Friday, August 23, 2013

Western Bellot Strait choke-point crushed by CCGS icebreaker HENRY LARSEN - yachts continue NW Passage

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http://www.sailblogs.com/member/libellule/?xjMsgID=284898

Sailing Cat LIBELLULE Just made it through Bellot Strait!

PC
23/08/2013, W Bellot Strait, Peel Sound



2nd attempt to cross the Bellot Strait this morning: we left Brands Island at 04:00 and reached the western end of Bellot Strait at 6:30, pushed by the heavy currents, Jointly with sailboats and Acalephe Traversay III. We saw a polar bear on the ice, not too far away from us, and the kids woke up (as promised to 'em last night). Were there only 500m of ice left, and the current was still flowing out slacking goal. We went up to the mast to look beyond the ice, big ice free patches Clearly visible to the north west. The current Continued pushing the ice up to out there was nothing but a mere 100m of very dense ice left! But too dense to cross. Then we saw Canadian Coast Guard icebreaker Henry Larsen APPEAR as AIS icon on our GPS plotter, Followed by Russian Expedition cruise ship Akademik Ioffe and motoryacht Lady M II. They arrived at our end about 30 minutes later and radioed us That They Would slow down to 10 kn to allow us to follow in Their path. HOWEVER, When They broke the ice, it was very Quickly closing behind 'em again, so we all stayed behind three sailboats It looked as too dangerous to follow. Purpose then, to our big joy, icebreaker Henry Larsen came back to make Reviews another way for us a little bit more north. We rushed through the fresh pass at full speed, touching some BIG ice floes along the way. It was very scary. Dragonfly goal made ​​it through (not least thanks to the Kevlar enforced crash boxes in the forehead). We got a major adrenaline rush. Actually, we still have not Recovered, and are only slowly cooling down DESPITE cold temperatures ... Now we are safely in Peel Sound and ice just received some more information from Henry Larsen's helicopter. There is icefield Reviews another 40 minutes (5/10 to 9/10 density) blocking our way south. We will try to circumvent it on the west side, and If That does not work out, wait for the 40 kn Announced westerly winds to arrive tomorrow night to push the ice away from the coast. After That, Hardly any ice up to Gjoa Haven and Cambridge. A BIG BIG HURRAY AND A THOUSAND THANKS TO THE CANADIAN COAST GUARD!


NW Passage 

 Comments 

23/08/2013 | Nipkow Family
Hi icebaers you did it the rhigt way !! That was really exiting even as part of the audience....Gratulations e salutation ! (we were sure you make it because we crossed the fingers)heartly Beat and fam.

23/08/2013 | Fernande et Serge
Youpi! Hourra! enfin un miracle , on n'y croyait plus. Merci au bon Dieu ou plus spécifiquement aux Gardes-côtes canadiens. Nous vos souhaitons des vents d'ouest favorables pour les prochains jours. Après la montée d'adrénaline une super fondue (au vacherin) serait une bonne récompense. Bravo à tous sans oublier Yves et Sylvain. Bisous. Les grands-parents.

23/08/2013 | Douglas Pohl
CONGRATS - now put the pedal down - @5kts it will take you 37 days to make Sand Point... the sooner the better - North Pacific Bering Sea weather is outrageous! The tourist trip is over - get to Hershel Island and pick your weather window past Point Barrow toward Nome Alaska. Smooth sailing! You can do it!

