New evidence, new expedition and new hope in search for Amelia Earhart

March 13, 2014

On Wednesday, March 12, Ric Gillespie, executive director of The International Group for Historic Aircraft Recovery (TIGHAR), showed aircraft debris that washed up on Nikumaroro, an uninhabited South Pacific atoll where Amelia Earhart and navigator Fred Noonan are believed to have landed and ultimately perished as castaways. The debris is the subject of new materi­als analysis that may result in conclusive proof that the wreckage came from Amelia Earhart’s aircraft.

Gillespie also presented an overview of TIGHAR’s 11th Earhart expedition to Nikumaroro scheduled for Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, 2014.

Terry Kerby, Chief Submersible Pilot and Operations Director for the University of Hawai’i Undersea Research Laboratory, explained how HURL’s three-person manned submersibles, Pisces IV and Pisces V, will be used to search for wreckage from the Earhart aircraft.

TIGHAR Underwater Archaeologist Kelly Gleason, Ph.D., described the long-term effects of a dynamic coral reef environment on aircraft structures and what the expedition might expect to find.

Funding to complete the expedition’s $2 million budget is being sought from corporations, foundations, and individuals. Four berths on the expedition team have been reserved for spon­sors who wish to participate in the search, according to organizers, who noted that qualified sponsors will dive aboard the subs.

Twenty-five years of research and 10 archaeological expeditions to the South Pacific have brought TIGHAR to the brink of conclusive proof of Earhart’s fate, according to officials. This year could see the answer to one of history’s greatest mysteries, they promise.

For more information: TIGHAR.org

Two Explorers Just Completed A Polar Expedition That Killed Everyone The Last Time It Was Attempted

British explorers Ben Saunders (L) and Tarka L’Herpiniere on Day 71 of their journey.

Two British explorers, Ben Saunders and Tarka L’Herpiniere, recently broke the record for the longest polar journey on foot, having walked 1,795 miles to the South Pole and back in 105 days.

The adventurers were trying to recreate a failed Antarctic expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott in 1912. Scott wanted to be the first person to reach the South Pole, only to find that a Norwegian group had beaten him there. Scott and his entire team died on the return journey after running out of supplies and battling extreme cold. A search party found Scott's frozen body later that year. More than 100 years would pass before the perilous trek was attempted again. 

The Scott Expedition

The Scott Expedition is an 1,800-mile trek from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole and back.

To retrace Scott's original route, Saunders and L’Herpiniere started out on Ross Island on the Antarctic coast. They each dragged a sled that weighed more than 400 pounds at the start of the journey, walking an average of 17 miles a day in temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit, according to a media release from the expedition. 

The team reached the South Pole on Dec. 26 and returned to where they started on Feb. 7. According to The Scott Expedition website, the trek was approximately the same distance as from Paris to Moscow.

The explorers had more difficulty on the journey back, NPR notes, and called in a resupply plane with food and fuel around Day 70. The decision changed the status of the mission from "unassisted" to "supported," but enabled them to complete the expedition. 

"Looking back, I've got absolutely no regrets at all," Saunders told NPR. "The primary aim for us was to get home in one piece, and anything beyond that was a bonus really."

After the delivery, Saunders described his relief in a blog post: "And now we are lying here resting, like two new men after ten hours' sleep, full-bellied and warm again for the first time in weeks, before we move north again to complete this unfinished journey. Our status has changed, but how little that means to me now."

The British duo are not the first to have recently made it to the South Pole by foot. Last December, a 19-year-old, Parker Liautaud, set a record as the fastest unsupported person to ski from the Antarctic Coast to the South Pole, completing the 314-mile journey in 18 days.

A few key moments from Saunders and L’Herpiniere's historic journey are captured in the video below.

SEE ALSO:  A 19-Year-Old Sophomore Just Skied To The South Pole Faster Than Anyone Else

More Antarctica history:  100-Year-Old Photo Negatives Were Found In An Antarctic Explorer's Hut

Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/british-explorers-make-world-record-for-longest-polar-expedition-on-foot-2014-2

Willis Resilience Expedition sets new Coast to South Pole Speed Record

Dec. 30, 2013 (Truckee, Calif) - Ice Axe Expeditions Founder Douglas Stoup & 19-year-old British Explorer Parker Liautaud set a new speed record for unsupported crossing from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

In a daring expedition that required crossing the trans-Antarctic mountain range and enduring twelve-hour travel days in blizzard conditions with temperatures as low as -58 degrees Fahrenheit, Stoup and Liautaud covered 314.68 miles (506.27 km) in 18 days, 4 hours and 43 minutes. The previous record was set by 35 year old Norwegian Christian Eide on a different route in 2011. Eide took 24 days, 1 hour and 13 minutes. This was achieved unsupported, unassisted and solo.

Following a successful Ice Axe Expeditions Antarctic cruise with 100+ guests and crew in November, arctic explorer and climate change activist Doug Stoup joined Liautaud and the Willis Resilience Expedition. The expedition, which departed on December 6th from the Ross Ice Shelf, was a 40 day expedition to collect scientific data, pilot a new model of weather station and attempt a speed record from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole. Each explorer towed sleds carrying their gear, weighing over 170 lbs respectively. This was the pair’s fourth expedition together, with Liautaud being the youngest person to reach both the North and South Poles.

Upon arrival at their destination Stoup commented, “I’m proud to stand next to Parker at the Geographical South Pole after just over 18 days of skiing across Antarctica unsupported. I’m also proud to be here as an ambassador for climate change. Parker showed remarkable resilience throughout this expedition. He is an inspiration for his generation.”

In an effort to better understand how climate is changing in Antarctica the Willis Resilience Expedition team collected snow samples for three distinct research programs. It is their goal to contribute to the understanding of global climate patterns; the Antarctic ice sheet and how melting might cause sea levels to rise.

Upcoming trips for Ice Axe Expeditions and Stoup include an Amazon River Cruise that will be featured on Outside TV’s Epic Quest, a ten-day expedition to the Atlas Mountains of Morocco for the best skiing in Africa and a nine-day ski tour in Greenland.

