The Arctic Ocean, a mostly ice covered circular sea, sits atop the world like a skullcap. Average sea temperature hovers around the freezing point for sea water (28.4 degrees Fahrenheit) and cold water flows along the sea floor southward generating ocean currents that serve as pistons for the planet’s climate engine. Five to ten miles aloft, polar vortex winds circle, periodically breaking out to bring a chill to populated North America, Europe, and Asia.
For centuries European explorers and traders longed for and sought a passage through the sea-ice of the Arctic Ocean, looking for a northern passage from the Atlantic to the Pacific. For centuries they were unsuccessful. Many perished, including all 129 sailors aboard the Terror and Erebus on Sir John Franklin’s1845 expedition. The Norwegian explorer Roald Amundson finally succeeded in 1905-1908, but he had to survive two winters stuck in the ice to get through.
Global warming has loosened the Arctic Ocean’s sea-ice grip on North America. Passable lanes are opening in August to mid-September through channels in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago, the Beaufort Sea, into the Chukchi Sea, and down into the Bering Sea. According to data maintained by PAME, 160 ships operated in the Northwest Passage area in 2019, a 44% increase since 2013: 48 bulk carriers, 13 chemical tankers, 13 cruise ships, 13 fishing vessels, 25 general cargo ships, 3 offshore supply ships, 2 oil tankers, 7 icebreakers, 2 research vessels, 14 tugs, and 21 “other ship types. But only a small fraction of these vessels traversed all the way from the Atlantic to the Pacific or vice versa.
According to the Canadian Coast Guard, only 27 ships made a full transit through the Northwest Passage along the Canadian coast in 2019. There were only five full transits in 2018, and 31 transits in 2017.
There is no formal definition, but for some intrepid sailors who have made the crossing, Port Townsend represents the Western terminus of the “Northwest Passage.” Robin Kisling and Amanda Landon (“les Suisses”) traversed the Northwest Passage from Greenland to Port Townsend in their Van der Stadt 34’ Morgane. They embedded in Steve and Rhonda Scharf’s ADU for a couple years and joined the Port Townsend sailing community before continuing on their around the world journey. That same year, PTSA board member Josh Wheeler joined Olivier D. Huin (NW School of Wooden Boat Building Instructor) to sail Breskellfrom Newfoundland to Port Townsend, also via the Northwest Passage. You can read Josh’s accounts of that successful passage at his blog HERE.
But as Olivier Huin notes in the film screened by the Port Townsend Sailing Association at the Clubhouse this past Wednesday, sailing the Northwest Passage is not for tourists. The film, Breskell, documents Huin’sunsuccessful 2018 attempt to cross the Arctic Ocean from Greenland to Port Townsend. The ship was battered by 55 knot winds crossing Baffin Bay and ended up colliding with an iceberg in the Arctic Archepelago punching a fist sized hole in the hull. As Josh Wheeler notes, self-reliant ingenuity, tough perseverance, and a sharp look-out at all times are called for. After making repairs in one of the few villages found along the route, the crew of Breskell tried to push on but they were blocked by the ice. The arctic ice may be melting, but openings cannot be taken for granted, and may close abruptly, even in late August. Missteps or bad luck can be deadly.
Production of the film was sponsored by Patagonia and the film was beautifully rendered by professional filmmaker and crew member Dominic Joyce. 2019 crew member Josh Wheeler was in attendance to answer the questions of an engaged crowd of 17 in the PTSA Clubhouse.
This Wednesday there will be a presentation regarding some “Racing Situations.” Jeff Brantley and Stig Osterberg will present some (maybe 6 +/-) aerial photos borrowed from Dave Dallenbaugh’s excellent “Speed & Smarts” series. Expect a lively interactive discussion about select situations on the race course!
See you Wednesdays at the Clubhouse (all programming starts at 6:00 p.m.)….
Roland Nikles
Resources:
Daily News, Zach Jablonski, September 27, 2019.