This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

“A piece of tundra and the sea is all I need.” – Fedor Tymnetagin, Umky Patrol Member
We arrive at the village of Vankarem at midday. This is a traditional Chukchi settlement of about 200 people and is reminiscent of the Alaskan villages I have visited. A cluster of neat one story homes sit together near the shore with boats pulled up on the tundra and fishing nets stretched in the water.
Just as we set out in the zodiac, we notice a man rowing out to us in a very small dinghy. It is Fedor Tymnetagin, one of the Umky Patrol leaders in Vankarem. We rendezvous on the beach with two more of the patrol members, Alexander and Anatoly, and make introductions. As has become customary, we are first invited for tea!
The village is in stark contrast to the last places we have visited. Most of the past towns had a significant Russian government or military presence in the 1950s and had a legacy of large concrete buildings and a lot of unused, decaying structures. Vankarem looked brand new and was very tidy. This was in part due to the donation of new homes by the well-known Russian, Roman Aboramovich. Though the homes were a onetime gift, the residents have continued to clean up old structures and make Vankarem an attractive place to live.
Walrus are not new to Cape Vankarem, though they have grown in numbers during years of record ice retreat like 2007. That same year, Vankarem counted 200 polar bears in and around town, so the patrol had a very busy season! Along with supporting the patrol work, WWF helped the village of Vankarem establish the Cape as an official nature reserve to protect the haul out. We also provide support to move walrus carcasses away from town so as not to attract any additional bears. The people here depend on the sea for survival and have a deep connection to the surrounding landscape and wildlife. It is a very peaceful place.

Fydor and the others offer to guide us out to the Cape to observe walrus up close. Unlike Ryrkaipiy, the walrus here do not spook as easily and can be approached from above without disturbance. It is a beautiful tundra-covered point with steep rocky beaches. Thousands of walrus are hauled out on the north and south sides and we soon here the familiar sounds competition for beach space. We sit for several hours watching the walrus, taking in the views, and visiting with the guys about life in Vankarem.
In February 2010, we plan to bring Fydor and two other Umky Patrol leaders to Alaska. The idea is to facilitate conversations among northern communities facing some of the same issues as a result of the changing climate. We hope that the examples from the work of the Chukchi people can be a model for grass roots conservation efforts in Alaska and elsewhere. The community meetings will be a good first step.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

The boat is moving so slowly and in calm waters as I take my watch with Anders. Ryrkaipiy is in sight, but it is still dark and too early to approach, so we reduce speed to a mere 2 knots and make a very gradual arrival. From a distance we begin to see the tell tale signs of a former military base- abandoned structures and debris. In the middle of this however, is what appears to be well-maintained and colourfully painted buildings.
The sunrise reveals a beautiful landscape surrounding the settlement. The Chukchi Mountains stretch out to the west, some with snow covered peaks. Rolling hills surround the town and Cape Schmidt is virtually an island connected only by a thin gravel strip. The island is rocky and dramatic compared to the relatively flat landscapes seen thus far.
A light breeze from the south has brought much warmer temperatures so I go out on the forward deck as we approach closer to shore. The light is just marginal for binoculars as I try to investigate this new area. Then I hear it, an unusual noise travelling across the water. As we draw closer and the dawn breaks, the mystery is revealed: we can see walrus!

