OCC Port Officer for the NWP, Victor Wejer, shares his overview on the 30 plus yachts now tackling the North West Passage. Current ice conditions show nearly all the Arctic with no ice, unlike anything seen since 2011.

Published 8 months ago

Just over 30 ships and sailing vessels are trying their best to navigate the Northwest Passage.

Initial outlook for ice didn’t give much comfort to all who were asking questions and expressing doubts. As a result, a good number of sailing boats decided to postpone crossing until 2024. Among them were three OCC boats making the list for 2024 with 11 others.

As predicted, Estonian yacht the Admiral Bellingshausen has been leading the way and has already left Atlantic waters in the Bellot Strait (in Nunavut).

Some old veterans are transiting this year – including Skip Novak and Clive Shute. David Cowper showed up, but as always keeping his interests away from the media. One Dutch boat is making a return transit after crossing west last year.

Similar to last year’s weather pattern, the forecast is showing strong gales plus easterly winds lasting all week now in the Eastern Arctic, sweeping all ice back to the High Arctic; and in the Western Arctic, the westerly winds plus heat waves in the Yukon are melting all the ice. The usual Alaska North Slope made some delays for just a few sail boats heading east.

I made up the composite photo of ice conditions as of now, showing nearly all the Arctic with no ice, unlike anything seen since 2011.

Amazingly, I can already attest to a change in communication via satellites in the Arctic. Many of the boats are using the new Starlink, having voice contact with its cell phones and Gmail, and not worrying about the size of ice chart attachments. And it sounds cheap.

Victor Wejer
OCC Port Officer for Northwest Passage

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Related Links:

• Northwest Passage: Insights into 2023 Season (May 2023)
• Transits of the NW Passage to the end of the 2022 Navigation Season
• Regulations, Recommendations and Information for yachts transiting the NW Passage
• https://thenorthwestpassage.info/
• An insider’s guide to navigating the Northwest Passage (Boat Int. 2022)
• Sailing the NW Passage (Pacific Yachting 2020)
• Off the Beaten Path (Noonsite Page)

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The opinions expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not reflect the view of Noonsite.com or World Cruising Club.