First attempt

MD
22/08/2013, W Bellot Strait



Intense day full of adrenaline. . The vacillating emotions as the hours today
9H: we wake up in the cold (1.7 C in the boat), but hopefully, we plan to go and see with our own eyes the state of affairs in the Strait later in the day.
10H: arrival Sea Adventurer expedition ship with 112 souls on board. We learn by VHF they will try for the second time to cross the strait.
12H: Arctic Tern and Dragonfly are invited for coffee by Tooluka. Sea Adventurer announces VHF that the ice has blocked the passage to ¾. This would be impossible to move it very compact ice.
Listening to the news and saw the latest maps, it appears that the chances of ending up on the other side of this passage is diminish at great speed . Despite our common respect for the forces of nature, the disappointment is even when everyone feel at home. We discuss different plans B, the various options and places where it is possible to overwinter boats.
13H: Sea Adventurer passes dinghy and confirms the state of the ice. The leader of the expedition said they had never seen it. According to him, the situation of the ice will certainly not be better next year as the ice has not melted this year (the water temperature today is one less! Winter and should arrive . this year earlier than expected, which has the consequence that ice will not have time to melt the probability of the next year of multi-year ice is quite high ...
14H: Crews of Tooluka, Artic Tern and Dragonfly evaluate their separate state of things. Suddenly respective rants should stop their progress. ice floes approaching at full speed. should leave. Tooluka and Arctic Tern decide to . give up and return to Baffin Island
2:30 p.m.: we anchor a little further, what we do not notice in the pictures, is that the floes moving at an incredible speed in a few minutes, place a free ice! can suddenly be covered very quickly. We phone in Switzerland.'s hopes of making the switch is now more than minimal, then we must seek other aéoroports than we had planned so powerful that sometimes girls return to ! school We ask Micky check for flights from Arctic Bay and Pond Inlet (Resolute is now clogged with ice).
16H: We print the last ice chart New Hope's ice.. the other side of Bellot Strait decreased.
4:15 p.m.: We are entering the Strait We hope to see a bear others have overview dissent amid We pass where Sea Adventurer was blocked this morning Passage... seems free!
18H: We do not believe in Santa Claus but the excitement is felt suddenly:! we see out The sun is shining and the sea shows no sign of ice The wind would she pushed outside? succeed we still to go? Sylvain mounted on the mast, attached to the harness, to evaluate more adequately the situation. Despite the wind, it remains attached to the mast and a free hand to watching the horizon with binoculars Hope rises to the surface to ensure the safety of the crew up, we put the dry suits for girls, like bags and into the hand...
6:45 p.m.: arrived just before the ice -! 2 ½ miles from the end, about 4 km, that is to say, a hair of the output, we must unfortunately note that it is not too heavy to move, but we see.. rather open sea on the other side of the banquise.2.5 miles only. perceive We briefly sketch a bear lying on the ice.'s bearskin disappears into the water. We can not dwell there. ago too much current (up to 9 knots, and the engine Dragonfly can not go without sails over 7-8 knots) We return, half disappointed, to the entrance of the strait..
20H: There 25 knots of wind.
8:45 p.m.: We hear through the VHF that Traversay III, Acalephe also stayed and plan another attempt tonight.
21H: We arrive at Fort Ross, but there are too many waves and ice So we leave. . west Brands Island rejoinder to Traversay III and Acalephe The idea is to stay there a few hours, and we also try again our last chance during the night with the next tide!
9:45 p.m.: Arrival at anchor. dinner planned tonight homemade rösti to give us the courage to take us in a few hours.


23/08/2013 | Micky
I wish you courage and energy, and you want the thumbs. Call me any time, happy to assist in any way I can. (As I said yesterday, Pond Inlet, there pls flights and enough places, the Gjoa Haven anyway full of flights each day.) Hugs! Micky

23/08/2013 | Aurelie
Where are you?? Sincerely hope that the damn ice melts faster and the passage finally opens up to the end! I send you lots of courage. Kiss

23/08/2013 | Grosspapi
Ist kein Krimi spannender als MD gestriges Tagebuch.Verstehen Eure Adrenaline Schube. Fiebern began. Naturgewalt lässt sich aber nur gegen begrenzt ankämpfen. Halten Euch die Daumen!

23/08/2013 | Omi
Mache ich mich auf nach Bourguillon, stop es nicht mehr aus fast, in Euren Blog zu gucken! Liebe Euch Omi

23/08/2013 | sophie
Oh, la, la, what you like nerves and stomach to bear all that ... just by reading you, I tag! I sincerely hope that finally small window opens in the sea ice! Good luck to this new attempt and always stay vigilant and cautious though! You think safe, s.

23/08/2013 | Rob
Hope the ice clears and you can continue your journey. Can not wait for the movie to come out, exciting stuff! ;-)

23/08/2013 | Christina and Alice
Thank you all for sharing this adventure with us via the blog.Thanks to you Sylvain seems a little less distant. Good luck to all for this new attempt. We think you are safe. Christina and Alice (daughter of Sylvain and Companion)

23/08/2013 | Babusch
Huiuiuiii, ja jetzt wird's so richtig spannend! Reicht jetzt auf einmal pro tag euren Blog plötzlich zu gehen nicht mehr-mindestens zwei wenn nicht sogar dreimal! Nami's nochmals Heute geht in die Badi, da wird euch dann fest gedacht year!Thou thyself euch von uns allen yesterday! Muchos besos :)

23/08/2013 | Olivier
Hi all, I think Marius is right: there is nothing more exciting than a diary told from day to day, and read the daily also .. Ai discussed your adventure and status ice yesterday with the global specialist in Arctic ice NSIDC in Boulder, Colorado: it does not say surprised, but very difficult to find a clear and convincing explanation. Anyway, good luck to all!

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