Monthly Archives: August 2009

Northeast Passage: A day on the Explorer of Sweden

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

I sit anchor watch alone tonight in the lee of Pushkaryov Island. In the tradition of the expedition, Ola held a team meeting following dinner to decide whether we should push ahead immediately in moderate seas, or to get some rest on the hook and depart at first light. No one is eager for a restless night of fighting the headwinds which now gust to 30 knots, so we will set sail again at 4 AM. I will wake Anders when it is time to make the boat ready and will try to fall asleep in my bunk before the rollercoaster begins! We hope to make Pevek in less than 32 hours and in the early morning as we have papers to arrange with the authorities and we plan to make it a short visit.
The wind whistles through the rigging and rattles the side curtains of the wheelhouse as I type. It is pitch black and we sit off a small uninhabited island. Despite sitting in a comfortable boat, we are truly on the edge of civilization here. Aid is a long way off.
What is a day on the boat like? First off, I am the 8th man of a crew that has been together since Murmansk. Ola Skinnarmo is our gregarious expedition leader. Hannibal Thorsen is his right hand man and veteran of numerous polar expeditions. He runs an outdoor school in the mountains of Sweden when not out in the wild himself. Victor Boyarsky is the head of the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Museum and a third veteran of polar land expeditions to the north and south poles. Anders Eriksson is the captain and a professional sailor who earns his living in charge of trans-ocean cargo ships when he is not lending his skills to more exotic adventures. Anders has also sailed around the world solo – twice – and in his spare time runs a small resort on an island off Brazil with his wife and daughter. Niklas Roselius is essentially our first mate, master mechanic, French trained chef, and a seasoned mariner in his own right. He will be taking the boat from Dutch Harbour, Alaska back to Sweden with a new crew. Per-Magnus Sander rounds out the sailing experienced onboard. Per owns and runs the tour company Polar Quest and is a lifelong sailor with excellent arctic credentials, and another very good cook. Last but not least is Fredrik Blomqvist the expedition videographer and photographer and a passionate off road rally racer (think Africa and Land Rover). He is responsible for producing all of the video and photography for the trip. A very experienced and impressive team and I am truly honoured to share this experience with them.

The gregarious expedition leader, Ola Skinnarmo, at the top of the Explorer's mast

The gregarious expedition leader, Ola Skinnarmo, at the top of the Explorer's mast


The Explorer is a steel boat originally designed for research. She is well rigged for sailing and motoring through a variety of conditions. The wheelhouse is mid ship, enclosed, and large. It contains a large foldout table and is the location for boat operations and most meals. It is not heated and the outside temperature since my arrival has hovered between 2 to -1. We routinely wear full long underwear and outdoor gear during meals and watches and it is common to see your breath indoors.
Below deck you enter the salon and main dining/office area. The table is usually filled with laptops, external hard drives, and camera equipment. There is one bunk in the salon and we do have oil heat in the lower compartments. The majority of berths are forward of the salon including my bunk in the bow. Aft of the salon is the galley, engine room, head, and stateroom. Space is comfortable but tight for 8 guys, but everyone is accommodating and interruptions frequent for all as people squeeze past in route to their daily routines.
We have a rotating list of daily chores from cleaning to cooking, top to bottom. Breakfast is generally muesli, cereal or oats, and is self serve. Lunch is made on rotation and is typically a big pot of soup with crackers. Dinner is also on the rotation and given the skilled cooks onboard, has been quite diverse and good – something very important for morale on long trips in cold places!
We do have hot water and can shower at least every four days – a real luxury.
It is about half past one in the morning now and the light is starting to return. The boat rocks gently in the wind as I sip my tea and type in the dark wheelhouse. The boat is quiet and I am glad to have this peaceful watch.
We pull anchor and hand off our watch at 4 AM. I try to fall asleep quickly as it will be rough shortly. I sleep well but sporadically as I learn to brace my body in the bunk to avoid falling out. As we assume our afternoon watch, it is also my turn to make lunch. Quite a challenge in a rolling and pitching boat for a novice sailor!
2 PM and we have falling water temperature, fog, and seabirds – all signs of ice. By half past 3, we are in heavy drift ice looking for a path. Everyone is quickly on deck as the boat becomes suddenly still in the ice calmed waters. We download a fresh ice map and Victor makes a phone call to see what he can learn of this unexpected ice. It turns out to be a large area of drift ice and we cannot go through, so we must turn around. As luck would have it, Victor raises a nearby Russian icebreaker which has just left Pevek. It is the ’50 years of victory’, the world’s largest nuclear-powered ice breaking ship. They advise us to head south and then make our course into Pevek. We will likely see them along the way. It will be a long night of sailing through ice-infested waters and the forecast is for gale force winds from the Northwest.

