylight reigns, and melt reaches towards the North Pole. Thus it is an appropriate time for NSIDC to transition to a new 30-year baseline period, also called a “climate normal.” The satellite record is now long enough to allow NSIDC to match current National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and World Meteorological Organization (WMO) standard baselines of 1981 to 2010 for weather and climate data. Full details of the changes and the implications for NSIDC sea ice statistics are described in the NSIDC Sea Ice Index.

Average sea ice extent for June 2013 was 11.58 million square kilometers (4.47 million square miles). This was 310,000 square kilometers (120,000 square miles) below the 1981 to 2010 average (the new baseline period) of 11.89 million square kilometers (4.59 million square miles). In comparison, the 1979 to 2000 period that we previously used averaged 12.16 million square kilometers (4.70 million square miles). June 2013 was 760,000 square kilometers (293,000 square miles) above the record low June extent in 2010.

Although the rate of ice loss increased toward the end of June, overall ice has retreated more slowly this summer compared to last summer, reflecting patterns of atmospheric circulation and air temperature. Average June temperatures at the 925 mb level were average to slightly below average over most of the Arctic Ocean, contrasting with above average temperatures over most of the surrounding land. This temperature pattern is associated with unusually low sea level pressure centered near the North Pole. This type of circulation pattern is known to slow the summer retreat of ice, not just because it fosters cool conditions, but also because the pattern of cyclonic (counterclockwise) winds tends to spread the ice out. An interesting regional aspect of this pattern is that on the heels of unusually cold spring conditions, the Alaska interior experienced some days of record high temperatures during June.

Sea ice extent declined steadily through most of the month, in sharp contrast to last year when June experienced a record fast pace of sea ice retreat. There was a speed-up in ice loss toward the end of the month. Overall, extent dropped an average of 70,300 square kilometers (27,000 square miles) per day through the month, slightly higher than the 1981 to 2010 average.

June 2013 was the 11th lowest June in the 1979 to 2013 satellite record, 760,000 square kilometers (293,000 square miles) above the record low in 2010. The monthly trend is -3.6% percent per decade relative to the 1981 to 2010 average (also -3.6% per decade relative to the old 1979 to 2000 baseline).

Comments are closed.

(I THINK THE "COMMENTS ARE CLOSED" SPEAKS LOUDEST TO THE REAL ISSUE CALLED G-O-V-E-R-N-M-E-N-T?)

NSIDC scientists provide Arctic Sea Ice News & Analysis, with partial support from NASA.

FYI - 

Global Sea Ice Area Averaging 2,500 Manhattans Above Normal In 2013

Posted on July 4, 2013by stevengoddard

arctic.atmos.uiuc.edu/cryosphere/timeseries.global.anom.1979-2008

North Pole Temperatures Have Been below Normal Every Day For The Past Three Months

Posted on July 3, 2013by stevengoddard

COI | Centre for Ocean and Ice | Danmarks Meteorologiske Institut

:-) Humor....

Canadian Government Must Be Lying

Posted on July 4, 2013by stevengoddard

Environment Canada shows the Arctic full of ice, yet Barack Obama says that evil Americans have melted it.

CMMBCTCA.gif (2200×1700)

Rowing Through Ice-Free Waters To Draw Attention To Climate Change

Seasonal Ice Outlook for Arctic North American Waters issued on July 3 2013 - url to download PDF

Seasonal outlook for North American Arctic Waters issued by the North American Ice Service on 3 June 2013

Download url: http://www.ec.gc.ca/glaces-ice/9CD04FB5-11DE-4DD3-A08D-9EF66DA43518/20130603_otlkare_summer2013.pdf

Else on the www at:

http://www.ec.gc.ca/glaces-ice/default.asp?lang=En&n=9CD04FB5-1&offset=1&toc=show

Alaska Weather looks VERY GOOD for Charles Hedrich rowing from Wales past Point Hope Alaska

