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Hi,

Nous sommes toujours scotches a Barrow. J’ai les freins qui chauffent et j’espere que le vent mollira rapidement pour que nous puissions faire route a l’E. Nous avons vu John hier, il etait ici de 14 a 20h00 entre deux vols depuis Wainwright vers Anchorage. Il a vu beaucoup de rennes et de belougas juste le lendemein de notre depart de Wainwright. A+ Thierry

We are always stuck in Barrow. Brakes are too warm, I wish wind will decrease soon to sail in the East. Yesterday we saw John, he was here from 2 to 8pm between two flights from Wainwright then to Anchorage. He saw a lot of reindeers and belougas just the day after we leave Wainwright. Bye Thierry

Hi,

Nous sommes encore en attente au mouillage. Hier soir l’equipage du Silent Sound est venu diner a bord. Aline nous avait prepare un poulet coco gingembre. Cameron, Tobias et Hanns avaient apporte de la viande de phoque et deux bouteilles de vin rouge. Pour la fin du repas nous avons deguste une recette de Philippe (le second du Southern Star), sur une tranche de pain grille vous mettez de la glace a la vanille arrosee de sirop d’erable, delicieux. Nous verrons peut-etre John, il doit arriver de Wainwright aujourd’hui. A+ Thierry

Always waiting anchored in Barrow. Yesterday night, the crew of Silent Sound came on board for diner. Aline cooked a coconut ginger chicken, Cameron, Tobias and Hanns brought seal meat and two bottles of red wine! At the end we ate a special recette of Phillipe (second skipper of Southern Star), on a toast you put vanilla ice cream then maple sirup on top, delicious. We’ll maybe see John today, he must arrive here today from Wainwright. Bye Thierry

Hi,

La meteo n’est pas bonne pour faire route a l’E aujourd’hui. Les vents sont a l’E 25 noeuds et devraient fraichir 30 nds la nuit prochaine. Il y avait de la brume la nuit derniere. Il est inutile de perdre du temps a la mer dans du vent contraire avec de la brume et de la glace. Nous attendons donc de meilleures conditions. Nous sommes en train de changer de mouillage pour l’W de Point Barrow en face de la ville. Nous nous mouillerons moins en allant a terre. Silent sound, un voilier Canadien qui fait le passage vers l’E est arrive a Barrow, nous les avons vus au mouillage tout a l’heure et nous les verrons a terre bientot. A+ Thierry

The weather forecast is no good for sailing eastward. Winds are East 25 knots today and must increase 30 kts next night. There was fog last night, it’s not usefull to lost time at sea with wind against us, ice and fog. So will wait a while for better conditions. We are changing of anchorage place, going to the W of Point Barrow in front of the village. We’ll be less wet to go ashore. Silent sound, a Canadian sailing ship eastward on the passage is arrived at Barrow, we saw them few minuts ago at anchor. We’ll meet them ashore soon. Bye Thierry

Samedi 18 juillet 09, live de Barrow - US - 16H32 heure locale - via satellite

Incroyable, les 3 voiliers qui entament d’Ouest (Alaska) en Est (Groenland) la traversée du célèbre et mythique passage glacé du Nord-Ouest se trouvents juste à l’instant ensemble mouillés les uns à côté des autres en face de la ville la plus au Nord des USA, Barrow.

Il s’agit du:

- voilier Silent Sound, pavillon canadien - skipper Cameron Bueck,

- voilier Ocean Watch, pavillon US - Mark Scrader

- voilier Baloum Gwen dans lequel je me trouve depuis le début juin 09 - skipper Thierry Fabing

Nous sommes exactement mouillé au 71,17,4N-156,48,3W, le temps est changeant alternant brouillard, soleil perçant et nuages. Il fait nettement plus froid que les jours précédents…le vent est de 22nds, SE et le baromètre indique 1010…quelques glaçons dérivent à l’horizon…

Quel plaisir de se réunir tous là au même endroit, l’image est surprenante et atypique…les locaux viennent voir!