Northwest Passage: Seal hearts and other parts

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Cameron Dueck
Shortly before Silent Sound set off for the Canadian Arctic last spring the region’s seal population made the headlines.  The European Union banned seal products, angering Inuit hunters and artisans and prompting Canada’s governor general Michaelle Jean to skin one of the creatures and eat a piece of its heart raw to show solidarity with the Inuit. 
As we’ve sailed through the western Arctic and now the central Arctic we’ve seen thousands of seals. In areas where we see no other wildlife we’re still certain to see a seal or two bobbing about in the water, quizzically watching us sail past. They’ve certainly livened up some tedious watches as I’ve stood at the helm.
We’ve eaten seal a few different ways on this trip. Our first taste was barbequed seal ribs, and we’ve since tried it dried and sautéed. I don’t like it dried, but it’s tasty – like liver –when it’s cooked right. I’ve also tried on some of the mitts and boots made from seal skin. The fur is deliciously soft and warm.
They’re cute, they’re harmless, and they’re a key part of the Inuit traditional diet and culture. And there are heaps of them left. The political hijacking of their seals has come up in conversation with several Inuit, and they seem pretty united in their response. Which, in brief, is “Piss off!”
One old timer who invited me into his kitchen for tea lamented the confusion over the seal clubbing ways in parts of eastern Canada and the way he and his fellow hunters dispatch their prey. “We shoot them, we don’t club them, and if those people from down south would come up here I’d show them how we  do it,” he said, nearly spilling his tea as warmed up on the issue. He also offered a few simple but drastic measures to quiet the criticism, but I’m sure he didn’t really mean them.
In Holman (aka Ulukhaktok) we watched a grandmother, her daughter and toddler granddaughter flense a pile of seals caught by the men in their family. It was bloody, dirty work, and the grandmother admitted that few of the younger generation were interested in doing it. However, there was also an every day practicality about what they were doing that both showed respect to the animals and underlined the necessity of these activities in their life.
It’s odd to see so many seals along our route, both ringed seals and bearded seals, and think that elsewhere in the world, where they know little to nothing about seals, these creatures are creating such passionate debate. By coming to the Arctic this summer and weaning myself off daily news I feel I’ve missed out on the seal debate. Instead, I’m in the home of the seals, and watching how they play an integral role in the diet and life of Inuit.

Northeast Passage: The arctic marine ecosystem

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Days are flying by and the nights seem nonexistent as my sleep is now
partitioned to mid-morning and early evening bouts. The seas have picked up
a bit and my berth is in the bow, so any motion is exaggerated. Despite
growing up in the middle of America, I find myself quite comfortable at sea
and I sleep extremely well.
Anders and I relieve Ola and Victor and assume the watch with a fresh pot of
hot water for our morning cocoa and tea. It is just dark as we take the
wheel, though it does not last long. With each day drawing us further to the
East, we gain daylight. As the sun breaks the horizon, it looks like it
should be a spectacular day with the first clear skies in many days of
travel. The winds have also picked up nicely and swung to the southeast.
We are once again in open water, with no land or ice visible an all
directions. The crew has also remarked at the absence of marine mammals or
birds for much of their trip, except when in our near sea ice. One of the
telltale signs of nearby ice, despite dropping water temperatures, has been
the presence of seabirds. There is a reason for this beyond chance
encounter.
The arctic sea ice, along with being responsible for cooling the planet and
moderating global weather, is also the basis, the substrate, for the arctic
marine ecosystem. It is on the underside of the ice that a thriving
community exists, out of our sight. Algae and phytoplankton grow on the ice
like an inverted garden. Zooplankton thrives on this growth and is in turn
preyed upon by arctic cod. Ringed seal and sea birds chase after the fish
and polar bears complete the chain. So the sea ice is much more than a
simple platform and losing it will have profound implications beyond just
wildlife sightings.
Hannibal and Per Magnus stir below and Anders decides it is time to set the
sails. I am assigned the Genoa and we are soon quietly heeled to port and
cruising along at 8 knots. Time for me to get some rest. We should make our
next destination by dinner time tonight: Bear Island.
I awake to the sound of the engine and a bumpy ride. The winds have swung
around from the east and are now on the bow. Seas are mixed and 3-5 feet
with chop. I feel badly for those trying to sleep now!
At the close of our afternoon watch we have an island in sight and plan to
anchor in the lee for dinner. Our next planned landing will be the town of
Pevek.

