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

Retirement Plan: Transatlantic Kayak Expedition

Posted by Amy Bucci of NG Staff on January 10, 2014

http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2014/01/10/retirement-plan-transatlantic-kayaking-expedition/

Aleksander Doba, a 67-year-old experienced kayaker, currently battles winds, extreme exposure to salt water, and equipment failure as he kayaks solo across the Atlantic. This map shows approximately where Doba is now, 900 miles away from Florida.Click for larger view of the weather facing Olek as he nears Florida. Image courtesy Earth.

Rather than settling down in a condo in Florida, Aleksander Doba, a 67-year-old retired engineer and Polish kayaker, is spending his retirement about 900 miles from Florida’s coast—steadily paddling on a solo, unsupported expedition across the Atlantic Ocean. Battling storms, prolonged saltwater exposure, and multiple equipment failures, the sexagenarian has been making his way across the 4,700 nautical miles of ocean between Lisbon, Portugal and New Smyrna Beach, Florida since October 6, 2013. 

At a speed of three knots (30 miles per day) Doba has paddled approximately 3,800 nautical miles with 900 left to go to his destination. He is aiming to arrive between February 10 and February 20, 2014.

Doba’s boat, designed by Andrzej Arminski, is 21 feet long, 40 inches wide. Equipped with with solar panels for charging batteries, the cabin contains five months worth of food, including chocolate bars and his wife’s homemade plum jelly. Photograph by Ricardo Bravo, Canoe & Kayak/Canoandes

Due to his satellite phone failing, Doba hasn’t been able text or talk to anyone since December 20, 2013. We know he’s still on his way by the signals coming from his SPOT (a GPS personal tracker device), but even this minimal communication is at risk, as Doba rigged new connections on the SPOT to accommodate AAA batteries rather than the AA that failed. These new connections need to be protected carefully from any ocean spray.

Andrzej Arminski, the designer and engineer behind Doba’s specialty kayak, is also coordinating this expedition. Photograph by Ricardo Bravo, Canoe & Kayak/Canoandes

Friends and family are concerned about how the polar vortex has affected the weather and wind Doba is now facing. There will be difficult currents and winds around the Bahamas and crossing the Gulf Stream current—which has speeds about 4-6 miles on surface—could push Olek too much to the north. He also could face a nasty headwind in the final stretch.

Doba’s sleeping quarters are extremely cramped and noisy. Photograph by Ricardo Bravo, Canoe & Kayak/Canoandes

I have not slept in days. The cabin is very small and noisy, with poor ventilation. I sleep a maximum of six hours a day in a few dozen installments. The waves are irregular. In addition to the usual noise, splashing and rolling, occasionally stronger or refractive wave collapses in the hull right next to your ear… I am constantly tired from lack of sleep.
—Aleksander Doba, Nov 27, 2013

Doba’s complaints are surprisingly minimal, even after strong storms pushed him back hundreds of miles toward Africa early on in the trip, he kept saying, “Could be worse.” He does detail some discomforts from his GooglePlus page when he can communicate:

• “In the groin area, especially the thigh and buttocks—where the worst ventilation is—appear red spots with a diameter of 6 mm. These areas are very sensitive and itchy. After two weeks on the center spot a bulge appears. It’s whitish, 3 mm in diameter, and filled with liquid. After three weeks, symptoms begin to recede. The whole process takes one month. These affected areas itch constantly.”
• “In the depths of the skin (especially hands) form white lesions with a diameter of 3-5 mm. Painful to the touch. Very dense in a place where I keep the paddle. Offend and hurt. Once I have dozens of these. Lasts about a month.”
• “Conjunctivitis subsided after a week.”
• “At the ends of my nails and toes grows a whitish creature that separates the nail from the fingertip. It grows deeper and deeper. It does not hurt, but I feel like I’m losing my fingernails.”

Of course, the medical recommendation for all these maladies according to Doba, was that he: “Stay away from salt water. Keep the skin dry.”

Every expedition deserves a poster as grand as this one.

This is second crossing of Atlantic for Doba. In 2010 he paddled from Senegal, Africa to Brazil, South America (3,400 nautical miles) in 99 days.

Doba’s good friend, Piotr Chmielinski, is organizing a welcoming reception which will include a doctor to check on Doba’s medical condition. Most likely, Doba’s biggest problem will be the skin rashes caused by the months of exposure to salty water without showering.

