Northern Passage 2010 Expedition by Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson: Mission Completed
Geschreven op 1-9-2010 - Erik van Erne. Geplaatst in Klimaat
22 oktober 2010: Yep, the four month journey is over. Well done. The homecoming and celebration on 23 October will be at the Fram Museum, on Bygdøy just outside Oslo, where the “Northern Passage” started its voyage on Midsummer’s Eve, exactly four months ago (23 June).
23 september 2010: Mission completed. Yes, they did it, completing both passages but let’s not forget: the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice conditions in recent years that have made this trip possible. The journey isn’t over yet. Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson will start on the final leg back home to Oslo.
From Børge Ousland’s Blog: “Today, on the 21st of September, we enter Lancaster Sound and reach the 74th parallel, considered by most as the exit (or entrance) to the Northwest Passage. We are proud of being the first sailing vessel, together with “Peter 1st”, that ever has sailed through both the Northeast and Northwest Passage in one short Arctic summer. We congratulate “Peter 1st” with their achievements through the ice. We have met “Peter 1st” in several ports along the route – Pevek, Barrow and Cambridge Bay. On each occasion there has been a very good atmosphere between us. We certainly agree that we have become friends on this voyage, and we have tried to help each other whenever we can. They gave us a wire to repair the forestay in Barrow, and in Cambridge Bay and Pevek we shared with them our ice information and chart details.
In Cambridge Bay we proposed to Captain Dan and his crew that we should enter Pond Inlet together. We don’t know if that will happen, since they apparently have turned on their powerful engine and are steaming east some hours ahead of us. Hopefully we will meet after all. Now we will get our new forestay in Pond Inlet and some small supplies, water for instance, and do the planned crew change. Eric, who has previously done both passages on the Vagabond, has been a tremendous capacity to have on board. He will change places with Trygve Rushfeldt, who is a long time multi-hull sailor from Norway.
Our expedition is one of the most environmentally friendly of its kind ever undertaken. We have used sail more than 90 percent of the time; only in between thick drift ice and in and out of harbours have we had some modest help from our small outboard motor. For the captain and crew of the “Northern Passage” this is not merely a question of a sports achievement – to complete both passages – Thorleif and Børge both have a strong environmental commitment, and are particularly concerned with the ongoing climate changes.
It is, unfortunately, the dramatic changes in Arctic sea ice conditions in recent years that have made this trip possible. On the time of Roald Amundsen it took five to six years to complete the same distance, due to the extremely difficult and demanding ice conditions. Now we have proven that it is possible to make the voyage in a 31-foot fibreglass sailing boat, equipped with a 10 horsepower outboard motor for emergencies. This shows how dramatic and how fast these changes are happening. The changes that we are witnessing will influence climate on a global scale, in addition to the whole range of animal life in the Arctic – especially seals and polar bears, whose lives are dependent on the sea ice. It is our hope that our voyage will be seen as a strong, visible symbol of the scale and the speed of these changes.
It is a huge milestone for us to have completed both passages, and the second phase of the expedition. However, our journey is not over yet; now we will start on the final leg back home to Oslo, to complete our circumnavigation of the Arctic.” Thorleif and Børge Source: Børge Ousland
1 september 2010: Yep, they did it. Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson officially finished the Northeast Passage, leaving Russia Waters. Congratulations. Now starting with the Northwest Passage in American waters. On Midsummer’s Eve, Børge Ousland and Thorleif Thorleifsson sailed from Oslo. Their mission: a daring attempt to sail through both the Northeast and Northwest passages during one and the same season. Can their trimaran survive the challenge of ice-filled Arctic waters, and make the passage before the onset of winter?
From Børge Ousland’s Blog: “Do we gain a day when we cross the date line? I do believe so – and certainly hope that’s the case.
The weather has calmed down, which is very good after a rather special night with a stiff breeze and lots of waves. It gets very dark at midnight now, so we do double watches: one to keep a lookout for ice while another steers the boat. It is tiring, but absolutely neccessary. We are only a single accident away from failure … we must never forget that. In such conditions we reduce our sails to a minimum, in order to control the boat and sneak ahead, more or less in the right direction until the light returns. A half moon between the clouds helped us a bit last night. We decided to sail through the ice belt rather than around it. We are now actually in the middle of a belt of drift ice that streches from Wrangel Island southwards. In tomorrow’s report we’ll tell you more than I can now. I assure you it’s quite exiting sailing!
However, we have reached another milestone: We have just crossed the International Date Line. And of course a Big Hurrah for my mother who has birthday today!” Best regards, Børge Source: Børge Ousland
Børge Ousland – exploring boundaries
Børge Ousland has more than 20 years’ experience with record-breaking Arctic and Antarctic expeditions. He was the first person to complete a solo expedition to the North Pole without re-supplying, and the first to cross the Antarctic continent alone. He is still the only person to have accomplished both feats. Børge is an accomplished author, and a renowned photo and film photographer who has received several international awards for his expeditions and films.
Erik van Erne zegt:
2 september 2010 om 15:18 | Permalink
Northern Passage 2010 02 Sept Icebergs at night
In the dark of night, on the Chukchin Sea off Wrangel Island, three men steer the “Northern Passage” past ice floes and icebergs. Persistence and caution is demanded every moment of their journey
Erik van Erne zegt:
8 februari 2011 om 02:59 | Permalink
Nader Verklaard: Zeeijs in warmer klimaat
Op aarde komt zowel boven land als op zee ijs voor. Landijs komt voor in gletsjers, in de bergen en er zijn grote ijsgebieden, zogenaamde ijskappen. Zeeijs is te vinden in de zeeën rond de Noordpool en Antarctica. Een warmer klimaat leidt in het gebied van de Noordpool onherroepelijk tot het smelten van ijs ook op zee. Rond de Zuidpool neemt de hoeveelheid zeeijs echter toe, mogelijk door het smelten van landijs.
Het smelten van zeeijs heeft geen invloed op de hoogte van de zeespiegel, het drijft immers op het water en verplaatst net zoveel water als het zelf weegt. Toch is het voor het klimaat van belang: minder ijs weerkaatst minder zonlicht, waardoor het meer opwarmt. Dat is één van de redenen waarom de opwarming in het noordpoolgebied groter is dan elders. lees verder bij KNMI