Northeast Passage: Sea ice floes

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Midnight comes again all too quickly as I find myself making some strong
coffee for our watch. A coastal freighter has appeared on our radar nearby,
a cargo ship that plies the Lena river and shallow near shore waters between
Tiksi and Vladivostock. It is the only ship we have seen since Tiksi, but as
the summer ice continues its rapid retreat, more ships from countries other
than Russia will demand passage on these seas.
A little after 2 AM we again notice the water temperature dropping quickly,
this time down to -0.8 C. We also begin to see birds and soon after a floe
of drift ice. It stretches across from our north and forces us to slow and
turn south to seek the edge. It was not on the satellite map and while no
match for an ice breaking ship, it is the type of arctic shipping hazard
that could prove disastrous for lesser vessels.  It takes the remainder of
our shift and some of the next to get through and around this obstacle. It
is a pleasant distraction as seas are calm and the visibility good.
Despite the fact that we are losing ice at a rapid rate, there is still a
great deal of it in any given year. As it melts and breaks apart, streams of
drift ice are torn from the main pack and aimlessly wander the northern
seas. This ice is highly mobile and very difficult to track.
This is why WWF is actively pursuing shipping safety on a number of fronts.
We are working with governments and policy bodies to influence the creation
of new arctic governance regimes that would in part set the rules for
international shipping. We are simultaneously pursing regulations around
shipping in the Arctic including compulsory pilotage in some waters and
designation of sensitive marine areas. Lastly we are working to raise
awareness on the current lack of capacity to respond to emergencies in the
Arctic both in terms of rescue and oil spill response/mitigation. A major
shipwreck in the Arctic would not only result in the loss of human life, it
could be an ecological disaster.
We have an opportunity to manage these developments in the Arctic safely,
sustainably, and with proper precautionary planning. With a solid governance
framework and conservation first planning, we can balance the needs of
people and nature.
Speaking of the needs of people, and yes, this will be a recurring theme, it
is time to eat again and I have volunteered to help Niklas in the galley.
Tonight will be a gourmet meal starting with whitefish gravlax (cured on the
boat), cabbage salad, with reindeer and potatoes from Tiksi. I have also
used the last of our apples for a pie and we find a box of vanilla custard
to accompany – quite a dinner! Most of the meals onboard are quite simple and
based on dry goods. Cooking also depends greatly on the sea state and we
know we will have some nights ahead with much less civility.

