After a voyage through the Northwest Passage untroubled by sea ice in 2016, the cruise liner Crystal Serenity has set sail for the Bering Strait and beyond once again. The SailWX tracking map shows her passing the Aleutian Islands:
and although there is of course no sea ice to be seen yet her forward facing webcam reveals Dutch Harbor as her next port of call:
Much like last year, it looks as though the British icebreaker Ernest Shackleton is on its way to assist her:
Having an icebreaker in attendance might well prove to be essential this year, since, according to the Canadian Ice Service, Larsen Sound is currently still full of sea ice:
Heading westwards to meet Crystal Serenity, this is what met the RRS Ernest Shackleton in Franklin Strait:
Meanwhile Crystal Serenity is about to pass through the (ice free!) Bering Strait:
Crystal Serenity is now heading through Queen Maud Gulf:
but there is as yet no sign of any sea ice:
However some should come into view later today. Here are the latest Canadian Ice Service sea ice charts of the area:
Crystal Serenity has spotted some sea ice!
Crystal Serenity and Ernest Shackleton are well in amongst the ice now, as are the former’s passengers:
Crystal Serenity is now entering the Franklin Strait in the wake of TWO icebreakers:
Watch this space!
So here it goes, the ever so glorious British explorer of the day. This time to save the Artic and advise science on how to save the Arctic after the rape of the planet, which the British Empire initiated on these lands.
Note that ALL the Canadian island have British names, just a few lately have Inuit names, as they should. The arrogance, as if one or two sail boats will make a difference . While there, smell the air and fill your lungs with ch4 and hope the Inuit , the owners of the land , don’t destroy your bloody boats, you arrogant bastards. From Canada…..with sadness…
Welcome Oskar,
You seem to be directing your ire more at the Arctic Mission than the Crystal Serenity?
Or have I misunderstood something?
Yes, because both articles are on the same blog and I found no way to separate, or, I was really pissed
at that article .
But the Crystal ship also deserves a mention, I do remember them doing the same last year.
Don’t these fools realize what we are facing? That keep acting like children?
Your blog should be far more critical of this b.s..
Our Eskimo peoples are not happy about any of this.
Well, personally I view Crystal Serenity’s Arctic excursions as obscene, but I don’t see Pen Hadow’s “Arctic Mission” as the actions of a Great British Imperialist. It sounds as if you do though, so please feel free to expand on your views over on the relevant thread.
Jim, Note the Norwegians are also presuming they will be able to get through the NWP, about to leave Cambridge Bay, towing the Maud back to Norway for restoration. https://www.facebook.com/maudreturnshome/?rc=p
More challenging for them than other small boats as they will have a large and rather unstable tow.