.SYNOPSIS FOR ARCTIC COAST...
A 1003 MB LOW 60 NM NORTH OF BARROW WILL MOVE NORTH. AT 4 AM
AKDT...THE LOW WILL BE 1006 MB 550 NM NORTH OF BARROW. ANOTHER
WEAK LOW WILL DEVELOP NEAR THE WESTERN ARCTIC COAST ON FRIDAY.

$$

PKZ225-041200-
CAPE THOMPSON TO CAPE BEAUFORT-
1259 PM AKDT WED JUL 3 2013

.TONIGHT...SE WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. FOG.
.THU...E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. FOG.
.THU NIGHT...E WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. FOG.
.FRI...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. FOG.
.FRI NIGHT...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.MON...NE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

PKZ220-041215-
WALES TO CAPE THOMPSON-
101 PM AKDT WED JUL 3 2013

.TONIGHT...SE WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. FOG.
.THU...E WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. FOG.
.THU NIGHT...SW WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. FOG.
.FRI...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 3 FT. FOG.
.FRI NIGHT...S WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.SAT...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SAT NIGHT...S WINDS 10 KT. SEAS 2 FT. 
.SUN...S WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT. 
.MON...NW WINDS 15 KT. SEAS 3 FT.  

$$

WINDS BACKING TO COME FROM THE SOUTHERN QUADRANT MEANS ROWING ICE WILL HAVE FOLLOWING SEAS AND WINDS ON THE STERN MAKING FORWARD PROGRESS AS GOOD AS IT GETS - HOIST A MAKE SHIFT OAR SAIL - I'D SUGGEST CONTINUING ON NORTHEAST PAST POINT HOPE UNTIL WINDS BUILD OR YOU NEED REST - DUCK INSIDE THE NEARSHORE BARRIER ISLANDS FOR PROTECTION OR GRAB AN ANCHOR ON AN GROUNDED SHORE ICE FLOW - UNLIKE A DEEP DRAFT VESSEL ROWING ICE IS EXTREMELY SHALLOW AND CAN EVEN BE BEACHED DURING MINIMAL SURF CONDITIONS IF NEEDS BE FOR SAFETY AND REST.

KEEP GOING AS LONG AS SOUTH WINDS AND SEA REMAINS COMING FROM BEHIND - THIS IS NEAR PERFECT CONDITIONS.

GOD SPEED ROWING ICE AND HER GOOD CREW!

Barrow ice webcam - 3 days record video download: http://feeder.gina.alaska.edu/feeds/webcam-uaf-barrow-seaice-images/movies/current-3_day_animation.mp4
else
http://seaice.alaska.edu/gi/observatories/barrow_webcam

Two Kayakers ICE DREAM 2013 to challenge the NW Passage - OH MY ITS GOING TO BE A BUSY 'SAR' SEASON!

Website: http://www.revedeglace.ca/expeditions.html

ICE DREAM 2013

The expedition "Ice Dream 2013" is to achieve a world first in the field of sports expeditions and sea kayaking in fact we try to make the first crossing of the Northwest Passage in a single season by sea kayak . Several years ago, the melting of Arctic sea ice releases the Northwest Passage for a period allowing us to paddle the distance in a single season.

From Tuktoyaktuk, we will travel about 3500 km to get us to Igloolik end of our journey, all in less than 80 days . During the trip, we will stop in various Inuit communities to restock on food and fuel, essential for cooking our meals.

SORRY, THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE IS A SEA ROUTE OF OVER 3,500 MILES FROM PACIFIC OCEAN ARCTIC CIRCLE TO ATLANTIC OCEAN ARCTIC CIRCLE. ROWING 1,500 MILES BETWEEN HAMLETS OF 'TUK' AND POND INLET IN NOT A NW PASSAGE BUT RATHER A POINT-TO-POINT TRIP.

