Of course, you can’t see the ice melt on the concentration map when you check everyday as I do, but given a week in between readings, the melting is visible and accelerating at a good pace. This is very encouraging for us as the sooner the passage opens, the better our chances of completing the transit.

We are now in the stage of gathering all our gear, and will do a test packing this week-end. We are allowed  one bag 20 kg checked, and one bag 6 kg carry-on. Our hope is to be able to top up our personal stuff with a bit of fresh produce to re-supply the boat as there is not much to buy in Upernavik. To add room, I will be wearing my parka and boots on the last 2 planes, but no big deal, it is cold there anyways, high of 5 degrees C today.

Unfortunately, our sister-ship boat Imaqa had to abandon their 2018 project shortly past Kodiak due to crew issues. They are having a wonderful time in Alaska though, fishing and exploring with the locals. Best of luck to Jeff, Melanie and Clement for the balance of their Alaska travels.