Northeast Passage: The New Siberian Islands

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Waking for the midnight watch is quickly becoming a comfortable routine. Using our satellite phone to upload this blog is another story. I continue to struggle with technical issues in linking my PC to the phone, technology on the high seas and in the remote Arctic is never easy nor works as planned! Fortunately, Ola has a tested system on the boat that continues to work well and I will have to rely on his help to update you on our progress.
In the last four hours, the water temperature has dropped from 2.8 down to 0C. Captain Anders is concerned we may be approaching some drift ice, but there is none yet in sight. We spend the next two hours peering into the dim light of evening with extra care. The seas are also becoming calm and by 1 AM we are in some fog.
Dawn comes around 3 AM and we soon sight our destination: the southernmost of the New Siberian Islands that separate the Laptev from the East Siberian Sea. There is grounded ice all along the shore and 100 m from shore. At half past three we can see the Russian weather station on shore and a few lights on buildings. We wake Ola and prepare to drop anchor. The fog comes and goes all morning.
Niklas appears from below and quickly sets the table for a light breakfast and coffee as the rest of the crew awake and prepare for a landing.  Seven of us shuttle in to explore the station and the captain stays onboard. With ice around and fog, you cannot leave the main boat unattended.
The scene around the settlement is one common throughout the Arctic. Rusty fuel drums are piled all around, representing many years of accumulation. Several rusted vehicles in various states of disrepair lie scattered on the beach and up the hillside along with various generators and miscellaneous discarded items and scrap steel. You never know what you may be able to salvage from broken equipment. There is no store, and resupply can be months away, so you tend to keep everything. It makes sense in such a remote area, but is visually startling to the unitiated.
All is quiet as we stroll up the hillside towards a cluster of weather-worn buildings, old vehicles, and more drums. It is not long before the station dogs grow leery of our approach and come barking. We know that the owners will soon follow and are glad to have Victor with us to make introductions! In short order we are sitting inside the largest of the buildings in a common dining area as sleepy members of the station crew appear from various rooms. Having visitors is quite a surprise and we are warmly welcomed. After explaining our trip we are invited to a feast of freshly baked bread, butter, smoked whitefish caught and prepared on the island, and locally picked and pickled mushrooms. Accompanied by some strong Russian tea, it was a fantastic experience and confirmed that Northern hospitality is alive and well in the Sakha Republic.
Travelling to new places, meeting people, and experiencing local cultures – I come away with how much we all share in common. Our humanity, daily lives, and aspirations are much more alike than not, despite the differences in language and customs. I feel completely comfortable in this remotest part of the Arctic, with people I cannot understand in words, but whose acts of hospitality are universal.
When I think of all of the problems the world faces today, from rising temperatures, rising sea level, and looming scarcities of basic resources, I am somewhat comforted to reaffirm this common bond among people. The kindness of our island friends renews my hope that we can yet come together across nations to solve some of our most pressing concerns. We are incredibly resourceful and compassionate when at our best! As we depart for the boat, we receive one last generosity as our hosts ask that we take any fish from their net which is set nearby. We will have fresh whitefish for dinner and continue our travels into the East Siberian Sea!

Northeast Passage: Open water

General, ,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Midnight and it is time for my first watch with Captain Anders. The crew rotates in the wheelhouse every 4 hours and we have the quiet early morning and mid day shifts. As I am already jetlagged from travel, it is actually a good chance to start a new schedule. The night is overcast and we are cruising through light swells that gently rock the boat. The boat is heading NE towards the New Siberian Islands that separate the Laptev and Chukchi Seas. It is twilight and we are just far enough from shore that it is invisible to our passing. The morning passes without incident and I am soon asleep in my forward berth after we hand off the watch at 4 AM.
I awake to the smell of lunch and stagger up top for a coffee before my next watch at noon. The water temperature has dropped in the past 7 hours from 5.8 to 2.5 C. We soon see why as a patch of drift ice appears off the bow and to the north. We are also back in the clearer, cooler waters of the Laptev and away from the fresh water influence of the Lena River. The bits of ice quickly fades and we are back to cruising open water.
Open water as far as the eye can see in all directions. This is remarkably different from my first boat trip in arctic waters during the summer of 1991. I was working a small research vessel in the Beaufort sea north of Alaska looking at the use of near shore waters by adult and juvenile fish. The pack ice was never more than 3 miles from shore and impeded our ability to access certain areas, even trapping us in a bay for 17 days. Now the Beaufort sea is open water much like the Laptev and other arctic seas. These same Beaufort waters, once inaccessible to even small boats, are now undergoing seismic exploration for oil and gas, and active planning for offshore development. Access is no longer an issue. Good news for industry hoping to exploit these new regions, but bad news for the wildlife and people that rely on the sea ice ecosystem as their habitat fades away.
Well it is my turn to make dinner tonight, so I had better start making preparations to feed this hungry crew of 8 guys: whitefish from Tiksi in a red curry sauce. As the temperature remains cold, appetites should remain high!