“I want to extend a special thank you to the entire Willis Resilience Expedition team, specifically Parker Liautaud, mechanic Eyjofur Teitsson, cinematographer Paddy Scott and communications director Nathan Hambrook-Skinner,” says Stoup.

Stoup would also like to thank his sponsors for their generous support, including: Marker-Völkl, Scarpa, Mountain Hardwear, Goal Zero, Smith Optics, Suunto, Baffin, Sole Footbeds & American Outdoor Products.

About Doug Stoup

In addition to founding and running Ice Axe Expeditions, Doug is an expedition leader, polar guide, cinematographer, ski & snowboard mountaineer, climber, motivational speaker, environmentalist and educator. Doug Stoup has appeared in numerous films, TV programs, magazines, newspapers and radio shows. He is a proud member of the International Polar Guides Association and a supporter of the Climate Reality Project.Contact information

About Ice Ace Expeditions

Founded by polar explorer Doug Stoup in 1999, Truckee, Calif. based Ice Axe Expeditions specializes in adventure travel to some of the most remote destinations on earth. With core competencies of polar logistics, expedition consultation and professional guiding, Ice Axe Expeditions is adept at making the most inhospitable environments accommodating for all types of adventure travelers. For more information on Ice Axe Expeditions, please visit: Ice Axe Expedition’s website or Ice Axe Expeditions on Facebook.

http://www.international.to/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=43375:willis-resilience-expedition-sets-new-coast-to-south-pole-speed-record&catid=309:pitchengine&Itemid=446

Remembering the women who climbed to the top of the world

Irene Beardsley sits with the book "Annapurna, A Woman's Place," written by Arlene Blum about climbing Annapurna with an expedition of women, at her home in Palo Alto, Calif., on Friday, Dec. 27, 2013. Thirty-five years ago, Beardsley was among the eight women who conquered Annapurna, the 26,558-foot peak in the Himalayas, in an expedition organized by Cal biochemist Arlene Blum. (LiPo Ching/Bay Area News Group/MCT)

It did not exactly rival George Mallory's epic rejoinder when the British mountain climber was asked why he wanted to scale Mount Everest: "Because it's there."

But the slogan that San Francisco Bay-area women who were part of an American climbing team splashed on fundraising T-shirts for the first all-female assault on one of the world's tallest peaks captured the spirit of the feminist movement — and their expedition — in 1978: A woman's place is on top/Annapurna.

Just as women were beginning to test the so-called glass ceiling in the workplace, 10 intrepid American women broke through the ice ceiling, ascending one of the 8,000-meter peaks that beckon many serious climbers. The expedition was led by Arlene Blum, a biochemist at UC Berkeley, and when the summit was successfully scaled, one of the two women on top was Irene Beardsley, then a physicist at IBM in San Jose. They were not only the first all-female team to climb an 8,000-meter mountain, but they also were the vanguard of the first American team to conquer mighty Annapurna I in the Himalayas.

The distinction resonates powerfully for the women to this day, both for their legacy of accomplishment and the staggering cost at which it came. Two members of the team, including Vera Watson, Beardsley's co-worker at IBM's San Jose labs, died in a fall while attempting to match Beardsley's feat.

Last week, Blum, now 68, was back in Nepal, where she trekked with her daughter, Annalise, for nine days "in the shadow of Annapurna" and recalled the team's triumphal but "bittersweet" ascension to the summit.

"I remember the avalanches and ice falls and our youthful optimism that we could climb the mountain safely and successfully," she said from her campsite near Ghorepani, "and establish that a woman's place was on top of Annapurna, or anywhere she chose to go."

Beardsley, now 78 and still living in the same Palo Alto home she occupied at the time of the expedition, had her first dizzying experience with great heights when she saw the Grand Tetons on a family trip to Wyoming as a girl. After enrolling at Stanford, she joined the university's Alpine Club. Before Annapurna, Beardsley twice climbed Andean peaks in Peru, reaching 22,000 feet through snow and ice. "I really loved it," she said.

So Beardsley was a bit taken aback by the reaction of Nick Clinch, president of the Stanford Alpine Club, when she excitedly told him of the plan to scale Annapurna.

"He said, 'Are you out of your mind?'" she recalled. Clinch, now 83, had led the first American team to successfully climb an 8,000-meter peak — Gasherbrum I in 1958 — and his concerns turned out to be prophetic.

Blum's selection of the mountain her team would climb, while not entirely sound logically, at least conformed to the idea that this was a quest undertaken by women. Annapurna translates from Sanskrit as "goddess of harvests," which Blum considered "kind of poetic." She also considered it a plus that at 8,091 meters, or 26,545 feet, it was only the 10th-highest — and the first successfully scaled — of the 8,000-meter peaks.

"So I thought it would be less demanding than some of the higher ones," Blum said. What she didn't know, because the mountain had been climbed so few times at that point, was that Annapurna soon would earn a reputation as the most treacherous of the 8,000-meter peaks, with the highest fatality rate of all because of its avalanches.

"Compared to other 8,000-meter peaks," Clinch says now, "that mountain is an avalanche trap."

As of March 2012, 61 climbers had died on Annapurna, compared with 191 successful ascents — a ratio of one death for every three successful bids.

The expedition would cost $80,000, and Blum hit upon an unconventional way to finance the trek — although the idea would have been familiar to any PTA mom. The group sold 10,000 T-shirts; with additional support from the National Geographic Society, the expedition arrived at base camp in Nepal in late August 1978.

At the outset, the joy of being with a group of other like-minded, high-spirited women trumped any doubts Beardsley might have felt.

"Clearly, there was pressure," she said. "None of us wanted to look bad. But it was a chance for all of us to go on a trip where we didn't have to answer to men who didn't really want you there. Until we got to the mountain, we were just having a wonderful time without a man around, telling us what to do."

