Author Archives: thesailingfrog
Aug 22, 2018 NWP day 19 Iqaluit, Nunavut
Iqaluit is a bit of a shocking return to the South with an avant-garde airport, big pick up trucks everywhere, a paved ring road, line-ups of colorful government buildings and gangs of kids wearing hoodies and tight leggings. It is … Continue reading
Aug 21, 2018 NWP day 18 First Air to Iqaluit, Nunavut
Early start to walk to the airport at the top of town, no taxis in Pond! We are booked on First Air, feeling lucky for our confirmed seats although they cost as much as a return trip from Victoria to … Continue reading
Aug 20, 2018 NWP day 17 Pond inlet 89 NM total 738.8 NM
This is it, we are on to plan B. The ice reports have gotten worse and are forbidding, no way to get to Cambridge bay, or Gjoa Haven or even just through Lancaster sound for at least 10 days and … Continue reading
Aug 19, 2018 NWP day 16 Tay bay 2nd night
We were planning to poke our head North into Lancaster sound but after hearing from Muktuk about the conditions, we opt for a walk on shore hoping to sight some wildlife. We dinghy across the shallow silty bay, Fred carrying … Continue reading
Aug 18, 2018 NWP day 15 Tay Bay 86 NM total 649.8 NM Latitude: 73.49247 Longitude: -80.71597
We are going North from White bay to Tay bay on the North West corner of Bylot Island. We start at 6 am with no wind, no fog and no rain for a while, then all of the above. Winds … Continue reading
Aug 17, 2018 NWP day 14 White Bay 23,1 NM total 563,8 NM
We lost signal yesterday shortly after leaving Pond Inlet, so today the post is by satphone, which means no pictures. Sorry about that. I will add them later. Yesterday was a delight, the fog lifted and we went West in … Continue reading
Aug 16, 2018 NWP day by 13 Frechette island in Eclipse sound 36.8 NM total 544.7 NM
We went to visit Kisha and Ruda at their camp by the river yesterday and walked by old round houses build with stones, sand , mosses, lichen. There are many bones of whale and other mammals and birds emerging from … Continue reading
Aug 15, 2018 NWP day 12 still hanging in Pond Inlet Hamlet
We get woken up this morning by rumbling noises along the hull of the boat. This is just some flat pieces of iceberg that are travelling fast with the current and hitting us pretty hard. We receive quite a few … Continue reading
Aug 14, 2018 NWP day 11 Pond inlet bound
We are hoping to pick up the broken part for the auto pilot from First Air this afternoon, already a day late and now the plane is late. We have thoroughly been back and forth and back again, we know … Continue reading
Aug 13, 2018 NWP day 10 on shore Pond inlet
We land the dinghy on the beach getting slightly wet due to the swells since there are no docks in Pond Inlet. Then we walk west on the beach for about 2 mm and it feels really good to see … Continue reading
Aug 12, 2018 NWP day 9 Pond Inlet Nunavut 9NM total 507,9
We start the morning with seven showers , each one of us getting a turn. Fredo also put a load in the washing machine on board, a small genie that can take 8 kg and return them smelling fresh again … Continue reading
Aug 11, 2018 NWP day 8 Beloeil island total 498,9 NM
We are in sight of Baffin island , about 15 miles from our chosen Anchorage south of Bylot island. We have gone through thick fog and rain, but it’s lifting a bit as we approach land. We can see snow … Continue reading
Aug 10, 2018 NWP day 7 Crossing Baffin Bay further West
Dunnery and I have been married 33 years today, we are giving ourselves rain-checks for celebrations. The hour long watches continue day and night. It is not harder at night because there is no night. It’s no longer a midnight … Continue reading
Aug 9, 2018 NWP day 6 Crossing Baffin Bay at sea about 55 NM total 183.9 NM
We start crossing Baffin Bay at 11:45 towards Dundas Harbour on Lancaster sound. The heater is still not cooperating and after about 3 hours driving with fog under auto-pilot, It stops working as well. Daughter Veronica is our saviour, she … Continue reading
Aug 8, 2018 NWP day 5 Itivsalik 69.3 NM total 128.9 NM
Foggy departure at 7am, with a light wind from the South. The morning is a treat despite the fog as we pass monumental icebergs and incredibly artistic ice sculptures, that remind us of swans, sphinxes, towers, forts, an ice-cream cone … Continue reading
Aug 7, 2018 NWP day 4, Sardlerssuaq 25.6 NM total 59.6 NM
We had a delicious dinner of Arctic char given to us by the crew of Destiny. The night was comfortable at anchor despite the heavy rain and howling winds. By late morning, after checking the forecast, Skipper Fred decides that … Continue reading
