Missed yesterday’s post? Click here.
Around lunchtime Leven, after checking the latest forecasts, decided that we were not going to row another ten miles (12 statute miles, 18km) from 6pm today, as initially planned.
WASHING & LAUNDRY
On the plus side, the sun came out and I got a good wash, did A LOT of laundry, put a new dressing onto my right heel. Thanks to Karts, who kindly lent me his pair of scissors, I also managed to cut my hair (after soaking it in shampoo for 15mins).
SUNSET
The sunset was nice enough, but what was amazing was the intensity of the last rays of sunlight along Lambert Islands shore and a weird patch of rain on the horizon that beautifully reflected the pink light of the sunset, a good 30 or 40 degrees to the side.
READING
I am starting to get really drawn in by Palin’s Erebus. Such a great read. On page 26 there is a map entitled “Pioneers of Arctic Exploration.” It shows, among others, John Ross’s 1829 to 1833 expedition, which made it to King William Island, East of our starting point, Cambridge Bay. And John Franklin’s 1819 to 1822 Coppermine River Expedition, West of Cambridge Bay but South of Lambert Island. So for the first two weeks we were in an area not covered by any of those expeditions, then again for the past few days, and going forward, of course.
THE PLAN FOR THE DAYS AHEAD
It’s now looking like we’ll do a little bit, less than 10 miles (11 statute miles, 18km), of rowing tomorrow night, then sit out adverse winds for three days, before hopefully catching a whole two days of tailwind immediately thereafter.
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