Men were around — a small army of them — but they were Nepalese Sherpas, porters, cooks and even mail carriers, whose job it was to transport 6 tons of food and supplies across 80 miles of mountainous terrain to the base camp. Beardsley recalls the quizzical looks on the Sherpas' faces when they first encountered the 10-woman team.

"In the beginning, they thought the whole thing was pretty strange," Beardsley said, "and they weren't sure we could do it."

Midway through the climb, a pair of storms hit, triggering waves of avalanches. Beardsley spent three days waiting for the storms to pass on an escarpment called Dutch Rib, huddled with a teammate in a small tent in the chute between two avalanche tracks.

"We were watching these things go by," she recalled, "and we were running out of food. We began to get very depressed about it all."

The entire team convened one more time before a smaller party was selected for the summit, and Beardsley was among several women who spoke openly for the first time about quitting.

"I don't know if you could say we seriously considered it, but we discussed stopping," she said. "It was like everybody was frightened, but we just felt like we wanted to do it and go home."

Blum, who climbs the hills near her Berkeley home between expeditions, allowed everyone to share their feelings.

"Being a group of women," she said, "it was really important to us to talk everything out, for everyone to be happy. I think our team really wanted to bring everyone along, and to take the time to talk things out, so we were all in agreement."

There was considerably less agreement about the climbers who would attempt to reach the summit on Oct. 15. Beardsley, Vera Komarkova and Piro Kramar — attended by three male Sherpas — were selected by Blum, but Alison Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz declared herself most fit to meet the challenge. She would have to wait two days for her chance to make it to the top.

On the morning of the record-breaking ascent, Kramar, an ophthalmologist, feared two of her fingers were becoming frostbitten, and bowed out.

Slogging through heavy snow at 26,000 feet, Beardsley and Komarkova reached Annapurna's pinnacle, figuratively planting a flag for America and female climbers.

"Being first is best because there's always an element of the unknown," Clinch said. "You sort of think you know everything, but it's always in the back of your mind that you really don't know what you're getting into."

Two days after the successful summit, Chadwick-Onyszkiewicz and Watson, roped together, disappeared while climbing for the summit. Their bodies were later discovered at the bottom of a 2,000-foot drop, still roped together. One had fallen, taking the other with her. Their bodies remained on the mountain, and their names were added to a memorial for the dead at the base of the mountain.

Clinch said that no climb of the world's great peaks should be judged by those who don't make it. "What they did took organization, technique, skill, plus tremendous courage and determination," he said. "And they brought it off. They deserve a huge amount of credit for that."

"A woman's place is on top" had been a whimsical way of acknowledging their ambition, the women's movement, even the sexual revolution. It had never occurred to Blum that they might leave two women forever at the top of Annapurna.

"It's never worth climbing a mountain if you lose people," she said. "And losing two friends is the worst thing of all. When I'm asked did we conquer the mountain, I say, 'You never conquer a mountain. You stand on the summit a few brief moments, and then the wind blows your footsteps away.'"

http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2014/02/01/lifestyle/travel/781611.txt

Utah man sets a world record biking to the South Pole

Courtesy Burton family Daniel Burton of Saratoga Springs biking across Utah Lake in January 2013. The morning of Jan. 21, 2014, Burton finished the first-ever biking expedition from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole.

Honoring his mother and inspiring others, Daniel Burton went on the most challenging adventure of his life.

Utahn Daniel Burton on Tuesday became the first person to bike all the way from the coast of Antarctica to the South Pole.

Helen Skelton, of England, set the first cycling record on the continent in 2012 when she biked part of the way to the pole — 103 miles; she snow-kited and snowshoed the rest of the way, according to Men’s Fitness Magazine. American Eric Larsen broke her record the same year with 335 miles on a bike during an unsuccessful attempt to reach the bottom of the world on only two wheels.

So Burton finished what Larsen started. The Saratoga Springs man, who turned 50 during the trip, reached the South Pole on Tuesday after a grueling 50-day trek across the frozen wastes of the inhospitable continent.

Burton set a new world record by traveling about 730 miles across Antarctica on a bike — which, ironically, is a Borealis brand, a Latin word meaning "northern."

As Burton sees it, cycling saved him when his health had deteriorated. He wanted to make a difference with his new life and inspire others to turn their health around, so he put that life at risk on a continent of ice and death to do what had never been done.

—

Born again on a banana seat » Though Burton had a healthy, active childhood, he slumped into a sedentary life as a computer programmer. Twenty-three years into his career, out of shape and new to his 40s, he went to get his blood checked.

"My cholesterol numbers were real bad, my blood pressure was high, and I was a few pounds overweight. I panicked, thinking I might die early," Burton wrote on his blog, Epic South Pole, which he used to chronicle his expedition.

So Burton got into mountain biking, restored his health, bought a bike shop in 2008 and finished the Lotoja Classic (a ride from Logan to Jackson, Wyo.) six times. It’s the longest single-day race in the country that is sanctioned by USA Cycling.

Then Burton was inspired to do more. His Antarctic ride is not only meant to inspire people and encourage donations to the American Diabetes Association, but he rides in honor of his mother as well. High cholesterol contributed to her death Nov. 30, 2012.

So last fall, Burton left the bike shop in the care of his family, booked a trip to Hercules Inlet on the Antarctic west coast (fittingly sharing a name with the demi-god renowned for feats of strength) and, on Dec. 2, almost a year to the day after his mother’s death, Burton started pedaling onto the ice shelf. Ahead of him: hundreds of miles of persistent winds, deadly crevasses, silent plains, steep mountains, dense fog and blinding snow.

"Well, I guess it is time to try riding in the worst blizzard you can imagine," he wrote on his blog.

Thinking about his friend’s trip, Ronald Tolley recalled what Gandalf tells Bilbo before they embark on their dangerous quest in "The Hobbit": If he does come back, he will never be the same.

—

The bottom of the world » Antarctica seems otherworldly: a windy continent buried under a mile of ice and — at this time of year — basked in eternal sunlight. It’s the middle of summer there now, and the highs are still below freezing.