On the shores of the rocky headlands and stretching out into the ocean we can see brown bodies jostling for beach space and heads bobbing in the sea. As we set anchor and the day is fully upon us, I see we are also surrounded by ringed seals, cormorants, seabirds, and sea ducks. A flock of geese also cruise by to the south. Compared to the seas we just left, this is truly an explosion of life.
The hundreds of walrus we saw initially were only an appetiser too as we can now see thousands including a brown carpet stretching far up the south facing hill. To top it off, we have one polar bear in sight of the boat too! It appears to be feeding on a walrus carcass, of which there are plenty, and is a quite healthy looking male. I have never seen such an abundance of wildlife in one place at one time. The sounds from the haul out grow louder as I sip my morning coffee in the sun. I should be in my bunk, but this is just too amazing to pass up and the weather is the best we have seen.
Ryrkaipiy slowly comes to life as I see the occasional person walking and many taking a good look at this strange boat sitting just offshore. Visitors here are truly rare, especially by sea. We decide to make our landing around 10 AM and make arrangements on the VHF with the local border guard to meet at the beach.
This is a special visit for me as it is the home of Vladilen Kavriy, the father and driving force behind the Umky Patrol. I met Vlad at a meeting last year in the Ukraine and hoped to one day visit him in Ryrkaipiy. He is expecting us and was actually out on patrol when we came in this morning – always watching and aware of his surroundings.
The Umky Patrol was born out of tragedy. In 2005, a young girl was killed by a polar bear in this village. In response the town decided to take actions to prevent this from happening again. In coordination and with support from WWF, the Umky Patrol now works to reduce bear human conflict in several villages across the Russian Arctic, manage attractants around towns, educate the public on safety around bears and walrus, minimise disturbance to walrus haul outs, and guard against poaching. The activities of the patrol members, especially their outreach efforts within their communities, has also led to grass roots conservation in the designation of new protected areas for recently formed and existing walrus haul outs. Something I would love to see happen more frequently in other parts of the Arctic – community-led conservation.
The paperwork check on shore is a brief formality and we are quickly making introductions to a group of locals including Vlad and two of his team: Tatiana (a local Chukchi woman) and Varvera (an intern from Moscow who luckily speaks some English). The day has been mapped out by our friends onshore. First we will visit the walrus haul out, then go for tea at Vlad’s, then it is off to visit the bear on the island, a presentation by our crew on the expedition at the town hall, followed by a dinner reception – northern hospitality at its finest!
The opportunity to sit next to a walrus haul out estimated to approach 20,000 animals is truly a unique and stunning experience. The sounds alone are really something – barking and grunting with occasional whistles. Walrus cover the beaches, hillside, and water. It must take a huge amount of prey to support this many animals. Some walrus nap while others vie for positions on the beach and it seems walrus are quite good at spooking themselves into mini-stampedes. All of this activity is just a few hundred metres from town.
Walrus had not occupied this area in recent memory and definitely not in these numbers. Nordenskjold reported seeing walrus in this area, but we have no idea in what numbers. We do know that walrus throughout the Chukchi have been abandoning the sea ice completely when it recedes out beyond the continental shelves. We know this from animals tracked by satellite tags and also from observations along both the Chukotka and Alaskan coasts of walrus appearing in large numbers and in areas they have never been seen before.
I have mentioned earlier the hazards of this strategy to walrus and people. It also puts walrus at risk of depleting their coastal food resources. Walrus rely on the drifting sea ice to distribute them randomly across large areas, so they are constantly on the move. Forced to come ashore, they are very limited in foraging and safe haul out areas. While walrus can live on shore quite well, it is widely held that this scenario will support far fewer animals than exist today.
We take afternoon tea at Vlad’s home – a great Russian tradition of sharing a light meal. We snack on homemade bread, dried fish, and pelmini (potato dumplings with sour cream). We then head off to visit the island’s current lone polar bear. Vladilen has an amazing understanding of the behaviour of polar bears, and while he respects them greatly, he does not fear them and carries only a two metre-long stick. Having worked with polar bears for the past decade, I am much more interested in watching Vlad than the bear on this occasion!
As the day turns to night, we head for the grand finale of our visit. As we enter the community centre, we are impressed with its quality and size. We are truly surprised to enter a packed auditorium filled with local community members who have come to hear our presentations on the expedition. Following a brief lecture by Ola and Victor, and some good Q&A, it was time for the town to once again impress us with their hospitality. For the next hour we were the guests of honour for a truly impressive performance of Chukchi song and dance!
We ended our visit with a very pleasant dinner hosted by the mayor and some local dignitaries including Vlad. The food was great, but the company was even better. For anyone who has travelled much in Russia, singing is a national past time and we were treated again and again to beautiful traditional songs as it grew close to our departure time.
It was a truly exceptional day, one of the extremely rare ones where your senses are flooded from the time you awake to the time you happily slip into bed. I cannot say enough about the hospitality of Ryrkaipiy, the beautiful lands that surround the village, and the wonderful people we shared time with today. Thanks as well to our teammate Victor Boyarsky for the endless translations that made it all possible!