Sebastien Lapierre

Born in Saguenay, Sebastian quickly made contact with nature and the great outdoors. From an early age, he was already passionate about exploration and nature, from big days strolling through the surrounding forests.Over the years, his passion has continued to grow and this is by joining the Army Cadets he was able to develop its technical wilderness survival, orienteering using maps and compasses and thus confirm his obvious fondness for nature, camping and exploration. Sébastien subsequently joined the army in the Royal Military College of Canada in Kingston, Ontario. Boasting an infantry officer training, he was able to improve his knowledge of topography and orientation while developing excellent physical condition. Following this, he turned to a career as a professional firefighter, first in Saguenay and Quebec City where he plies his trade since 2006. Over the years, he has developed some expertise in winter camping and is also passionate about everything related to the outdoors. Adept diving, climbing, hiking, skiing and snowshoeing, Sebastian wants a versatile athlete. After spending several weeks in the Rockies, he tested his knowledge across Quebec, either in the Monts-Valin, the Chic-Chocs, the Laurentians or other large area subject to climatic conditions roughest. He now thirst for new challenges and it is in Greenland it wishes to undertake his "career" as an explorer. His penchant for risk, his passion for the great outdoors and his love of winter are the reasons for wanting to Sebastian one day conquer the South Pole. Greenland is only the first step towards achieving that dream. "I dedicate this expedition Mr. Yves Laforest (first Quebecer to climb Everest) that I unfortunately did not get a chance to know, but it has inspired me and continues to be for me, as for many other Quebecers, an example of courage, dedication and transcendence ... Thanks! "

Olivier Giasson

Olivier emerged in the Quebec region. Outdoor enthusiast since a young age, he developed a certain comfort with the elements of nature. Risk appetite, the need to always excel and sheer determination led him to the career firefighter. He later specialized in vertical rescue, thus combining business with pleasure. His passion for the outdoors led him to travel across Quebec of course, but also in Western Canada and Europe and perfecting his knowledge in the field. Physical activity plays an important role in the life of Olivier and that is why he enjoys a wide variety of sports. Scuba diving, river kayaking, mountain biking, downhill and of course hiking and camping skiing are just a few examples. Loving challenges, it is with pleasure that Olivier joined the expedition "Ice Dream 2010." His knowledge of vertical rescue, pushed his taste for adventure and a passion for outdoor winter will make it an essential part of the team.

Check back for updates... the Canadian Coast Guard is going to be busy this summer in the Arctic... if you don't charge them for rescue they will be back again... fools usually don't learn very well from experiences...

FYI: Search And Rescue (SAR) is the search for and rescue provision of aid to people who are in distress or imminent danger.

Two firefighters from Quebec attack the passage of the Northwest kayak

Enlarge

After three years of preparation, Sebastien Lapierre and Olivier Giasson are preparing to tackle the Northwest Passage sea kayaking a 3500 km journey around the tandem attempt to complete in less than 80 days.

SUN, JS MASSICOTTE(Quebec) would think that Sebastien Lapierre and Olivier Giasson, two firefighters to the City of Quebec, like the fire escape and warmth. Indeed, the duo is preparing to leave in the Arctic, this time for a "holiday" sea kayak a long break away from the fire to tackle the legendary Northwest Passage West to realize that they call their "dream of ice."


It's been three years since the two sappers prepare their journey, an impressive distance of about 3500 km from Tuktoyaktuk, Northwest Territories, and Igloolik, Nunavut. Lapierre and Giasson hope to rally the distance in less than 80 days.

The ice cover is no longer what it once was, both residents of Quebec are betting that they will enjoy a long window to complete the bold path in one season before return of the ice. If they succeed, they will become the first to achieve the feat in a kayak.

"We are in the early years when it is theoretically possible to do so," said Lapierre. "It's a big risk we take ..." Because in the absence of accurate data provided by other gone before them, nothing is for the pair.

Within a month almost to the day, kayakers therefore begin their race against time. Normally, Lapierre and Giasson should take off on July 18 with the hope of reaching to around September 30.

Watch out for polar bears!

An enormous challenge in which they will have to tackle every day 45 km on average, while wary of currents and tides, ice that could block their passage and the whims of Mother Nature. Ah yes! Polar bears will also monitor ...