Expedition organizers set up a few caches of freeze-dried food for Burton along the way, but he would have to melt snow for water. While he would occasionally catch a brief sight of another traveler in the distance, no one would be there to meet him; until he was done, he was alone.

After 11 days, he was so exhausted that he lost his balance and fell over several times. For a familiar frame of reference, Burton compared a long, hard day of biking to the pole to pedaling to the top of the Y sign on the mountain above Provo for five straight hours, taking a break, then doing it again for another five hours. Imagine that, plus freezing temperatures, blinding fogs and blizzards and the constant risk of falling into a gaping crevasse, while dragging two sleds of supplies behind you.

"My grandmother would see a beautiful sunset and say it was the most beautiful she had ever seen, and she meant it. So when I say that each day was the hardest of my life, it is in honor of her, because it really is the hardest day of my life every day of this expedition," Burton wrote Dec. 19. He surpassed Larsen’s record about the same day.

Burton brought his iPod so that the likes of Rihanna, P!nk and Green Day could keep him company. Plus, he can listen to scripture on Sundays (Burton is Mormon). But there was at least one pitfall to the music: "When you are dead tired and don’t want to go on anymore, it is not a good time for Pink Floyd’s ‘Goodbye Cruel World’ to come up on the playlist," Burton wrote on his blog.

Burton also brought a satellite phone that he used once a day to call his family, update his blog and touch base with the expedition organizers. The phone allowed him to call his daughter on Christmas, the first he had ever spent away from home. "It was great to be able to hear her voice," he wrote.

The day after Christmas, Burton saw the first person that he had seen in what seemed like forever — a truck heading back from its trip to the pole. "They waved as they flew past … then a [fog] moved in and I lost the ability to see anything."

On his last leg » On Dec. 28, he began the last of three major legs of the expedition. Ahead of him lay another steep climb up 4,500 feet of elevation. The weight of his supply sleds had "killed" him in the first days of the expedition, when he had to climb other steep slopes.

"If [this] next section goes as bad as the first," he wrote, "I will never make it."

So Burton ditched all the extra weight he could: his brakes, the water bottle cages, the racks, the side bags, charging wires and other electronics.

He weaved around and over enormous wavelike ridges of snow called sastrugi, which you find only on the polar plains.

While they look spectacular, "when you bike over them, you can’t see, it’s very scary and treacherous," Burton wrote. "You’ll be going along and all of a sudden you’ll have a [4-foot] drop that you didn’t even see coming, which is very painful, even if you don’t crash."

The morning of Jan. 8, Burton found a cache, a late Christmas card and holiday treats. "I think being alone for so long is messing with my emotions. I was overcome with joy at getting those."

During the last leg, Burton felt "so ready to be done." But he kept his spirits up, making sure to enjoy the ride.

"We only get to live each day once," he wrote, "so enjoy where you are."

In his final days of the expedition, gales blowing out of the south slowed him down to a crawl. "Everything is so cold that if I touch things with my hands, I get instant frostbite," Burton wrote. On the upside, "with the strong winds and blowing snow, navigation was easy — head straight into the blowing wind."

On Jan. 21, about 10 a.m. Mountain Standard Time, he made it.

Home again » There is an actual candy-cane-striped pole marking the spot. He was as far from the North Pole as he could be, but it may have felt a lot like Christmas.

Burton wants to celebrate the much-belated yuletide holiday when he gets home. His wife and teenage son left the tree up for him all these weeks.

Right behind the ceremonial stick in the ground is the research station that Americans have occupied since 1956. At this time of year, about 150 people work at the facility— which is about 150 more than Burton had seen in a long time.

"When I saw it, I was so overcome with joy! I called home to my wife and lost all control of my emotions," Burton wrote in his triumphant blog entry. "The black dots on the horizon were the most wonderful thing I have ever seen."

Burton’s family said they were never all that worried about him. He was in good hands with the expedition’s organizers, the Salt Lake City-based Adventure Network International, who would have triggered a search-and-rescue if he failed to call each day. His daily calls to his family kept them reassured, too.

Media Burton thought her husband was joking when he first mentioned biking to the South Pole, inspired by Larsen’s attempt. She said it’s amazing what he has accomplished while competing against professionals, "being just an average guy off the streets who was a computer programmer a few years ago."

When he returns — he is being flown back to the coast in a ski plane — Burton wants to start a foundation to get teens into cycling. The teens would receive a mountain bike, and if they complete the program by riding a certain number of times, they get to keep the ride. Burton has set up a GoFundMe page to raise $50,000 to back the new endeavour.

Small expedition boats in Alaska: pros and cons

A whale tail is visible from Un-Cruise Adventures' Safari Endeavour cruise ship. Small expedition boats are also great for seeing nature on land. Photo: Cameron Zegers, Un-Cruise Adventures

Expedition boats in Alaska (boats with fewer than 100 passengers) are to their megaship counterparts what a bed-and-breakfast is to the MGM Grand. There's no casino or giant buffet, but you actually learn the names of your shipmates - and their jobs, their kids' names and where they all went to school. There's no glitzy show, but it would be difficult to outdo the show outside the windows, especially when the deck is only 20 feet above the water, so you're getting a little more eye-to-eye experience with the scenery and wildlife.

"The cruises visit more remote areas, rather than the big ship ports - you're more likely to make a Zodiac landing on a secluded beach for a nature walk than pull into port in a city like Juneau," says Cruise Critic's Erica Silverstein. "The downside is that smaller vessels have very few amenities."

Most passengers, crewmembers say, don't miss them.

The experience: There's no forgetting you're on a boat - the stairs are steep, the halls are narrow and the rooms are, in general, small. So small that on some boats, the phone-booth-size bathroom doubles as the shower (with a curtain to keep one side dry). The upside: You might wake up, open your outside door and find primeval forest, moose and eagles staring back at you. Then the scent of bacon and homemade pastries wafts up from the galley. Days are spent bobbing among the inlets on Alaska's glacier-carved coastline, docking at small fishing communities and going on light-adventure excursions. Nights are dinner, enrichment lectures, sharing a drink and finding out how many stars there really are.