A view from underneath the boat on Doba’s first transatlantic expedition. Photograph courtesy Aleksander Doba

Science continues for trapped Australasian Antarctic expedition

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25519059
By Andrew Luck-BakerBBC World Service Discovery, East Antarctica

Erik van Sebille aims for cracks in the sea ice to carry out his ocean research

Continue reading the main story

Related Stories

• Data to expose 'sleeping ice giant'
• Satellite detects Antarctic ice loss
• Coldest spot on Earth identified

Science reporter Andrew Luck-Baker is on board the Russian research vessel Shokalskiy, covering the Australasian Antarctic Expedition 2013 for the BBC World Service programme Discovery. He recounts how the expedition spent Christmas Day trapped in sea ice.

Scientists currently stuck in dense pack ice off East Antarctica are making the most of their expected four days locked in the frozen sea.

The research programme of the Australasian Antarctic Expedition (AAE) 2013 is continuing from the deck of the beset Academik Shokalskiy - although not quite as originally intended.

The science team, led by Chris Turney and Chris Fogwill, both geologists from the University of New South Wales, has decided to use the trapped vessel as a static platform for investigations beneath the pack.

On 24 December, the AAE's ice-strengthened vessel was just departing the Commonwealth Bay area in remote East Antarctica when fierce winds began tearing off the polar plateau.

The blizzard set in motion an armada of rafts of pack ice and the Shokalskiy became surrounded and trapped.

Barely a pool of water now shows in the chaotic icescape of floes and piles of shattered, brilliant white blocks. This vista extends as far as we can see in almost all directions.

Tantalisingly, a low band of grey sky to the Northeast suggests clear water lies not so many kilometres away. The grey colour is light reflected from open water. The early Antarctic explorers named this colour phenomenon "water sky" and used it to navigate their route through the treacherous pack ice.

Douglas Mawson also used this lore of the polar seas to guide his expedition in these same waters, more than a century ago. Mawson led the original Australasian Antarctic Expedition which discovered and explored this region of the White Continent for more than two years.

The first AAE studied or measured every aspect of the natural environment in and around Commonwealth Bay - such as the ice, the weather, the geology, and the animals, from penguins to leopard seals (the local top predator).

Chris Fogwill is retracing the steps of Douglas Mawson a century ago

The goal of the modern day Australasian Antarctic Expedition is to repeat many of the original measurements and studies, to see how facets of the environment have changed over the past century. This passage of time coincides with warming and climate change in Antarctica.

During the morning on Christmas Day (New Zealand time), the Russian Captain Igor Kiselev decided to send out a distress call to the Marine Rescue Coordination Centre. The pack ice was (and remains) thick; and at the time of his decision, there were two large icebergs moving in parallel to the trapped vessel on the prevailing east to west current. Those bergs were not on collision course and they have since stopped moving any closer.

According to Prof Turney: "The situation has stabilised and all on board are well. We are now trying to make the best scientific use of our time while waiting for the arrival of an icebreaker to release us in the next 24 hours. For anyone concerned at home, please check 'The Spirit of Mawson' website for regular updates."

In addition to the Russian crew of 22, the expedition team consists of 18 professional scientists from Australia and New Zealand, and 22 volunteer science assistants. They are members of the public, ranging in age from their 20s to their 70s. They paid to join the scientific adventure.

For scientists and punters alike, it was a Christmas Day like no other. There was some anxiety early on Christmas Day when our predicament was explained at a morning briefing by the expedition co-leaders, which in addition to Turney and Fogwill counts the veteran polar explorer Greg Mortimer.

But the otherworldly white vista from the decks and the realisation that we were not in acute peril created a communal excitement and realisation that we were going to have a most unique Christmas.

"It's fantastic - I love it when the ice wins and we don't," said expedition marine ecologist Tracy Rogers. "It reminds you that as humans, we don't control everything and that the natural world - it's the winner here. We've got several penguins watching us, thinking 'what the hell are you doing stuck in our ice?'. The sky is a beautiful grey - it looks like it wants to have a bit of a snow. It's the perfect Christmas, really."