An itinerary divided into six stages of a dozen days each. It is autonomy that guys have to board their tandem, Boreal Design Beluga 21 feet. Theoretically, the safety of the next village will therefore never more than five or six days of kayaking. At the end of each stage of the freeze-dried food and equipment parts - mailed - the wait in the communities where the two adventurers to complete resupply stop.

Extreme conditions

The appointment was given to Cageux dock, a few strokes of the bridges of Quebec. In sunny and warm June morning, the conditions could not have been more different from those waiting Sebastian and Olivier in a few weeks.

While the sun beating strong made ​​the drysuits a little uncomfortable, paddlers rejoiced at the idea of a dip in the river. "There, we will not express to swim," said in a laugh Lapierre, a native of the Saguenay.

Since leaving nothing to chance, this guy took advantage of another day on the water including refining their techniques in an emergency, should they capsize and swim. Suddenly, the St. Lawrence was still playing the role of valuable training partner.

A faithful ally Lapierre and Giasson knew him in various conditions over the last few months in preparation for their dream of ice. Each time, as an opportunity to review and test equipment provided to make sure you have the essentials. "The material we provide, it brings optimal and minimalist approach. For each output, we are seeing what we can cut. See what is the surplus, "summarized Giasson, who just Quebec.

The power of friendship

Over maneuvers and conversations on the water with them, it became clear that the complicity of two friends is their greatest strength to meet this extreme challenge. Not to mention too, the guys understand and act effectively. Aboard their tandem kayak, even if their experience is rather solo, they are already more than one.

Aged respectively 34 and 28 years, Lapierre and Giasson know from school fire, there is a decade. A friendship that has been tested to work, but also shipping the past. Particularly in 2010, when the duo traveled to ski Greenland, a trip to the cold of 27 days on the ice of the Arctic.

During their journey through the Northwest Passage, the duo is planning to update the Facebook page Dream ice as often as possible. Patients in Quebec during their "buddies" will be in the North, Tania and Marie-Eve on the other hand can keep throughout the adventure using satellite calls Sebastian and Olivier will alternately to three days.

For Sebastian, the phone calls will be of particular importance. Is that Tania is pregnant. She should give birth in December, but still. Speaking with the adventurer, we also feel the little tear that lives, although it remains focused on the mission.

Niece of the late Yves Laforest, first Quebec summit of Everest, and herself adept outdoor sports, Tania is well positioned to accept the irresistible lure of adventure. "She understands," says the future dad. "She also knows how it is prepared for shipment."

Info: www.revedeglace.ca A natural combination

Question to provide visibility to shipment to a cause dear to their heart, Sebastien Lapierre and Olivier Giasson naturally thought to join the Quebec Firefighters Foundation for burn victims.One way to promote the work of the organization and encourage people to contribute to its funding.

The two firefighters Quebec City would also raise $ 17 500 by Igloolik they reach the fall. Equivalent to a small $5 kilometers paddled. A financial effort that the duo believes quite reasonable compared to the energy they need to deploy to cover the colossal distance.

It is possible to support the cause of the Foundation through the website of the expedition.

http://www.lapresse.ca/le-soleil/vivre-ici/plein-air/201306/18/01-4662729-deux-pompiers-de-quebec-sattaquent-au-passage-du-nord-ouest-en-kayak.php

BEYOND THE CIRCLE - When should a rowboat & crew stay home? When your boat is leaking & flooding while still in San Francisco

WHAT IS IT WITH ROW BOATERS? STUBBORN OR JUST LACKING NO HORSE SENSE? DEFINITELY NO SEA SENSE! WOULD YOU TAKE A SMALL 17.5' ROWBOAT THAT HAS A THIN FIBERGLASS HULL TO ROW IN THE ARCTIC ICE? MAYBE MORE IMPORTANT IS THAT YOU FAILED TO QUALITY ASSURE THE BOAT AND YOUR EXPEDITION MANY MONTHS AGO... YOU WERE TOO DAMN BUSY TO PROPERLY TRAIN AND PREPARE.... STAY HOME AND PLAN BETTER FOR NEXT SEASON.