Who goes? Wildlife photographers; second- and third-timers to Alaska; those looking for a little more depth than the mainstream cruise; and those with the money who are also willing to forgo the creature comforts of the luxury cruise.

Which cruise lines? Un-Cruise Adventures, seven boats ( www.un-cruise.com); Lindblad Expeditions/National Geographic, two boats ( www.expeditions.com).

Likely ports: Anywhere, from Skagway to an unnamed scenic inlet on the Wrangell Narrows.

Dining: Most of the expedition boat lines pride themselves on the cuisine and individualized service that are possible with far fewer diners. Expect options at breakfast, buffet at lunch and fine dining at dinner. (And occasional batches of fresh-baked cookies.)

Amenities/comfort: This is where personal flexibility pays off. Most of the extras are related to scenery - binoculars, nature experts, photography guide. There's less chance of choppy seas on most small boat routes, but there is still a chance, so seasickness is always a possibility.

Good to know: Most of the expedition-size boats offer single rooms (at a premium), so the double-occupancy rules shouldn't deter solo travelers.

Rough cost: Weeklong trips tend to start around $2,200 to $5,200 (per person, double occupancy), depending on the itinerary, season and cabin. They go up from there.

Typical excursion: Day trips in fishing villages; kayaking and stand-up paddleboarding in secluded bays; Zodiac boat touring; wilderness trekking.

Pros: You get up close and personal with the destination.

Cons: Bare-bones amenities and could be too slow and informal for those needing to be entertained.

http://www.sfgate.com/travel/article/Small-expedition-boats-in-Alaska-pros-and-cons-5151045.php

The best way to experience cruising and the Inside Passage - 2014 Mother Goose to Alaska

2014 Mother Goose to Alaska - http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/

NW Explorations has become well known for their first class Mother Goose flotillas to Alaska. In 2014 they are pushing the boundaries of exploration even further by celebrating their 10 year anniversary with a maiden voyage to Prince William Sound in the Gulf of Alaska. The itinerary will consist of a nice balance of continuing to cruise the Inside Passage and SE Alaska, but will also include several legs dedicated to the discovery of Prince William Sound. Prince William Sound lies within the second largest national forest in the U.S., the Chugach National Forest. The Sound is well protected and is surrounded by spectacularly dramatic mountains, islands, fjords, and tidewater glaciers. Jim & Nancy Lethcoe have described this area beautifully in their book “A Cruising Guide to Prince William Sound”.

Leg	Destination	Dates
The Inside Passage	Bellingham, WA to Sitka, AK	5/03 – 5/28
SE Alaska to Prince William Sound	Sitka, AK to Cordova, AK	5/31 – 6/20
Prince William Sound	Cordova, AK to Cordova, AK	6/23 – 7/06
Prince William Sound	Cordova, AK to Cordova, AK	7/09 – 7/22
Prince William Sound to SE Alaska	Cordova, AK to Juneau, AK	7/25 – 8/14
Inside Passage & Glaciers	Juneau, AK to Bellingham, WA	8/17 – 9/11

“Thick stands of green conifers interspersed with peat bogs creep up the mountainside to give way to lush alpine meadows. Rising above this vibrant symphony of greens, rugged snowcapped peaks often draped with hanging glaciers reach for the blue of the sky. Precipitous, glacially-carved fjords cut deep into the mountainous terrain, sometimes terminating in gigantic rivers of thundering ice. The scale here is almost unimaginable.

Yet, contrasted with the massive and stark beauty of the glacial fjords, there is a quieter side to the Sound. Emerald islands shimmer in a sea of dancing blue while numerous dark green coves sleep peacefully in the shadows of steep, forested shores. For adventurers anchored in safe harbors or camped on protected beaches, the deeply indented shores of the mainland and many islands cry out for exploration. Although the Sound comprises an area of 25,000 square miles, the intricate, glacially scoured shoreline is 2500 miles long – longer than the combined coast of Oregon and California. Because of the Sound’s circular shape, no two points are more than 120 miles apart. There are enough bays, coves, bights, nooks, and crannies for a lifetime of exploration.”

With our intimate knowledge of remote Alaska and British Columbia anchorages, personal relationships with locals, and individual customer attention, NW Explorations continues to impress new and returning clients alike. Join us in celebrating our success over the last 10 years as well as discovering cruising grounds few ever get the opportunity to experience.

Disclosures for legs 2 & 5:

• Must be comfortable cruising in open water with the potential of not seeing land.
• Must be able to manage motion sickness.
• Need at least two qualified people that are capable of standing watches.
• Must be experienced enough and comfortable with extensive hours of cruising, including the possibility of cruising overnight.

The Inside Passage

LEG 1: Bellingham, WA to Sitka, AKSaturday, May 3, 2014 - Wednesday, May 28, 2014Pre-board after 1pm Thursday, May 1^stCheck-out & orientation Friday, May 2^ndDisembark by 12pm Wednesday, May 28^th

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$18,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	Dream Catcher	6	$20,500	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$22,500	Available
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$22,500	BOOKED

Detailed Itinerary

Join our Mother Goose Flotilla on our 10-year anniversary as we depart our home port of Bellingham and make our way towards Sitka, Alaska! This leg will take us to many of our favorite spots as we cruise the Inside Passage route up to Alaska. If you have wanted to join us but have not found the time to fit this into your busy schedule, this is the leg to book. It is the famed trip up the Inside Passage!

Along the way we will visit Fjordland Recreational Area in British Columbia where the isolation allows true immersion into the tranquility of the natural world. If we are lucky enough we will spot a Spirit Bear, a subspecies of the American Black Bear, which has been revered by native cultures since time immemorial.

In the past, this leg has ended upon arrival to Southeast Alaska’s southernmost town of Ketchikan. But this year, not only will you get to visit historic Creek Street while you are in Ketchikan, but you will get to continue and visit more scenic anchorages and picturesque Alaskan communities as we make our way to Sitka.