Ce sera l’occasion de s’échanger nos expériences déjà vécues depuis la mer de Bering qui marque le début de notre expédition…quelques conseils, recommandations pour la suite de notre aventure.

L’ambiance est au beau fixe, je ressens une excitation toute particulière propre aux marins qui mènent un même défi.

Nous acceuillerons ce soir les canadiens à bord du Baloum Gwen pour un repas fait maison…ils ont eu “oui dire” au travers de nos sites www.arcticcalling.net et www.baloumgwen.fr à quel point nous nous régualions chaque soir ici dans l’Océan Arctique…

Live from Barrow, 18 juillet 09 - tt le meilleur, patrick

Hi,

La meteo n’est pas bonne pour faire route a l’E aujourd’hui. Les vents sont a l’E 25 noeuds et devraient fraichir 30 nds la nuit prochaine. Il y avait de la brume la nuit derniere. Il est inutile de perdre du temps a la mer dans du vent contraire avec de la brume et de la glace. Nous attendons donc de meilleures conditions. Nous sommes en train de changer de mouillage pour l’W de Point Barrow en face de la ville. Nous nous mouillerons moins en allant a terre. Silent sound, un voilier Canadien qui fait le passage vers l’E est arrive a Barrow, nous les avons vus au mouillage tout a l’heure et nous les verrons a terre bientot. A+ Thierry

The weather forecast is no good for sailing eastward. Winds are East 25 knots today and must increase 30 kts next night. There was fog last night, it’s not usefull to lost time at sea with wind against us, ice and fog. So will wait a while for better conditions. We are changing of anchorage place, going to the W of Point Barrow in front of the village. We’ll be less wet to go ashore. Silent sound, a Canadian sailing ship eastward on the passage is arrived at Barrow, we saw them few minuts ago at anchor. We’ll meet them ashore soon. Bye Thierry

Hi all, Bonjour à tous

Live from the “Top of the world”, Barrow - US - 17th of July - local time: 14.15 - clowdy…

1.New pictures under www.arctic05.org - category wallpapers, Northwest Passage (nouvelles photos sur www.arctic05.org - catégorie Wallpapers)

2. Dear kids on the block, chers kidciens

you fill find new educational pictures & legend under your favourite Kids website called Kid City - vous trouverez de nouvelles images pédagogiques et légendes sur votre site préféré Kid City:

- In Dutch (in Nederlands) => click this link http://www.kidcity.be/page.php?lang=nl&house=parc&category=info&id=108944

- For the French version (pour la version française)=> cliquez le lien suivant: http://www.kidcity.be/page.php?lang=fr&house=parc&category=info&id=108943

3. quelques photos ci-joint. some pictures here under. - Meet Jon in Wainwright - picture taking after a tour in Wainwright surroundings…great time & ths Jon - Rencontre de Jon - image prise après un tour dans les environs…super & merci Jon. - Our sailboat stuck in the Arctic Ocean pack-ice a few days ago - Notre voilier bloqué par la banquise de l’Océan Arctique…suite sur www.arctic05.org et www.kidcity.be

We are still in Barrow today - the 17th of July 09 - local time around 14.15 - leaving tomorrow Barrow’s lagoon - aiming for Barter Island (Kaktovik) at 270 miles….depending on driting ice - the pack - optimal winds, could be arriving around the 20/21: one shouldn’t really predict
Keep you closely posted via satellite - je vous tiens au courant via satellite - cheers & splendid day - tt le meilleur et excellente journée, patrick