Science volunteer Sean Borkovic also seemed to be enjoying the experience: "I'll always remember this, that's for sure. It's brilliant. We've got some lovely light and the weather's pretty mild considering. The ship looks solid. I think we'll be good."

A visit from Secret Santa and a sumptuous Christmas dinner cranked up the celebratory mood.

Christmas with a difference: The expedition made the best of circumstances

In response to the distress call, a large Chinese icebreaker is now on its way to free the Shokalskiy. The Xue Long (Snow Dragon) is expected to reach us at about 1300 GMT on 27 December. It is massive enough to cut a path through the ice so the Australasian Antarctic Expedition can make a break for the open waters not so very far away.

In the days before the AAE 2013 became trapped, the scientists made several significant discoveries. For instance, the expedition's ornithologist, Kerry-Jayne Wilson, discovered that the colony of Adelie penguins in Commonwealth Bay, close to Mawson's old base, now contains the smallest number of breeding pairs ever recorded there.

Findings by the AAE's oceanographer Erik van Sebille, of the University of New South Wales, are also significant. He discovered that the water beneath the extensive sea ice covering Commonwealth Bay at this time of year is much fresher, less salty than in Mawson's times.

This finding is of global interest. Commonwealth Bay is one of the metaphorical cylinders of the great heat engine of the global ocean system.

The winds and cold temperatures here normally generate great volumes of very cold and very salty water. This dense water plunges to abyssal ocean depths and helps to drive the circulation of water from pole to equator, redistributing heat around the planet.

Van Sebille's discovery of such freshwater at depths of 50m suggests the oceanic engine here has stalled. The planetary consequences of that are as yet unclear.

Although trapped for the moment, Erik van Sebille and others plan to continue their studies from the Shokalskiy. He is currently deploying instruments to measure temperature and salinity through cracks in the surrounding ice. His findings may add to the picture of freshening water which he first saw a few days ago further to the west.

Prof Rogers also plans to continue her studies of the local leopard seals.

She will be lowering a loudspeaker into the chilly waters and then playing the submarine song of a male leopard seal that she recorded elsewhere in Antarctica. With an underwater microphone, Rogers will then record the response to the singing of this apparent interloper by the resident leopard seals.

Her theory is that male leopard seals sing to define the boundaries of their territory. She's expecting to hear the locals singing louder and closer in reaction to the false stranger she's planting through the pack ice.

The fact that the Shokalskiy's engines will be quiet for at least another day is of some advantage to her experiments.

The Shokalskiy is protected against the ice but will need a Chinese ice-breaker to clear a path to freedom

Into the Record Books: Parker Liautaud Reaches The South Pole On Christmas Eve Becoming The Youngest Man To Ski To The South Pole

19-year-old Parker Liautaud arrived at the South Pole at 13:43 GMT on 24 December 2013

-- New World Record: Parker becomes the youngest man to ski to the South Pole

-- New Speed Record: Parker and Doug Stoup set new speed record for the fastest-ever unsupported walk from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole in 18 Days, 4 Hours and 43 Minutes

-- Live Christmas Day visual broadcast interviews from the South Pole available upon request

At 13:43 GMT on 24 December, The Willis Resilience Expedition, led by 19-year-old Parker Liautaud, polar explorer and climate change campaigner, arrived at the South Pole; achieving the goal of setting a new record for the fastest-ever unsupported walk from the edge of Antarctica to the South Pole and in the process becoming the youngest man ever to ski to the South Pole.

A photo accompanying this release is available athttp://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/prs/?pkgid=22826

The world record attempt began on Friday 6 December at 09:00 GMT from the Ross Ice Shelf where Parker and Doug began their 506.12km (314.58 miles) journey to the South Pole. To achieve this incredible feat of human resilience, Parker and his expedition partner, Doug Stoup, pulled sleds weighing in excess of 80kg over ice and snow, across the trans-Antarctic mountain range, through blizzards and mist in temperatures as low as minus 50 degrees Celsius. The duo travelled for up to 12 hours a day for 19 days, averaging an astonishing 28km per day. Travelling that distance each day at altitude begins to take its' toll - at times Parker and Doug have had to battle on, despite suffering from physical exhaustion which can clearly be seen in this short video diary that Parker made for the expedition.