One of the anchorages we will visit is that of Coronation Island. Clients and crew alike note this as one of their favorite Mother Goose experiences. With large rock caves and enormous pre-historic looking albatross flying overhead, it is no wonder that NWE owner Brian Pemberton likes to refer to Coronation Island as the “Jurassic Park” of SE Alaska. Expect to see an abundance of albatross, whales, grizzly bears, sea otters and other wildlife on this fascinating route.

From here we will proceed up through the wilds of the South Baranof Wilderness. This portion of the trip takes us to some of the most remote parts of SE Alaska. A visit to the remarkable natural pools of Hot Springs Cove will be a relaxing end to a spectacular journey. The former Russian capital of Sitka is the next stop for the flotilla and the final destination for this leg. Sitka is an extraordinary city that deserves additional time to explore. The only National Totem Park, the Alaska Raptor Center which rehabilitates injured birds and the historic downtown of Sitka are only a few of the many highlights worth seeing. And after having spent almost a month on your beautiful Grand Banks, you may not want to disembark. Maybe this is the year to join us for two legs??? Next stop…Prince William Sound!

- See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

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SE Alaska to Prince William Sound

LEG 2: Sitka, AK to Cordova, AK
Saturday, May 31, 2014 - Friday, June 20, 2014Pre-board after 5pm Thursday, May 29^thCheck-out & orientation Friday, May 30^thDisembark by 12pm Friday, June 20^th                             

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$22,500	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$28,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$28,000	BOOKED

Detailed Itinerary

Calling all truly adventurous mariners! This leg is not for the casual mariner but will challenge you and your crew’s nautical skills and dedication to boating. However, the pay-off for the intensity of this leg will come back tenfold as you will experience cruising grounds that are rarely traveled and whose spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife are unparalleled. If some of your crew does not have the time (or the seas legs) for the entire 21-day duration of leg 2 from Sitka to Cordova, they can feel free to fly directly into Cordova where they can join us for 2 weeks of protected cruising within Prince William Sound.

Leg 2 begins with check out and orientation in the historic city of Sitka, the former Russian capital of Alaska. Be sure to arrive a couple days early to take full advantage of all the sites in Sitka as it is a city not to miss. Our flotilla adventure begins as we cast off our lines and cruise the narrow and sheltered passages to Klag Bay to visit the abandoned Chichakof gold mine. On day two we head to our last stop in Southeast Alaska where will spend the night across from Glacier Bay in the quaint boardwalk village of Elfin Cove. The next five days are not for the faint of heart as we will spend five days covering 515 miles with the longest day requiring us to cover 136 miles. While we have no planned overnight crossings, our longest day could be a 15 to 17 hour day. This trip will require mariners who are comfortable in traveling in open waters and are able to manage motion sickness, a minimum of two qualified persons who can stand a wheel watch, comfortable with being out of sight of land, and while not planned, able to cruise through the night if required. As mentioned, some crew members might wish to join you in Cordova prior to our exploration of Prince William Sound and after our five day transit of the Gulf of Alaska. We have planned stops in Lituya Bay, Yakutat Bay, Icy Bay and Controller Bay. We will have magnificent views of the Fairweather 14,000’ plus mountains and spectacular glaciers. With our arrival in Cordova we will be in the protected waters of Prince William Sound where the summer winds average about five knots. After re-provisioning and visiting Cordova we are off for our two week visit of North America’s most northerly protected cruising ground.

While we all know that the weather can be unpredictable when you get north of 60 degrees latitude, it is comforting to also know that the average wind speed in Prince William Sound during the summer is approximately five knots. These protected waters provide one the northern most recreational areas in the world. The abundance Brown and Black bears, marine mammals including sea otters, Steller sea lions, Humpback and Orca whales and millions of migratory birds can make these a trip of a life time. It begins in the quaint village of Cordova, population about 2,400. While tourism is growing, commercial fishing still provides the majority of employment to these residents. There are only two modes of transportation in and out of Cordova; boat and plane. The Alaska Marine Ferry System has service every day of the week from Whittier and Valdez. There is also commercial air service from Seattle, Juneau and Anchorage.  You will have plenty of time to provision and be checked out on the operation of your boat. And if you need to re-provision, no worries, we will be stopping in Valdez and Whittier where that is also possible. There is a grocery store near the marina as well as liquor and seafood stores available. After our check out and provisioning we will be off for an easy day of cruising (21 miles) to Sheep Bay. In 1897 it was named by the US Navy for the animals they saw on the mountains. The only problem is that they actually saw mountain goats not sheep which can still be seen today. We will continue to work our way around Prince William Sound visiting remote spots. We will spend a day at Valdez in the NE corner of the sound and work our way across the northern side until we reach Whittier. This section of our trip will include visiting many of the tide water glaciers including the Shoop, Anderson, Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Wellesley, Harriman, Surprise and Cascade. We will make a stop in Whittier, population 350, which is located on the west side of Prince William Sound. It is exquisitely set amongst the glaciers. Whittier was built during WWII as a year round ice free port 60 miles from Anchorage. The longest tunnel in North America connects Anchorage to Whittier. You can reach Whittier by train, bus, car or small charter plane from Anchorage. From Whittier we will begin to work our way back to Cordova stopping at the very scenic Passage Cove on the Naked Islands.

There are a limited number of trips available and we expect them to book quickly. So, if you are interested in that once in a life time experience to the far northern reaches of our cruising area, be sure to book this trip early.

