Yachtsman David Scott Cowper (76) aboard his 47 foot aluminum motor vessel POLAR BOUND (GB) has achieved a record 8th NW Passage by completing a round trip Northwest Passage in 2017.
Official Northwest Passage Transit List as of 2015 (367kb pdf file) Preliminary 2016 list
Starting from Julianehaab Greenland he navigated as a World's First Record NW Passage Route 7 West through Fury and Hecla Strait, discovered in 1822 by Admiral William Edward Parry. David Cowper sailed with his son, Freddy Cowper, as crew, on this record voyage in 2016.
2016 Route 7 Northwest Passage (purple color)
2017 Route 5 Northwest Passage (purple color)
After wintering over in Petersburg Alaska, David navigated a return Route 5 East this past September with Jane Maufe (Author and four-times great niece to Arctic Explorer Rear-Admiral Sir John Franklin), as crew, back to Julianehaab Greenland.
Dates and locations recorded by InReach:
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The 2016 voyage started from Cowper's homeport in Scotland... we picked up posting here at departure from Julianehaab Greenland towards Hudson Strait...
Crossing the Arctic Circle (67.8256N), in Foxe Basin, starts an official Route 7 West NW Passage attempt
Labrador Narrows in Fury & Hecla Strait
Welcome to Fort Ross (ex-Hudson Bay Company outpost) at the Eastern entrance to Bellot Strait
Port call at Cambridge Bay
Barrow Alaska driving by the webcam in sea ice for a selfie... Smile!
Picking your way through 3-5/10 sea ice off Barrow Alaska is not for the timid nor green mariner.
Crossing the Pacific Arctic Circle (67.8256N) makes it an official Route 7 West NW Passage
Port call in the Port of Nome Alaska
Turning the corner out of the Bering Sea at Unimak Pass into the North Pacific Ocean
Across the Gulf of Alaska to Petersburg Alaska to winter over. This is on the Inside Passage between Juneau and Seattle
Back underway in 2017 to attempt a 2017 return NW Passage
Timing was perfect to catch the tide through False Pass to the Bering Sea (note speed of 17.47km/h over 7km/h of current)
Port call in the Port of Nome Alaska waiting for sea ice to open up over Arctic Alaska
Crossing the Arctic Circle
(67.8256N) once again starts an official NW Passage attempt
Turning the corner at Point Barrow Eastward across Arctic Alaska
Port call at Tuktoyaktuk NWT Canada
Port call in Cambridge Bay
Victoria & Franklin required lots of 3-5/10 ice navigation to arrive at Fort Ross
Route 7 East closed a few days before arrival at Fort Ross so it was Route 5 East using Prince Regent Inlet, we enjoyed Lancaster Sound around Bylot Island passing near Pond Inlet along Baffin Island
Crossing the Arctic Circle (67.8256N) in Davis Strait its an official Route 5 East NW Passage
Arriving back to Julianehaab Greenland its an official round trip Northwest Passage.
Northwest Passage Summary:
(Arctic Circle to Arctic Circle)
2016 Route 7 West
Start: August 25, 2016
End: September 23, 2016
Elapsed Time: 29 days
2017 Route 5 East
Start: August 16, 2017
End: September 20, 2017
Elapsed Time: 25 days
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Sidebar:
More behind the scenes story of David Scott Cowper on M/V POLAR BOUND...is on world bookshelves today...
THE FROZEN FRONTIER:
POLAR BOUND through the Northwest PassageHardcover – April 25, 2017
by Jane Maufe (Author)
Jane Maufe is the four times great-niece of Sir John Franklin, who was lost trying to chart and navigate a route through the Northwest Passage in 1845. Jane and David achieved the first ever transit through the most northerly route, known as Route 1 West, the first by a woman.
About The Frozen Frontier
Buy it online at Amazon
Or ask your favorite bookstore to order it:
Product Details
Hardcover: 224 pages
Publisher: Adlard Coles (April 25, 2017)
Edition: 1st
Illustrations: 2 x 16pp full colour photographic plate sections
Dimensions: 6" x 9 1/4"
List price: $28.00
Language: English
ISBN-10: 1472935713
ISBN-13: 978-1472935717
Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
Jane Maufe, Author