Not only has the world record attempt been achieved, but thanks to the embedded communications technologies in Ice Broker, the Willis Resilience Expedition's custom built Toyota Hilux 6-wheel truck, the venture was broadcast live to the world on the expedition website www.willisresilience.com . This also meant that Parker was able to capture the imagination of the world's media, by engaging in two-way live broadcast interviews with major news channels, directly from Antarctica.

Parker will now spend the next few days in the South Pole before travelling back to Union Glacier where the team can catch a flight out of Antarctic back to Punta Arenas, Chile. While in the South Pole, Parker will be able to wish the world Happy Christmas, live on TV.

"It's an incredible honour to stand at the South Pole after a successful expedition. Over the past several weeks I have learned a lot and am very thankful for the support of the team around me that made this expedition possible. I now hope to work with our scientific partners in the next phase of the research from this expedition and continue to contribute to reigniting the dialogue on climate change."

- Parker Liautaud, Willis Resilience Expedition Leader

"I'm proud to stand next to Parker at the Geographic 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."

- Doug Stoup, Willis Resilience Expedition Guide

Before starting their World Record breaking journey by foot, Parker, Doug and the occupants of Ice Broker; the driver and mechanic Eyjo Furteitsson, cinematographer Paddy Scott and communications director Nathan Hambrook-Skinner first had to reach the elusive starting point for the walk, the Ross Ice Shelf on the edge of Antarctica. To get to the Ross Ice Shelf, the team travelled in Ice Broker a total of 1,790km from Union Glacier to the South Pole down to the Ross Ice Shelf in order to undertake a coast-to-pole-to-coast transect of Antarctica.

During that bumpy crossing of the Antarctic continent over vast fields of sastrugi, or ice waves, the team were collecting snow samples for three scientific research programs, all of which aim to collect valuable data to contribute to our understanding of global climate patterns. One of the team's first jobs on the ice was to deploy the ColdFacts 3000BX, a lightweight weather station which has not been used before in Antarctica. The device has been relaying metrological data every 30 minutes. Along the way the team was also collecting snow samples for research purposes. Ice Broker was instrumental in providing the tools necessary to conduct and store the research samples.

"Christmas is often a time for reflection. Over the past 18 days, we have watched this truly inspirational young man along with his expedition partner, Doug show us all the true meaning of resilience - both mental and physical. For the first time ever thanks to the technology on board Ice Broker, the Willis Resilience Expedition truck, we have been able to share with the world the highs and lows of this incredible journey via live transmissions on the Willis Resilience website. As Parker finds the time to reflect on his amazing achievement we hope that those who were able to follow his journey have also had time to think about the bigger message. Parker set out to not only achieve a new World Record but he also wanted to create a platform to start changing the way we talk about climate change. The conversation will continue via www.willisresilience.com ."

- Josh King, Chief Communications Officer, Willis Group Holdings WSH +0.20%

For all press enquiries please contact Captive Minds

Emily Conrad-Pickles

econradpickles@captiveminds.com | 07799 414 790

Notes to Editors

Live interviews from the South Pole are still available upon request, but spaces are limited. Please contact Captive Minds in order to book a slot as soon as possible.

About Willis: Willis Group Holdings plc is a leading global risk adviser, insurance and reinsurance broker. With roots dating to 1828, Willis operates today on every continent with more than 17,500 employees in over 400 offices. Willis offers its clients superior expertise, teamwork, innovation and market-leading products and professional services in risk management and transfer. Our experts rank among the world's leading authorities on analytics, modeling and mitigation strategies at the intersection of global commerce and extreme events. Find more information at our website, www.willis.com , our leadership journal, Resilience, or our up-to-the-minute blog on breaking news, WillisWire. Across geographies, industries and specialisms, Willis provides its local and multinational clients with resilience for a risky world.

Earth's winds - Interactive - FANTASTIC!

http://earth.nullschool.net/#current/wind/isobaric/1000hPa/orthographic=-166.39,19.03,290

OPINION: Is WeatherNet or Free GRIB Files Cheaper Over Satellite Phones?

Is WeatherNet or Free GRIB Files Cheaper Over Satellite Phones?

Posted by Kinley Paisley on Wed, Nov 20, 2013 @ 07:22 AM

One of the most frequent questions we receive is how to get weather information while out at sea. If you're looking at how exactly to get the weather, here's a blog post on how to get GRIB files to your iPhone, iPad, or Android mobile device.