- See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

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Prince William Sound

LEG 3: Cordova, AK to Cordova, AK
Monday, June 23, 2014 - Sunday, July 6, 2014
Pre-board after 5pm Saturday, June 21^st
Check-out & orientation Sunday, June 22^ndDisembark by 12pm Sunday, July 6^th

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$22,500	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	Dream Catcher	6	$26,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$28,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$28,000	BOOKED

Detailed Itinerary

While we all know that the weather can be unpredictable when you get north of 60 degrees latitude, it is comforting to also know that the average wind speed in Prince William Sound during the summer is approximately five knots. These protected waters provide one the northern most recreational areas in the world. The abundance Brown and Black bears, marine mammals including sea otters, Steller sea lions, Humpback and Orca whales and millions of migratory birds can make these a trip of a life time. It begins in the quaint village of Cordova, population about 2,400. While tourism is growing, commercial fishing still provides the majority of employment to these residents. There are only two modes of transportation in and out of Cordova; boat and plane. The Alaska Marine Ferry System has service every day of the week from Whittier and Valdez. There is also commercial air service from Seattle, Juneau and Anchorage.  And if you need to re-provision, no worries, we will be stopping in Valdez and Whittier where that is also possible. There is a grocery store near the marina as well as liquor and seafood stores available. After our check out and provisioning we will be off for an easy day of cruising (21 miles) to Sheep Bay. In 1897 it was named by the US Navy for the animals they saw on the mountains. The only problem is that they actually saw mountain goats not sheep which can still be seen today. We will continue to work our way around Prince William Sound visiting remote spots. We will spend a day at Valdez in the NE corner of the sound and work our way across the northern side until we reach Whittier. This section of our trip will include visiting many of the tide water glaciers including the Shoop, Anderson, Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Wellesley, Harriman, Surprise and Cascade. We will make a stop in Whittier, population 350, which is located on the west side of Prince William Sound. It is exquisitely set amongst the glaciers. Whittier was built during WWII as a year round ice free port 60 miles from Anchorage. The longest combined rail and highway tunnel in North America connects Anchorage to Whittier. You can reach Whittier by train, bus, car or small charter plane from Anchorage. From Whittier we will begin to work our way back to Cordova stopping at the very scenic Passage Cove on the Naked Islands. This entire trip takes place within the sheltered waters of Prince William Sound. There are a limited number of trips available and we expect them to book quickly. So, if you are interested in that once in a life time experience to the far northern reaches of our cruising area, be sure to book this trip early. - See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

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Prince William Sound

LEG 4: Cordova, AK to Cordova, AK
Wednesday, July 9, 2014 - Tuesday, July 22, 2014
Pre-board after 5pm Monday, July 7^th
Check-out & orientation Tuesday, July 8^thDisembark by 12pm Tuesday, July 22^nd

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$22,500	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	Dream Catcher	6	$26,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$28,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$28,000	BOOKED

Detailed Itinerary

While we all know that the weather can be unpredictable when you get north of 60 degrees latitude, it is comforting to also know that the average wind speed in Prince William Sound during the summer is approximately five knots. These protected waters provide one the northern most recreational areas in the world. The abundance Brown and Black bears, marine mammals including sea otters, Steller sea lions, Humpback and Orca whales and millions of migratory birds can make these a trip of a life time. It begins in the quaint village of Cordova, population about 2,400. While tourism is growing, commercial fishing still provides the majority of employment to these residents. There are only two modes of transportation in and out of Cordova; boat and plane. The Alaska Marine Ferry System has service every day of the week from Whittier and Valdez. There is also commercial air service from Seattle, Juneau and Anchorage.  You will have plenty of time to provision and be checked out on the operation of your boat. And if you need to re-provision, no worries, we will be stopping in Valdez and Whittier where that is also possible. There is a grocery store near the marina as well as liquor and seafood stores available. After our check out and provisioning we will be off for an easy day of cruising (21 miles) to Sheep Bay. In 1897 it was named by the US Navy for the animals they saw on the mountains. The only problem is that they actually saw mountain goats not sheep which can still be seen today. We will continue to work our way around Prince William Sound visiting remote spots. We will spend a day at Valdez in the NE corner of the sound and work our way across the northern side until we reach Whittier. This section of our trip will include visiting many of the tide water glaciers including the Shoop, Anderson, Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Wellesley, Harriman, Surprise and Cascade. We will make a stop in Whittier, population 350, which is located on the west side of Prince William Sound. It is exquisitely set amongst the glaciers. Whittier was built during WWII as a year round ice free port 60 miles from Anchorage. The longest tunnel in North America connects Anchorage to Whittier. You can reach Whittier by train, bus, car or small charter plane from Anchorage. From Whittier we will begin to work our way back to Cordova stopping at the very scenic Passage Cove on the Naked Islands. This entire trip takes place within the sheltered waters of Prince William Sound. There are a limited number of trips available and we expect them to book quickly. So, if you are interested in that once in a life time experience to the far northern reaches of our cruising area, be sure to book this trip early. - See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

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Prince William Sound to SE Alaska

LEG 5: Cordova, AK to Juneau, AK
Friday, July 25, 2014 - Thursday, August 14, 2014Pre-board after 5pm Wednesday, July 23^rdCheck-out & orientation Thursday, July 24^thDisembark by 12pm Thursday, August 14^th 

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$22,500	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	Dream Catcher	6	$25,500	Available
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$28,000	BOOKED
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$28,000	BOOKED

Detailed Itinerary

Calling all truly adventurous mariners! This leg is not for the casual mariner but will challenge you and your crew’s nautical skills and dedication to boating. However, the pay-off for the intensity of this leg will come back tenfold as you will experience cruising grounds that are rarely traveled and whose spectacular scenery and abundant wildlife are unparalleled. If some of your crew does not have the time (or the seas legs) for the entire duration of leg 5 from Cordova to Sitka, they can feel free to fly directly in and out of Cordova where they can join us for 2 weeks of protected cruising within Prince William Sound.