Hi,

Gilles est bien arrive hier soir, son avion avait meme une demie heure d’avance. Il a de la chance, le vent etait bien tombe ce qui etait bienvenu pour le transfert de ses bagages a bord en zodiac. La ville de Barrow pour vous en parler a connu de grands changements depuis le debut de l’exploitation du petrole a Prudhoe Bay. Le nombre d’habitants est passe de 400 a 4500. La manne petroliere a permis d’ameliorer les conditions de vie, la construction de belles infrastructures, ecoles, gymnase, bibliotheque et meme un tout a l’egout (rechauffe car enterre dans le permafrost). Il y a deux magasins, eglises, aeroport, plusieurs hotels et restaurants. On peche le saumon royal dans la lagune, les inuits sont restes chasseurs de baleines, morses, phoques, ours polaires?et caribous. Seul le climat n’a pas beaucoup varie, il y a 324 jours de gel par an en moyenne. Frileux s’abstenir! Demain nous partirons vers l’Est en mer de Beaufort. Si la glace ne nous?retarde pas trop nous ferons deux arrets avant Tuktoyaktuk, a Kaktovik (village) et l’ile Herschell (ancien lieu d’hivernage des baleiniers). A+ Thierry

Gilles is well arrived yesterday evening, his plane was thirty minuts sooner. He is lucky, the wind had seriously decreased and it was easier to bring his luggages on board by dinghy. The town of Barrow has known big changes with the oil exploitation in Prudhoe Bay. Population grows from 400 unhabitants to 4500. Oil money also gave a better way of life with schools, rec center, library and even a sewage system. Two stores, churches, airport, several hotels and restaurants. There is king salmon in the lagoon, inuits remains hunters of whales, walrus, seals, polar bears and cariboos. But the climate did’nt change, there is 324 freezing days per year. Tomorrow we’ll sail eastward in Beaufort sea. If we are not too slow with the ice we’ll stop twice before Tuktoyaktuk, at Kaktovik (village) and Herschell Island. Bye Thierry

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Hi,

Gilles embarque aujourd’hui, il devrait arriver a l’aeroport a 19h16. Nous resterons ici demain pour qu’il puisse se reposer et partirons sans doute le 18. Il y a un fort courant d’Est le long de la cote N Alaska et j’espere que nous aurons des vents favorables bien qu’ils soient dominants de secteur E. La prochaine etape d’ici a Tuktoyaktuk sera sans doute l’une des plus dure du voyage mais on reste cool. Les vents de SE (20 nds aujourd’hui) continuent de chasser la glace vers le nord, c’est une bonne chose. A+ Thierry

Gilles will embark today; he must arrive at 1916lt. He’ll need to sleep so we’ll stay here tomorrow and start on 18th. There is a strong current from East and I wish we’ll have good winds but on the Alaskan North coast it’s normally from East. The next step from here to Tuktoyaktuk will certainly be one of the hardest in our voyage but we keep cool. SE winds (20 kts today) continue to push the ice northward, it’s a ggod thing for us. Bye Thierry