Northeast Passage: Landing in Tiksi

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Following three flights and two long stopovers, I finally lumber into a cloudy, wet Tiksi in a packed plane. Staring at the pile of unsecured baggage to my front and side, it is one of the few landings I feel like clapping for. It is all self service in the North, so I wait with the plane load of passengers as two people start to hand out bags. I quickly spy two men in the blue expedition gear, our leader Ola Skinnarmo and the famous Russian arctic explorer Victor Boyarsky. Following a warm welcome, we are off to “town”.
Tiksi is a Soviet era settlement on the eastern side of the Lena delta. In its heyday, it was a community of 15,000, but now is closer to 3,000. Many of the large concrete buildings are empty and boarded over. You can feel the uncertainty of the place. The surrounding landscape is attractive and familiar to my Alaskan eyes: rolling tundra hills, river, and ocean. I am very glad to be here as it has been only a plan, a word, until today.
We change vehicles in town and join three very friendly men who will help us with some final provisioning: local reindeer and whitefish. Following a short drive into what looks like an old barracks, we stop in front of a wooden shed. Inside is a stump with a broad axe stuck in it, another door, and a very modern digital scale. Behind the interior door is a series of corridors that are cut into the permafrost hillside.
The floor and walls become ice and we find ourselves in one of the local “freezers” replete with fish and meat – a technique the Inuit have used for generations. A quick, but fascinating look into local life and I can’t help but think of climate change again. Warming temperatures are already thawing permafrost around the Arctic, putting centuries-old traditions like this at risk of failure within my lifetime.
The port is quiet save for the loading of scrap iron of which there is plenty in the area. Our new friends drop us at the waiting Explorer where I meet the rest of the crew and quickly the boat. Within an hour of arriving, I am oriented, unpacked, and we are under way.

Northeast Passage: Our polar bear expert joins the expedition

General, ,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

WWF senior programme officer for polar bear conservation, Geoff York, with a polar bear cub

WWF senior programme officer for polar bear conservation, Geoff York, with a polar bear cub


So begins my small part in the 2009 expedition to successfully sail through the Northeast Passage, retracing the route of the famous explorer Nordenskiöld. I am replacing Neil Hamilton, director of the WWF Arctic Programme, and plan to go on with this blog as the journey continues across the Laptev, Chukchi, and Bering seas!
I am the senior programme officer for polar bear conservation at WWF, and a long time Alaskan. My entries will often reflect back on matters relating to arctic wildlife and the people who rely on this resource for their livelihood and culture. This is my background, the lens from which I view this amazing part of the world we call the Arctic.
As I depart Moscow for Yakutsk, I am anxious to be in Tiksi. The boat has waited an extra day for my arrival as I was delayed by paperwork and the crew a bit ahead of schedule. I know they will be ready to keep moving east as the summer quickly draws to a close in the far North. It will take nearly nine hours of flight to reach Tiksi by tomorrow evening, and I will begin this adventure with a good dose of jetlag.
Even though temperatures are beginning to cool, the sea ice will continue to melt through mid September, and it is melting fast. From 2005-2008, temperatures in the central Arctic were 5 C above the level expected. The summer sea ice extent has decreased by 40 percent since the 70s, forcing walrus to abandon prime feeding areas and leaving polar bears to choose between a summer on the distant ice or on land, neither of which is their preferred habitat (more on that later). Significant permafrost, ice sheet, and glacial melting have also already taken place. These changes are driven by greenhouse gas emissions – a byproduct of our modern lives.
Due to the reductions in sea ice extent driven by climate change, it is now possible to challenge the Northeast Passage by small sailboat without the support of an icebreaker. This is perhaps one of the last times such an expedition will be a real challenge. In the future, the melting ice will make sailing through the Passage easier and easier, and not just for small boats. Decreasing sea ice extent and thinning of the ice will open up the Arctic for unprecedented increases in transport, tourism and resource development in this vulnerable region.
As I race to meet the crew in Tiksi, I know we are all also in a race for the survival of our planet as we now know it today. In a few short months, the nations of the world will come together in Copenhagen to negotiate a new deal on climate change. This will be a crucial first step of many needed to ensure we collectively  and quickly reduce our green house gas emissions, aggressively develop renewable sources of energy, and challenge ourselves to live sustainably in all aspects of our lives. Much like our sailing expedition, this will require careful planning and there will be many uncertainties along the way. Stabilising the global climate will require extraordinary commitment by all of us and it will not be easy.
I hope you will join me on both adventures starting today.