Aug 6, 2018 Day 3 on the NWP. Aappilatoq West Greenland 26.5 NM total 34.6 NM
Unfortunately, the Satphone did not send the picture yesterday so we are investigating… We had a wonderful dinner last night of Icelandic lamb shoulder with green beans and French fries, a quiet night at anchorage and this morning was much … Continue reading
Aug 5, 2018 Day 2 on NWP near Upernavik Island 5.2 NM total 8.5 NM
This is a first trial to send a blog by Satphone, and I have included one picture as well as a test. Last night we got quickly on our way to a nice quiet anchorage south of Upernavik after landing … Continue reading
Aug 4, 2018 Flew to Upernavik and SV Fredoya, anchored South of Upernavik 3.3 NM
The Air Greenland flight is delayed until 6 pm so we have an extra day in Ilulissat for the museums before we rejoin the Freds on board Fredoya tonight. We don’t know if they plan to leave tonight or … Continue reading
August 3, 2018 Ilulissat Greenland
It drizzles all day but it’s not cold, so we walk around town all day. The town is prosperous and very pleasant. The houses have a lot of character and we find our way through a network of roads, paths, … Continue reading
August 2, 2018 Ilulissat Greenland
The Air Iceland Dash 8 took us over in three hours above the thick clouds and we touched down in UNESCO World Heritage site Disko Bay. Flying West, we have already regained one hour of the seven we lost going … Continue reading
August 2 2018 Reykjavik to Greenland by Air Iceland
A few pictures of quaint Reykjavik before we fly to Greenland. I am adding the ice concentration map which shows good progress in the last 10 days. I may not be able to blog in Greenland so please be patient … Continue reading
August 1st 2018 Reykjavik Iceland
After two flights, we have arrived in Iceland without trouble. The car rental service representative was about as awake as we were at 5:00 am, seems he had missed a night’s sleep just as we had. The hotel … Continue reading
Jour J – 1, are we all packed yet?
It’s 8:00 pm in Victoria and yes I think we got it all, I hope we got it all. it was so hard to figure out what to bring, and even harder to make decisions about what not to bring. … Continue reading
Watching the ice melt, Time-15 days
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 … Continue reading
Death in the Ice, the mystery of the Franklin expedition
This is the title of the special exhibition at the Canadian Museum of History in Ottawa that we went to visit. The exhibit is well worth seeing even for us who have spent the last couple years reading every book … Continue reading
What are we waiting for?
Long days, high temperatures in most of the world, why are we not off to Greenland right away, I have been asked a few times lately. We are waiting for the Arctic sea ice extent to shrink. If you look … Continue reading
Imaqa, our sister-ship cast away June 4
At 14:00 hours Pacific Standard time, J-F and the crew of Imaqa departed Canoe Cove on Vancouver Island for the first leg of their journey through the NWP, North to Kodiak Alaska. They had a fine breeze and left under … Continue reading
I would take the Northwest Passage
From Upernavik in Greenland to Nome in Alaska, my dream is coming true. “Ah, for just one time I would take the Northwest Passage To find the hand of Franklin reaching for the Beaufort Sea; Tracing one warm line through … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 August 9 Day 79 Oak Bay Marina Victoria 57 NM Total 2933 NM
This is our home coming, early wake-up to shoot Dodds Narrows at high slack and drift with the ebb all the way home. It works as we get great currents pushing us South. All goes well, we tie the boat … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 August 8, Day 78 Nanaimo Yacht Club 77 NM Total 2876NM
Another day in paradise, that is true summer, warm water, sunshine, moderate winds at predictable hours, nothing could be better! Georgia Strait is a little choppy but nothing unpleasant. We just miss the whales and the sea otters already and … Continue reading
Alaska 2013August 7 day 77 Teakern Arm Desolation Sound 98.3 NM Total 2799 NM
Four hours of total fog out of Port McNeil very early, in less than 1/8 of a mile visibility. This is the price we pay to arrive in SUMMER. And summer we get, most beautiful day through Johnstone Strait and … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 August 6 Day 76 Port McNeil Vancouver Island 83.3 NM Total 2700 NM
We must go round Cape Caution and cross Queen Charlotte Sound today and depart at 6 am to catch the full flood. It is a good idea to be safe and even more important today as we are completely fogged … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 Fogust 5 Day 75 Home Bay River Inlet 46.8 NM Total 2637 NM