What’s up folks,

Hope you are all doing well & enjoying your summer holidays… Any good news or gossips on your ongoing holidays, dear friends? We are in Barrow, in Alaska which is considered as the most northerly town of the US. The sailboat is anchored in Barrow’s lagoon. To reach the town center from where we are, we need first to take out our dinghy to shore…taking us a dinghy ride of 35 minutes….after, we need to either walk 15 miles or ask a friendly local to bring us here…This is what we did…We went to the library…did a bit of computer…was pleased to have some news from Jon, the friendly guy we meet in Wainwright (see previous emails). Jon was explaining me that finally the Belugas & caribous arrived a few days ago in Wainwright…the hunters are certainly pleased about this to store the food needed for their familly for winter time. Jon, so sorry I didn’t manage to say bye bye to you & the locals… was sick sleeping on board to recuparate…now, everything is “picco bello”. Fi, we should leave Barrow on the 18th…depending on weather conditions (winds & ice chart forecast). You never know, we could still be here on the 19th & team mates would be pleased to see you of course…. In town, we bought a few stuff at the supermarket…nothing exciting to visit here…however, we went to the wellknow Mexican “Pepes” restaurant to have a nice meal…(good sometimes not to be cooking & doing the washing up Around 23.00 local time, we are at the beach to return back to the sailboat…a small issue ….waiting for some action, folks…here, we are….6 to 7 Beaufort…with around 32 knots winds…big front waves…oleeeeeeee, here we go as a team, everyone motivated by the cold water challenge … with our laptops, cameras, some food & clothes….lucky, I am wearing my Kokatat expedetion dry suit (so great, …you need to have this folks - really excellent….Arielle is so enthousiast, she ordered one… )……35 minutes of huge action, the sea is bloody cold…water & waves are splashing all over the place, on our faces, in the dinghy…everyone is wet….the concentration is at his best…the locals are numerous to watch this from the beach warmly seated in their cars…or to help in case of…finally, we made it….it was sincerely rough…everybody completely wet….our material was fine after a nice warm sleep few minutes after at 01.30 morning time, the winds were reaching a level of 38 knots coming from South East with good visibility…Baloum Gwen was moving….the risk is to see the anchor leave the ground & then in a few short minutes see the sailboat drift to the shore…Arielle & Thierry did a shift to make sure everything was fine…while Aline & myself were sleeping or trying to sleep with all the noise of the sailboat shaking crazy We meet at our arrival along the lagoon another sailboat doing the Northwest Passage, the Americans on board of sailboat “Ocean watch”…we were all pleased to wave, say hello, take a few pictures, exchange fast a few questions….we were expecting to see them at Pepes at 20h00…no news…I presume, the weather conditions was the reason not to see them…let’s be positive, we will see them around, I hope so…it seems really interesting what their missions are…essentially scientific I read in a local Newspaper…with Universities, Nasa & big names as sponsors…it seems they have a camera able to view at 360° & take 48.000 pictures/day…with crew members from differents fields of expertize (meterologist,…) …lead by Skipper Mark Schrader…hope to meet you guys if you read this message from your sailboat….funny enough, they are only a few miles from us…yesterday, we could see the boat from Baloum Gwen…we presume, they are positioned somewhere esle in the lagoon to shelter from the current winds…. Today, no way for us to go in town….. it wasn’t possible to take again the dinghy ih similar conditions eventhough the sun is shinning….time then to rest, prepare food, read, chat, dry up our clothes (my bg bootts again :-)….& now write you this short message from far North…Still remains a question, if the winds are similar tomorrow, how will we pick up Gille in Barrow who’s arriving from France…as far I am concern, there is always a solution somwhere…wait & see… the conditions could improve…in one way or the other
Wishing you a great week with plenty of lovely surprises, cheeers to all - patrick

15th of July 09 - 22h51 local time - Live via satellite from Baloum Gwen sailboat in Barrow’s lagoon - blue sky with a lovely midgnight sun - South East winds of around 22 knots - good visibility - time to sleep - crew is fine: Arielle is reading a book in her bed, Aline working on her computer & laughing, Thierry doing some “mots croisés” & chacing his pictures….

Hi,

Il y a un petit coup de vent force 8. Nous sommes alles a terre hier mais en rentrant au Baloum le vent avait fraichi a 32 nds. 0.6 milles a parcourir en dinghy… Nous etions un peu humides en arrivant si vous voyez ce que je veux dire. 39 noeuds maximum durant la nuit mais ca a molli 24 a 32 maintenant, joli temps. Desole pour les photos que je n’ai pas pu transmettre hier, vous devrez attendre un peu, aujourd’hui nous resterons a bord pour secher, faire la veille et dormir. J’allais oublier, manger aussi! A+ Thierry

There is a little storm force 8. We went ashore yesterday but when we came back to Baloum wind had increased to 32 knots. 0.6 milles to Baloum with the dinghy… We were a little bit wet if you see what I mean! 39 kts maximum in the night but only 24 to 32 now, it’s a nice weather. Sorry but I didn’t have time yesterdy to send pictures, you’ll must wait a while, today will stay on board, drying watching and sleeping. I forgot eating also! Bye Thierry