But what about cost? 

Getting GRIB files comes down to two main options. 

GRIB File Option 1: WeatherNet Weather On Demand Subscription

WeatherNet is a subscription service that sends compressed GRIB files to your email inbox. You configure WeatherNet to send you exactly the GRIB files you're looking for, with whatever complexity you need, and you will receive them in an incredibly compressed, compact form. 

WeatherNet has a vast library of weather information - far beyond basic wind and wave GRIBs. Whether you're looking for ice flow information, currents, NOAA updates, satellite imagery and more, WeatherNet has you covered. 

WeatherNet is a subscription service. You then need to buy a WeatherNet data card to purchase the individual GRIB files (they get deducted from your prepaid data card until you run out of money on the card. You would then need to reload the data card, much like you reload satellite airtime minutes, for example). 

At the time of writing, WeatherNet costs $99 for one year. You can buy the prepaid data cards for either $75 or $250.  

GRIB File Option 2: Free GRIB Files via Email

There are services out there (Global Marine Networks offers a free GRIB service) that send you GRIB files, for free, over email. The service offered by GMN is done as a public service for mariners the world over and offers no tech support for any of the free GRIB files or weather data obtained through this service. 

The GRIB files available for free are wind and wave files for every region on the planet. For many sailors, this is exactly the information they're needing - no need for anything more complex. 

So Which Costs More? 

Right off the bat, those free GRIB files are looking, well, free. 

And WeatherNet GRIB files are paid, on top of the subscription! 

But which one really costs more? 

Those free GRIB files use valuable satellite airtime to download and, more importantly, they require 2 data connections to download. One connection to send the email request to the service and another data connection to actually receive the GRIB file.

(Here is a blog post looking at satellite phone airtime billing increments and connection costs). 

If we assume a typical GRIB file (typical, here, is a bit hard to pin down, since GRIB files can change dramatically depending on where you are and what kind of information you're looking for), we can say that a 3-day wind forecast for an area the size of the Caribbean is about 15kb. 

Over an Iridium handheld phone it will take about a minute to download. Let's look at the difference in cost between downloading that GRIB file from the free GRIB service and from WeatherNet. In either case, we assume you're using XGate satellite email service for compression and optimization of weather files and looking at doing this over an Iridium handheld phone (for IsatPhone Pro, you can inflate these numbers as data speeds are slower, connection times longer, and billing increments more).  

GRIB File With Free GRIB Service
$0.48 - Initial Connection to Send Email Request
$0.48 - 1 billing increment to send request
$0.48 - Second connection to see if GRIB has arrived
$0.48 - 1 billing increment to check if GRIB has arrived
$1.00 - Airtime to download GRIB File
----------
Total Iridium: $2.92
(Total IsatPhone Pro: $4.20) 

GRIB File Over WeatherNet
$0.48 - Initial Connection to Send Email Request
$0.48 - 1 billing increment to send request
$0.80 - Cost of GRIB download from WeatherNet
$1.00 - Airtime to download GRIB file
----------
Total Iridium: $2.76
(Total IsatPhone Pro: $3.50)

One Last Thing: Ease of Use

Downloading GRIB files over email is very delicate work. You have to get the request exactly right for it to go through. This means that there are often added costs in the final cost, because more often that not you end up sending (and checking) if the request went through okay more than once. 

WeatherNet is really easy. You draw a square over a map of the world (the area you want to get weather from) and then you check off which GRIB files you want for that area. 

If the weather information you are looking for isn't available as one of the easy-to-find buttons, you can access libraries that have weather information for everywhere on the planet. We're talking GRIB files so obscure, so detailed, that it's highly unlikely that you'll find them as part of a free GRIB file download service. 

So yes, WeatherNet costs money (remember you also need to factor in the $99 per year subscription fee), but just in terms of ease of use, richness of data, and integration with XGate, it beats free GRIB files by far.

In Conclusion 

In general, we say that if you are downloading basic weather once a week, or less, you'll probably save more money with a free GRIB service. If you are downloading weather more frequently, and especially if you are downloading complicated weather information like currents, you will probably save more money with WeatherNet (and have a much better user experience). 

Have questions about getting weather information over satellite? Feel free to contact us and ask.