Cambridge Bay

A man on a mission

This just in!  Martin and crew just arrived at Cambridge Bay.  Once again, ahead of schedule.  I have more to write but will have to do it tomorrow since it's late and I have a busy day tomorrow.   Martin has had great internet since he arrived and we have been burning up the internet talking to one another--so I will make sure to write a proper post later.  For now, I just wanted you all to know that they are winding their way through the Northwest Passage with great success.   Luck is definitely on their side.

An update to where Martin is at the moment, not super clear, but at least you can see how far they have come—Cambridge Bay (photo cred: Jimmy Cornell, cornellsailing.com)

Until then, here are a few great pics of Martin's adventure so far...

Martin conversing with the local Inuits... 

Catching up on their movies while aboard Aventura

Fellow crew member, Dunbar, sizing up a Polar Bear

Hanging out.

I am so glad that Aventura is ahead of schedule and I am crossing my fingers that it means an earlier arrival to Nuuk (the final destination).

Until then, fingers crossed the ice is in their favor.

—Kym

Life in Tuk

It really has been wonderful to have Martin in Tuk.  He was able to get internet access as well as get a local to do their laundry.  All is right in the world again.

In our discussions, Martin said that on the island of Tuk, the climate change has really affected the natural wildlife as well as the way of life for the Inuit village.  Ice is a lot more fragile meaning that a lot of the animals that walk out on the ice fall through it because it hasn't built up like it has in past years.  Also, where there were once beautiful formations of ice, they are now diminished to small blocks of ice.

In the picture below, you can see the permafrost melting...

Melting permafrost layer that is causing the out gassing of carbon onto the landscape.

While in Tuk, Martin was also able to send me some photos of the people and land.  I thought they would be interesting to share.

Traditional Inuit Sod Hut

Old Whaling Icehouse

Old Graves

Musk Ox Skulls 

Bear Skin being dried

Inuit children playing

Martin and his crew should be taking off in a short while and heading to Holeman where they will eventually try and work their way up to Cambridge Bay to wait out the ice.  I hope to hear from him once he arrives in Holeman.

TUk

Aventura arrived in "Tuk" last night and I got a whole collection of photos from Martin of the island.  Of course, this photo was my favorite.  More updates to follow... Stay tuned!

Ice, Ice Baby

I just got this picture from Martin.  The ice situation does not look good.  As Aventura heads to Cambridge Bay, it looks like the ice is thick and deep.  Meaning, they are going to have to make a few stops to wait out the ice, curtailing a straight shot to Cambridge Bay.  Here's to hoping that it breaks apart for them helping them to reach their next destination without delay.

Lot's of white means lot's of ice.  YIKES!
This could slow things down dramatically.

Oh Canada!

Martin catching up on tales of the Northwest Passage.  (Photo cred: (www.CornellSailing.com)

So far Aventura and crew have sailed a total of 1650 miles.

Navigating through ice.

The second week of the trip required a lot of navigating through ice.  In fact, so concentrated at times that the crew had to have 1-hour watch periods because it required so much concentration to power through the ice.  I would text Martin often, and he would reply back, "Can't talk, ICE!"

Finally, the ice seemed to dissipate and Aventura crossed the demarcation line between the US and Canada.

First landfall in Canada was a small town called, Herschel Island.  Herschel Island used to be a busy whaling station but is now part of the... now let me get this spelled right... the Qikiqtaruk Territorial Park.

Herschel Island (Photo crew: cornellsailing.com)

Once in Herschel Island, Martin and the rest of the crew were greeted by one of the two caretakers of the island, Peyton Lenny.  He reported that they are only visited by two or three yachts per year.

While on the island, there was an old sauna and the crew was able to convince them to fire it up so that he and the crew could warm up their bones in a warm sauna.

So much for warming up their bones.  After spending time in the sauna, Martin was introduced to a proper Arctic baptism.  FREEZING!

Now, Aventura and crew are headed to Tuktoyaktuk "Tuk", the largest Inuvialuit settlement in the area.  Hopefully, once they arrive, Martin will find internet access, because he is already half way through his satellite phone minutes, so our conversations are getting cut shorter and shorter.

More pictures to come!