"Adventure is just bad planning" 

   - Roald Amundsen 

 

Our home for the length of this expedition will be 17.5 feet of beauty. Simple and seaworthy, the Norseboat 17.5 is designed with classic lines. Dual sliding rowing seats and a performance sailing rig enable it to be sailed and rowed equally well.

Custom modifications, thanks to Kevin and the team at Norseboat, mean this boat may put up with the rigors of 2000 miles of Arctic wilderness better than Cam & Matt will.

Navigating safely through the ice pack, Arctic storms and polar bear country are just a few of the other challenges Cam and Matt will have to overcome. Follow our blog to see our planning and preparations for dealing with these and a myriad of other challenges along the way.

The 11th hour

Saturday June 1st, 2013

There’s a cadence to all good stories…which unfortunately happens to include massive dramas in the 11th hour. Judging by all the things that have gone wrong for us, and around us, lately we must have entered that magic hour.

It started a week of two back with the owner of our company falling off a mountain in France, whilst skiing some gnarly couloir. That landed him in ICU in a French hospital, where he still sits today on a slow road to recovery. Enter Matt and I to take on his additional workload, just when we wanted to be winding things down and focus on the expedition.

Combine this with some suppliers not fulfilling their promises, plenty of international travel for work, and you’ve got a whole lotta stress. I did a quick ‘to do’ list the other day, and without too much thinking got to 119 jobs that need to be done.

The good news is Matt and I got to spend a few days together this week in Singapore whilst delivering a program for a client…i keep telling him we shouldn’t be speaking to each other anyway, as we need to save up our stories to share when we are out on the water…but keeping Matty’s mouth shut is a more serious challenge than rowing the NW Passage.

Now Matt’s in Japan sipping sake and eating sushi, whilst i’m off to France to fatten up on some fine French cuisine. Bring it on i badly need some blubber on my bones as an insurance policy for up there.

The other good news is the breakup of the ice up north has started, with the latest ice charts showing the pack ice breaking away in a few places.

 Go Beyond,

~ Cam

A stubborn story
Tuesday July 2nd, 2013

Yesterday we were told the ‘prudent thing’ to do would be to call off the expedition…two days before leaving San Francisco and less than two weeks before launching the boat into the Arctic waters. Why? Well as usual it’s a story of heroes and villains, and Matt and I in the middle.

I have been told all my life i am stubborn…i never really saw it, or maybe didn’t want to see it. But over the past 10 days i have really got a good glimpse at how stubborn i really am, or at least can be when i need to. I have also seen just how stubborn Matt and I will need to be to be successful on this adventure.

We may not have had to opportunity to do the physical training we wanted for the expedition, but we sure have had many opportunities to tone up our mental stubbornness.

Our latest drama has been an egg shell thin hull and leaking boat…kind of a big deal on an ocean adventure like this. The story started a few months back when we last had the boat in the water. Over the course of a 7 hour training voyage we had to bail out the rear storage compartment 4 or 5 times. It was clear we had a decent leak, it just wasn’t clear from where. So we gave the boat, and a long list of modifications, to the hero of this story — Billy @ Maas Rowing Company — to remedy the problem. Unfortunately the problem unravelled, rather than remedied.

Billy found the leaky culprit, a small hole, but then also found we had an egg shell thin hull, as opposed to the extra strengthened one we had ordered. That led to the discovery that our floatation compartments — sections of the boat that are supposed to be filled with foam and sealed so the boat will float even if it is filled with water — had in fact not been sealed at the factory and were full of water. Let’s just say there’s been a few interesting calls to the villains of the day, the company who made the boat.

So right now, two days before we hoped to be starting to head north, the boat has been stripped back bare, again, and we are adding more fiberglass inside the hull, where we can,…and sealing off the floatation compartments, and adding more buoyancy. It’s not an ideal solution to the problem — the hull will still be thin in places and we will still be hitting ice in the water, and dragging the boat up and down rocky beaches almost daily — but it will give us more margin for error in an environment not that forgiving on errors.

