In January's issue of Ocean Navigator they ran a story about an New Zealand sailor who clames he made the first solo sail through the North West Passage. He is not the first, mabe the 5-6th. I would think individuals and writers would do their homework. The first person was a Japaneese sailor Kenichi Horie in 1981-1983. The second was an Englishman, David Cowper in 1986-1989. The third was myself in 2005-2007. And David Cowper has done it again.
While I'm on a rant Englishman Adrian Flanagan claimed to be the first to sail single handed through Russia's Northeast Passage. Well I don't think so, he made it half way through to the town of Tiksi where he loaded his sailboat onto a cargo vessel and was taken to Murmansk 1900nm.
Another false claim.
OK, I've had my rant thank you very much.
Don't forget Norwegian Borge Ousland and his single crew, who sailed the entire "Northern Passage" (NW and NE Passages) last year in an entire season, on a small trimaran. Not a solo passages, but single-season transit of both NE and NW passages.
ReplyDeleteSee: www.ousland.no as well as http://www.helmsyacht.com/storage/The%20North%20Pole%20Passage_Ousland%202.pdf
Yes two boats sailed through both the NW & NE passages. A first.
ReplyDeleteWhat was the other boat that went through both NW and NE Passages last season?
ReplyDeleteMick
It was a Russian sail boat. I.m not sure of the name.
ReplyDeleteThere was a Dutch sailor, Willy de Roos who transited the NW Passage solo in 1977. I think he wrote a book called Ice with Everything. There's a news clip at http://archives.cbc.ca/sports/exploits/clips/13665/
ReplyDeleteI'm still looking for the negatives of Arctic Wanderer under construction in 1983.
dht