Missed yesterday’s post? Click here.
Can’t believe it’s been 3 weeks since I landed at YCB (Cambridge Bay), and just over ten days since Leven, Mike, Karts, and I departed from Cambridge Bay on Hermione. In a way it feels much more recent. On the other hand, a fair few things have happened during that time.
TOUGHEST ROW SO FAR
Not really, not enough rowing, I hear you say. Well, things are looking up for you. We’ve done a pretty hard 7.5h row earlier today. And we expect to be rowing non-stop for 1.5 days from Wednesday late night. Then planning to sit out strong Southerlies for a couple of days.
NON-STOP ROWING PLANNED
When I say non-stop, what I mean is rowing hard for around 8h using the system that worked well for yesterday’s row: 3 rowing, 1 steering. Rotate every half hour. So each man gets to take a half-hour steering break every 90 minutes. Each rotation cycle lasts two hours.
CURRENT SYSTEM
In our case we decided that once Karts, who usually starts as helm, has done his half hour of steering, he hands over to Leven. Leven then hands over to Mike. Mike hands over to me. Then I hand back over to Art. And so on. In a 8h row, each one of us will have done 4 stints of steering.
STEERING AND…
You need both hands for steering, as you hold one handle in each hand. Each handle is attached to a rope which is connected to the rudder. You pull right, you turn left/port. You pull left, you turn right/starboard.
…ROWING BOTH REQUIRE BOTH HANDS
You need both hands for rowing. So there aren’t any real breaks. You can grab your drinking bottle for a few sips.
STRUGGLING TO MAKE 1.25 KNOTS EARLIER TODAY
The 7.5h row this morning (13 Nautical miles/24km) was the hardest row so far. We set off at midnight. At times we struggled to make 1.25 knots (2.3kph). It was half way through the row that we reached 2 knots (3.7kph) for the first time, just for a minute. Then currents turned in our favour and we were averaging 2.5 knots (4.6kph) in the end.
FIRST DARKNESS, THEN A BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE
We started out in relatively thorough darkness, then, from around 4am, we witnessed one of the most magnificent sunrises.
PASSING BY A HUNTERS’ CAMP
At some stage I spotted some strange reflection on the shore a few miles ahead. It didn’t seem to fit in with the rest. Turned out that it was a hunters’ camp. Just one tent and a bit of gear. The hunters seemed to have gone hunting, as their vehicles were missing and there was certainly no sight of the hunters themselves.
BOTANY ISLAND, A BIT OF RUNNING
When we arrived at our destination, a barren, unnamed tiny island just a stone throw South of Victoria Island, Leven, Mike, and I went on land after we beached Hermione. Art offered to stay on board, as there should always be one man on board unless the boat has been properly secured. We were joking about naming the island and out of a fit of fancy decided it should be Botany Island. I went for a little 2k run, once around the isle. I would have loved to do several rounds, but there was no timr.
ANCHORING FOR THE NIGHT
We unbeached our boat and rowed it towards the centre of the island, with the highest elevation and thus the best wind protection. Then we laid anchor there.
COOKING, SLEEPING
I finally got round to taking some cooking pictures and a couple of pictures of my sleeping situation for my impatient editor-in-chief and general manager, Ellie.
For tomorrow’s post click here.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE NORTHWEST PASSAGE EXPEDITION
22 July – LHR to YCB
2 August 2024 (Cambridge Bay to Starvation Bay)
4 August 2024 (Starvation Bay to Wellington Bay)
12 August 2024 (From Wellington Bay 6h further Westward)
15 August 2024 (53mi/96km from Botany Island to Richardson Islands)
18 August 2024 (from Richardson Islands past Marker Islands)
22 August 2024 (23mi/37km Westward from Miles and Nauyan Islands past Lady Franklin Point – extremely tough conditions – ‘MISSION IMPOSSIBLE’)
23 August 2024 (Dreadful 10 miles – 12mi/19km – that felt like 100 miles to Douglas Island; welcome committee of two dozen seals)
25 August 2024 (An easy 19mi/31km from Douglas Island to Lambert Island; MS Fridtjoff Nansen passing)
27 August 2024 (An easy 7mi/9km along Lambert Island; yacht Night Owl passing by us)
28 August 2024 (STARTING OUR 64MI/104KM PUSH EARLY; passing Hanseatic Spirit, MS Roald Amundsen, yacht Honshu)
29 August 2024 (Arriving at Cape Hope after 64mi/104km – new team best)
30 August 2024 (EMERGENCY BEACHING at a bay next to Cape Hope)
31 August 2024 (CABIN FLOODED; LEAK FOUND)
Mike’s Poem about our Northwest Passage Expedition
3 September 2024 (REPAIRING HERMIONE)
DETAILS OF LEVEN’S MASTERPIECE: THE PRELIMINARY REPAIR and preparation of the re-launch of Hermione
4 September 2024 (A LOT OF DIGGING and another unsuccessful attempt to refloat the boat)
5 September 2024 (REFLOATING HERMIONE, MOTORING TOWARDS PAULATUK; MILITARY PLANE PASSING)
6 September 2024 (BACK TO ROWING AFTER EMERGENCY MOTOR BREAKS)
8 September 2024 (my 50th birthday; ALMOST CRASHING THE BOAT into rocks; Skynet; a pod of whales)
12 September 2024 (starting our last big push before Paulatuk; RUNNING AGROUND 3X; BIOLUMINESCENCE; Northern lights)
13 September 2024 (ALL HELL BREAKING LOOSE – ALMOST CRASHING INTO CLIFFS)
NORTHERN LIGHTS, 15 September, near Paulatuk
15 September 2024 (REACHING PAULATUK)
16 September 2024 (eating proper food; shower; the good life)
19 September 2024 (flying back home; 5 flights; Breakfast Club at Inuvik Airport)
Stefan will be rowing the Northwest Passage this summer – A little Q&A
Northwest Passage Expedition – Kit List
Trevor’s Travel Trivia IX – The Northwest Passage
My home town’s newspaper, Burghauser Anzeiger, has published an article about the Expedition
Post-expedition Q&As – Coming back from the Arctic after two months