There are going to be times when Matt and I want to quit. This is not one of them. Stubbornness has a bad reputation, but at the moment it’s all that’s holding our expedition together…that and our man Billy, the man is a genius.

Go Beyond

~ Cam

Website: http://www.beyondthecircle.com/

WHO ARE THESE ADVENTURERS?

CAMERON WEBB

Cameron is a Lead Facilitator, Executive Coach and Strategic Program Designer with Peak Teams Group.

In this capacity he has partnered with organizations all over the world to deliver high impact customized leadership and team development programs that:

- Drive and lead through change
- Build and maintain high performance cultures
- Attract and retain key talent
- Engage and align teams 

Cameron offers a wealth of powerful knowledge and experiences gained from a professional history spanning Consultancy, Marketing and Environmental industries. 

As an adventurer Cameron has lead teams to the far reaches of the globe; including Antarctica and the Arctic. 

Originally from Australia, since 2009 he has called the San Francisco Bay area home.

MATT MCFADYEN

For over a decade Matt has been part of and led expeditions to some of the wildest and most spectacular places on earth.

Along the way he has sailed small yachts to Antarctica and ski expeditions in the High Arctic.

Originally hailing from Sydney, Matt is now based in San Francisco, California, where he works as a keynote speaker and facilitator for Peak Teams Group.

BOTTOM LINE - STOP AND REGROUP FOR NEXT YEAR - YOU, YOUR PARTNER AND YOUR BOAT ARE NOT READY FOR 2013.(period)

Charles Hedrich in rowboat ROWING ICE departs Wales Alaska to challenge a complete Northwest Passage

French sportsman, Charles Hedrich aboard ROWING ICE has departed Wales Alaska at 18:30 hours local time on July 1, 2013 from Alaska position 65 ° 36 '44 "North 168 ° 05 '21" West.  His first destination after 3-4 days of rowing will be Point Hope Alaska. Charles hopes to become the first person in 163 years to complete an entire 7,000km Northwest Passage by rowing his rowboat names 'ROWING ICE' from the Pacific Arctic Circle to the Atlantic Arctic Circle before the short summer minimum ice season becomes once again frozen in late October. Charles has asked his son, Nelson to join him for specific legs of the voyage, hence it will not qualify as a solo transit but rather a crewed event of which Charles is considered the captain and will receive the official byline credit.

The Ocean Rowing Society, will be the official agency for validation of all rowing records and provides the official tracking.

Nelson Hedrich snaps a photo with his father, Charles, in the background preparing for departure from Wales Alaska on Monday July 1, 2013.

GOD SPEED ROWING ICE AND HER GOOD CREW!

ROWING ICE is a carbon-kevlar composite ocean rowboat 7 meters in length with 1 cubic meter of living space cab weighing 190kg empty. 

Teaser Première Mondiale Passage du Nord Ouest à la rame Ch...

Video url: http://youtu.be/XrmuwnF8VK8

BABUSHKA aboard LE MANGUIER (MANGO) arrives Barrow to start Record Attempt to North Pole then Spitzberg

BABUSHKA is in Barrow Alaska aboard LE MANGUIER (MANGO's blog / website) to begin their record attempt to sail unassisted from Barrow to the North Pole to Spitzberg (1750 miles).

Check back for updates...

WABG-10 POLAR STAR in Arctic sea trials

One of the nation's icebreakers is north of the Arctic Circle, looking for ice.

Coast Guard Chief Warrant Officer Allison Conroy tells The Associated Press that the Polar Star left Unalaska on Friday taking part in ice trials after the ship was retrofitted.

The ship was reactivated last December following a four-year, $57 million overhaul.

The 35-year-old ship, which calls Seattle its homeport, is one of the nation's only two heavy-duty icebreakers. It began sea trials in January.

Read more here: http://www.bellinghamherald.com/2013/07/01/3076080/newly-renovated-icebreaker-undergoing.html#storylink=cpy