Northeast Passage: Reflections

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Neil Hamilton
 

Google Map showing the location of Tiksi, a port settlement in Bulunsky Ulus of the Sakha Republic, Russia

Google Map showing the location of Tiksi, a port settlement in Bulunsky Ulus of the Sakha Republic, Russia


This will be my last blog from ‘Explorer of Sweden’ as I leave the boat tomorrow morning at Tiksi, and will be replaced by Geoff York a day later.  I thought therefore that I should reflect on what I have seen and learned, and what lessons others may find useful.
The trip has been easier than I expected, much easier.  Some of this can be put down to the professionalism of Ola and the team, but the reality is that we have had dream conditions.  The sea has been completely calm (so calm in fact that we could not sail for much of the way and had to use the motor), the weather warm (we had days of 15 degrees at 75 North!), and there has been only one short episode of sea ice.  This has added up to a much more relaxed trip that anybody anticipated.
The amount of ice we have seen so far is exactly what I had anticipated, a short traverse across Cape Chelyuskin.  This is a massive tragedy:  The entire expanse of the Barents, Kara, and Laptev seas is completely ice free this summer.  We are certain to come very close to breaking the all time record low of 2007 that shocked the world.  I hope this puts to rest, at long long last, the spurious and unsupportable claims of the sceptics once and for all.  It’s too late for obfuscation and ‘half truths’ now, we have a real challenge to address.
Beyond the sea ice, we have also seen unmistakable evidence of the effects of melting permafrost where we landed, the landslides, slips, and coastal erosion all exposing huge slabs of underground ice.  I expect Geoff will see a lot more of this as the boat proceeds westwards.
The arctic seas are much, much emptier than I expected. You really feel alone!  If you exclude the Barents sea, there simply is no shipping beyond a couple of coastal supply ships, two ice breakers, a tiny number of research vessels, and the Norilsk nickel transport form Dudinka. Oh yes, and the eight private  vessels making the transit of the North Esst Passage this summer.  This lack of shipping partly reflects the vast unpopulated spaces of the Russian north, but also the fact that this is a ‘new sea’: a place where shipping could not pass on a systematic basis until now.  When you look at the maps and charts, the settlements are many many hundreds of kilometres apart, and when you land you know that you are a very long way from anywhere.
Finally, I feel optimistic that we can make a difference to whate is happening here.  The damage can be repaired, the ice can return, if we reduce carbon emissions at home.  The consequences of failing to do this break my heart. The Arctic is the greatest wake up call we have ever had.

Northeast Passage: The Laptev Sea

General,

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.

Google Map of the Laptev Sea

Google Map of the Laptev Sea


By Neil Hamilton
Now that we are ‘on the road’ again I can give you some impressions of the third legendary sea we are travelling through, the Laptev Sea. It is named after Dimitry Laptev, one of the leaders of the famous Russian Great Arctic Expedition. Lying between the Taimyr peninsula and the New Siberian islands, the Laptev is, like the Barents and the Kara, part of the huge Russian arctic continental shelf.  It is also, like the Kara, shallow (we haven’t been through water deeper than 25 metres yet!), and very, very empty.
This is one of the remotest places you can be.  To the south lies the Sakha Republic / Yahkutia, the biggest and least inhabited part of Russia; to the west the Taimyr peninsula (which is complete wilderness); to the north, nothing but ice. We are aware of two seismic survey vessels but to our knowledge there are no other ships in the entire sea.
The Laptev is also a bit different for us, too.  For the first time since leaving Murmansk we have an ocean swell, up to 2 metres high.  It gives the ‘Explorer’ a pleasant new motion, but makes keeping things on the table pretty interesting.  It also brings new weather for us: having basked in 15 degrees on the Taimyr, we now have zero degrees: the swell comes straight from the North!  At least the sun is shining and visibility is good, which is critical for us as there are big logs in the water.
Where do these come from?  My legendary river, the Lena.  We are travelling eastwards towards the delta of the river that brought me here in the first place, from which a constant and enormous supply of timber is delivered into the arctic ocean.  It travels with the trans-polar drift westwards, ending up on the coast of Svalbard and northern Norway. An incredible thought.
My part in this amazing expedition shortly comes to a close, as I leave ‘Explorer’ and her crew in Tiksi, on the eastern margins of the Lena Delta.  Geoff York, WWF’s polar bear coordinator, takes over shortly afterwards and will continue this blog.