As now usual we start in the fog by sailing a GS, zig-zagging through the gill-netters that are out en masse in Fitz Hugh Sound. They have the sound pretty much on full intercept, raking all the spawning salmon in … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 Fogust 4th Day 74 Codville Lagoon (2) via Shearwater 82.3 NM Total 2590 NM
Our moving days are getting longer as we are anxious to get home soon. 12 hours today and more scrabble as the water is pretty flat. We start quite early in a bit of fog and the cold weather, fogust … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 Aug 3 Day 73 Green Inlet Graham Reach Inside Passage 65 NM Total 2508 NM
Another full day with 60 miles to the South. Early departure means calm waters and we can sail or motor-sail while taking turn at Scrabble, a new challenge for Dunnery. When we reach the arm between Gribbell Island and Princess … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 Aug 2 Day 72 Lowe Inlet (2) Grenville Channel 59.6 NM Total 2443 NM
Mike and Paul are off to the airport in Prince Rupert to catch a flight back to Ontario early morning and we sail as they go in a very overcast sky. Not foggy per say, just a low ceiling. After … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 31-Aug 1 Day 70-71 Back Home to Pilsbury Inlet and Prince Rupert, BC 78.7NM and 3.6 NM Total 2384 NM
Our plan to leave Nichols Bay early for the Dundas Islands across the border is thwarted by the fog. We go, and abort and re-anchor to wait. After a short while, the fog is omnipresent but not that thick so … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 30 Day 69 Nichols Bay POW Island 37.2 NM Total 2301 NM
Another glorious day in paradise Alaska. No other boat around, bright sunshine, whales, rock gardens, a few dolphins, a bit of sailing, all the usual fun. We are reaching the south end of Prince of Wales Island and as we … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 29 Day 68 Mabel Bay Prince of Wales Island 47.4 NM Total 2264 Nautical Miles
We have a very special day going south of the 55 degree latitude north line in gorgeous weather with warm winds and end up swimming in Mabel Bay by the time the anchor is down. We reach a speed of … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 28 Day 67 Craig POW Island 23.8 NM Total 2217 NM
Our prawn trap contains a starfish, a small rock fish, and only 2 dozen spot prawns this morning. Sounds like somebody ate our prawns. It is the second glorious day in a row and we just rave in the sunshine … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 27 Day 66 Nossuk Bay Prince of Wales Island 20.7 NM Total 2183 NM
Getting on the way is a bit delayed today as a very large starfish has caught tight hold of our anchor chain and we need to kick it off with the boat hook. It is a bright sunny day and … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 26 Day 65 Sarkar Cove El Capitan 43.4NM Total 2172 NM
From misty early to a glorious sunny day we passed a few trawlers in Chatham strait, then Mt Calder and soon turned off into El Capitan Passage. It is a very narrow passage through a maze of islands and islets, … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 25 Day 64 Port Protection Prince of Wales Island 32.1 NM Total 2129 NM
We successfully went through Rocky Pass, 37 navigation aids set by the Coast Guard to help guide you in narrow and very shallow waters in superb surroundings. The passage has to be time for the high slack at Devil’s elbow, … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 24 Day 63 Horseshoe Island Top of Rocky Pass 47 NM Total 2097 NM
We take an early start to be able to go to Kake and on to the top of Rocky Pass to be well set-up to wait for the right time to proceed safely tomorrow. The first two hours are no … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 23 Day 62 Red Bluff Inlet Chatham Strait 21 NM 2050 NM
More hot-springs in the rain in the morning and an easy ride to Red Bluff inlet. Indeed red bluffs are surrounding the inlet and also vertical cliffs and giant waterfalls. Water is deep right to the shore and we were … Continue reading
Alaska 2013 July 21 day 60 Sergius Narrow Peril Strait to Appleton Cove 60 NM Total 1990 NM
With our extra crew settled on board, we have planned to go through the serious Sergius narrows at slack. It means departing Sitka at 6:00 am in the usual mist and we can barely see the silhouette of Mt Edgecumbe, … Continue reading