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 The Record Attempt“Against The Floe” Single handed Trans-Atlantic Sailor & “Times Clipper Round The World Race” winning Skipper Bob Beggs announces: North American Circumnavigation via the fabled “North West Passage” and Panama Canal. Although global warming is having devastating effects on both the Antarctic and Arctic, the North West Passage is still passable for only a few weeks of the year. Even then icebergs and pack ice create serious problems for all craft irrespective of size. Since Admundsen became the first to navigate the North West Passage from 1903 to 1906, about 26 sailboats have passed through. All bar one have been heavy boats using auxiliary engines to push or break through the ice, or to motor the vast distances during light or contrary winds. Many have been caught-out and beset by ice. Often having to over-winter and wait for following season’s thaw-out to complete their transit. Notably, in 2007 a French sailor, Sebastien Roubinet, completed the passage from west to east in one season and entirely under sail. Sebastien’s craft “Babouche” was built for purpose and although seaworthy, it was not an ocean going craft. “Babouche” was shipped by container to the start of the expedition and again on completion of The North West Passage. Sebastien and “Babouche” achieved a creditable first although he chose to transit west to east, taking advantage of the prevailing currents to assist his accomplishment. The Challenge. The route from East to West, against the current by a sail craft, entirely under sail is yet to be realized. Furthermore, no sail craft has ever circumnavigated North America entirely under sail. This Bob Beggs intends to do just that. In June this year he willl leave Plymouth and embark on an anti clockwise circumnavigation of the North American continent, via the fabled North West Passage. Image acknowledgments: Greenpeace, Darren Newton, Bob Beggs, Jeremy Greenaway, NASA, NOAA and public domain. |
