Last summer Ella Hibbert set off from Haslar Marina near Portsmouth in southern England alone in her yacht Yeva, intending to circumnavigate the Arctic in a single summer,.
Ultimately that’s not how things turned out, and after assorted trials and tribulations on the way through the Northwest Passage, Yeva spent the winter on Saint Paul Island in the Bering Sea. Now that the sea ice is melting in the Chukchi Sea, Yeva has set off for the Bering Strait once again, this time aiming to complete her circumnavigation via the Northern Sea Route along the northern coast of Siberia. Here’s how Yeva’s tracking map looks at the moment:
The latest sea ice concentration map from the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Research Institute shows that the way past Wrangel Island is currently blocked by a band of 7-10/10 concentration ice:
Presumably Ella is working on the assumption that further melting will have occurred by the time Yeva reaches the coast of Chukotka?
Tamara Klink also single-handedly completed an east to west voyage through the Northwest Passage last summer in Sardinha 2. I initially assumed that she was planning a return journey this summer, but it has now become apparent that she is heading for the Northern Sea Route instead:
Whether Tamara is planning a formal circumnavigation remains to be seen.
This summer a third yacht is heading for the Northern Sea Route, instead travelling from west to east. Chimera is also crewed by a single sailor, Matt Rutherford. He set off from Aasiaat in Greenland on June 25th, attempting “the first-ever, nonstop, single-handed, unassisted circumnavigation of the Arctic Ocean”.
Chimera’s tracking map on the Ocean Research Project web site shows that Chimera is now crossing the Barents Sea:
Matt now faces a similar problem to Ella and Tamara. The latest AARI chart shows the usual entry to the Northern Sea Route via the Vilkitsky Strait is currently still blocked by a band of high concentration sea ice.
In this recent video from the Ocean Research Project YouTube channel Matt suggests that he will entering the Laptev Sea by a highly unusual route:
Things don’t appear to be going according to plan for all three intrepid single-handed sailors.
Matt was heading north of Severnaya Zemlya, as suggested in the video above. However he is now heading west instead:
After a brief stop in Provideniya, Ella now appears to be heading for Nome:
Meanwhile Tamara seems to be struggling to find a route through the ice still blocking the Long Strait between Wrangel Island and the mainland:
An explanation for the apparently aberrant behaviour of Chimera and Yeva is mentioned at ~12:45 in Matt’s latest YouTube video:
The Northern Sea Route Association (sic) in the Russian government has made a decision that no non merchant vessels are going to be able to go through the Northern Sea Route this year.
Matt clarifies that this is due to the difficult ice conditions this year, and quotes from an NSRA email:
For safety reasons it is best to postpone your NSR transit…
It is our strong recommendation to not proceed any further, and to revise your plans to try again next year.
Tamara’s latest post on Facebook clarifies the reason she obtained an NSR permit this year:
What will be the next land I set foot on? Not even I know. I’m setting out to witness the ice bloom—the moment when the solid sea melts and releases the phytoplankton that sustains all life. The waves grow, and the boat seems tiny between the walls of water. Fear is lodged in my throat, but I have an uncontrollable desire to witness the arrival of the animals.
Perhaps the ice currently melting in the Chukchi Sea is perfect for her purposes?
Watch this space!
Jim, check out the latest weekly & daily video logs:
A “bummer” indeed! However perhaps discretion is the better part of valour?
See for example the troubles some yachts have been having in the Beaufort Sea:
https://GreatWhiteCon.info/2026/06/the-northwest-passage-in-2026/#Aug-12
Tamara calling it a day.
Tamara has escaped from the ice, and is now heading back south through the Bering Strait:
From yesterday:
And here’s Ella, Jim:
“An important update from on board Yeva.
Unfortunately the Northern Sea Route Administration have asked that we cease our attempt at crossing the NorthEast Passage this year, due to an unusually heavy amount of ice blocking the Eastern entrance to the Northern Sea Route, as well as some other locations along the route that they are concerned will not open up enough. Our permit for the NSR states that we must remain in “ice free waters” – unlike the NorthWest Passage, where you are allowed to find paths through the ice fields.
This means that Yeva and I cannot continue our expedition this year.
It is a tough pill to swallow, after spending so long working hard to get Yeva ready again, and seeing all that hard work pay off on our way up the Bering Sea, where Yeva and I had an absolutely wonderful shakedown sail. We’d actually made it all the way to Russia when we got this news.
I am now tucked up safe and sound in Nome, Alaska, making other arrangements for an over-wintering of the boat here again.
My incredible partners @capitalcom_moments have graciously offered to continue their support for us to try again next year, and the Northern Sea Route Administration have invited me to re-apply for another go next year also.
After having poured so much of myself into this expedition over the last few years, I am not ready to throw in the towel just yet. Let’s see what next year brings.
I will keep you all updated with further news, as always.
Thank you for following along, your messages and comments of support mean the world.
I want to thank my communication partners @iridiumcomm , my wonderful sponsors @drift.noise , as well as @mustangsurvival , @jeckellsthesailmaker , @ybtracking , @suffolkmarinesafety , @armareropes , @artandseadesign , @weareboatfolk , @dsnmltd , @dubarrysailing , @firepotfood , @halyardltd , @kruegerltd , @maritimeskillsacademy , @medicalsupportoffshore , @osmotech_uk , @paintworldltd , @seastartltd , @seajet_yacht_paint , @stalokterminals , @vmg_technology , @wave.international , and BlackBeard Marine.
Yeva and I wouldn’t have even made it this far without each and every one of you. I appreciate you all more than words can say.”
Being a critic is easy, maybe too easy when it comes to criticising polar expeditions from the arm chair. But, I would relate that she had her chance at a full solo circumnavigation last summer, and she chose to throw in the towel based not on physical ice, but rumours of future ice that might form.
She kind of blew it with that decision. Maybe she thought it would be easy, just take an 11-month break and then have another go? In any case, her stated purpose of demonstrating to the world how little ice is left in the Arctic, kind of flopped when her immediate progress now with the yacht Yeva is physically blocked by ice.
If you’re a climate skeptic getting this news, you’re actually quite OK to say “See? There’s tons of ice and it stopped this explorer, as well as two others who also had to flee the ice!”
Or as I said on the podcast a few months ago: Don’t. Just don’t. Stay at home and do not try to sail around the Arctic. Don’t feel bad about lying on your coach not going anywhere! lol
Ok, fair enough. I was rooting for Yeva despite being somewhat of a skeptic. Questions though: would she have made it far at all without larger ships clearing the way? Should we be concerned with all the tourist and “scientific” vessels that ply these icy waters, and the fumes and other stuff that they emit there?