While we all know that the weather can be unpredictable when you get north of 60 degrees latitude, it is comforting to also know that the average wind speed in Prince William Sound during the summer is approximately five knots. These protected waters provide one the northern most recreational areas in the world. The abundance Brown and Black bears, marine mammals including sea otters, Steller sea lions, Humpback and Orca whales and millions of migratory birds can make these a trip of a life time. It begins in the quaint village of Cordova, population about 2,400. While tourism is growing, commercial fishing still provides the majority of employment to these residents. There are only two modes of transportation in and out of Cordova; boat and plane. The Alaska Marine Ferry System has service every day of the week from Whittier and Valdez. There is also commercial air service from Seattle, Juneau and Anchorage.  You will have plenty of time to provision and be checked out on the operation of your boat. And if you need to re-provision, no worries, we will be stopping in Valdez and Whittier where that is also possible. There is a grocery store near the marina as well as liquor and seafood stores available. After our check out and provisioning we will be off for an easy day of cruising (21 miles) to Sheep Bay. In 1897 it was named by the US Navy for the animals they saw on the mountains. The only problem is that they actually saw mountain goats not sheep which can still be seen today. We will continue to work our way around Prince William Sound visiting remote spots. We will spend a day at Valdez in the NE corner of the sound and work our way across the northern side until we reach Whittier. This section of our trip will include visiting many of the tide water glaciers including the Shoop, Anderson, Columbia, Yale, Harvard, Smith, Bryn Mawr, Vassar, Wellesley, Harriman, Surprise and Cascade. We will make a stop in Whittier, population 350, which is located on the west side of Prince William Sound. It is exquisitely set amongst the glaciers. Whittier was built during WWII as a year round ice free port 60 miles from Anchorage. The longest tunnel in North America connects Anchorage to Whittier. You can reach Whittier by train, bus, car or small charter plane from Anchorage. From Whittier we will begin to work our way back to Cordova stopping at the very scenic Passage Cove on the Naked Islands.

The next five days are not for the faint of heart as we will spend five days covering 515 miles with the longest day requiring us to cover 136 miles. While we have no planned overnight crossings, our longest day could be a 15 to 17 hour day. This trip will require mariners who are comfortable in traveling in open waters and are able to manage motion sickness, a minimum of two qualified persons who can stand a wheel watch, comfortable with being out of sight of land, and while not planned, able to cruise through the night if required. As mentioned, some crew members might wish to leave you in Cordova prior to heading out for our five day transit of the Gulf of Alaska. We have planned stops in Lituya Bay, Yakutat Bay, Icy Bay and Controller Bay. We will have magnificent views of the Fairweather 14,000’ plus mountains and spectacular glaciers. As we get back into Southeast Alaska we will spend the night across from Glacier Bay in the quaint boardwalk village of Elfin Cove. From there we cruise through the whale infested waters of Icy Strait. You will lose count of the humpbacks you will see. Our flotilla finally ends in Juneau, Alaska’s state capital. Be sure to spend a couple of days here to take full advantage of all the sites as it is a unique city with a glacier in its backyard!

This truly is an adventure of a lifetime! There are a limited number of trips available and we expect them to book quickly. So, if you are interested in that once in a life time experience to the far northern reaches of our cruising area, be sure to book this trip early.

- See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

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Inside Passage & Glaciers

LEG 6: Juneau, AK to Bellingham, WA
Sunday, August 17, 2014 - Thursday, September 11, 2014Pre-board after 5pm Friday, August 15^thCheck-out & orientation Saturday, August 16^thDisembark by 12pm Thursday, September 11^th               

Size	Model	Name	Sleeps	Price	Booked
46′	Grand Banks Classic	Patos	6	$25,500	Available
49′	Grand Banks Classic	Dream Catcher	6	$29,000	Available
49′	Grand Banks Motoryacht	Telita	5/6	$31,000	Available
49′	Grand Banks Classic	OceanFlyer	4	$31,000	Available

Detailed Itinerary

This leg has it all: glaciers, whales, sunshine and beautiful scenery! The grand adventure begins with your arrival to Juneau, the capital city of Alaska. According to TravelJuneau.com, “Here, you’ll find an unexpected mix of fishermen and teachers, legislators and artists, lawyers and homemakers, dock workers and frontier entrepreneurs, students and Native elders.” As you can imagine, this makes Juneau a very interesting place to visit! On top of this, where else are you going to find a city with a glacier in its backyard? Be sure to come in a day or two early in order to see the sites and get to know Juneau.

From Juneau we will go directly to what will no doubt be one of the most memorable parts of your trip. We will visit Tracy Arm where you will guide your boat up a true fjord with majestic mountains surrounding you on both sides as you head towards the North and South Sawyer Glaciers. You never know what the conditions will be like, and whether we will be able to make it to the face of the glacier, but you will certainly be cruising amongst bergy bits, icebergs, harbor seal mom and pups hauled out on ice floes as well as magnificent sea birds feeding in the nutrient-rich waters. If conditions permit, you will approach one of the few remaining tidewater glaciers and watch as ice calves off into the sea below.

From Tracy Arm you will continue to see humpback whales in one of their favorite feeding grounds, Stephens Passage, as we make our way to Petersburg, then on to Wrangell. Both are small, quaint communities that you will enjoy visiting. We’ll stop in Meyer’s Chuck and order up some of Cassie’s famous cinnamon rolls. Cassie is a Meyer’s Chuck local who is not only the postmistress, but also the local baker who delivers her delicious baked goods right to your swim platform!

Next we cruise to Ketchikan where you’ll get a taste of another SE Alaska city and have the chance to visit historic Creek Street where it is said that both fish and men went upstream to spawn!

After one more anchorage in U.S. waters, we cruise into beautiful British Columbia where we spend most of the remainder of our trip. You will visit friendly BC coastal communities, the grand B.C. Fjordlands, a famous cruiser’s destination at Lagoon Cove as well as several other beautiful anchorages. If we are lucky, we will see the resident Orca, or killer whale, pods that frequent the waters of Johnstone Strait.

This is a leg that begins with ice in Alaska and takes you through the Inside Passage back to Bellingham. Join the Mother Goose flotilla on their homebound leg as they celebrate the completion of their tenth year of helping boaters create memories of a lifetime!

- See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf

- See more at: http://www.nwexplorations.com/charters/guided-flotillas/2014-mother-goose/#sthash.8d6JaJ5R.dpuf