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

The winds have finally let down as I sit alone in the dark boat for my anchor watch. The outside temperature is -1 C. My ship mates are sleeping soundly after two straight days and nights of rough seas. The boat is sitting across the bay from Pevek and the town is lit up much like any modern town, except this is truly remote country. I watch the lights of a vehicle on the outskirts of the settlement. As I look across the water, I am again struck by the commonalities of northern communities across the Arctic and among northern people. Though indigenous people perfected living strategies for this region, for most of us, life in the north would be a tremendous challenge.
We dock in the early morning and meet with the local authorities. It is also a good chance to restock with any available vegetables. The store is well stocked and we buy onions, potatoes, carrots, cabbage, and even some tomatoes. In its heyday, Pevek was a city of 14,000 people. Today, it is about 4,000 and appears much more active than Tiksi. The reason is soon made clear: gold. A new gold mine is operating just south of town and in two years has already extracted 18 tons of gold we are told by the border guards.
There are no roads connected to this place, only seasonal ship access and air travel. Pevek, like many northern communities, is wholly dependent on resources from outside to maintain their fuel and commodity reserves.  Just down from where we are docked, a bulk container ship is offloading coal, adding to an already huge stockpile. New machinery and supplies for the mine are stacked all around. I wonder what Pevek will look like when the gold runs out. What and who will be left behind?
We finish our business in short order, make our farewells, and head back to sea.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
After being in the ice twice now, yesterday for several hours, I am struck by what we are not seeing. Other than the odd seagull and a few small seabirds, we see no signs of life whatsoever.  In other parts of the Arctic we would see numerous seabirds and sea ducks, seals, walrus, whales, and possibly polar bears. In the coastal waters of the New Siberian Sea, we make few observations of marine mammals at all, save for two ringed seal on the 30^th.
We spent the night sailing into increasingly windy conditions and I awake to a rolling boat in gale winds. Walking to the galley takes extra coordination in my half-awake state, as the boat’s movements are not predictable and can be fairly extreme. I pass on coffee.

As I come onto my watch I am instructed to don a full immersion suit. The first part of my morning will be spent on the bow, outside, looking for ice. Knowing that we have a large area of drift ice to our north, we take extreme care as we continue sailing into the night. In full survival regalia, I clip onto the lifeline and make my way forward to replace Fredrik. What a rush. Standing on the deck in the dim light with gale winds pushing the sea to foam in places is quite the way to wake up. The boat rolls and pitches in the waves and it is exhilarating to be outside in the cool wind. The suit keeps me comfortable and dry, and it is actually easier to stand the wave motion when you can see what is coming.
As the day grows lighter around 2 AM I return to the relative warmth of the wheelhouse. By 0230 we have ice in sight again – a long stream stretching out in front of our path. We head south and spend the next two hours intently looking for the myriad iceberg bits strewn across the ocean. With the whitecaps and sea foam, it is hard to tell ice from water at times. This is the last thing Anders wanted to see, and once again ice threatens the success of the expedition.
We are pushed much further south than he would like to go and there is concern the ice could trap us against the shore. Perhaps it is a gift for Anders’ birthday, or perhaps we are just lucky, but we find clear water and resume our progress to Pevek.
The boat is still rolling when I awake for my afternoon watch, but we now have land in sight. We also have company as we fall in behind a Russian ice breaking cargo ship – perhaps a glimpse at the future of these arctic waters. As we turn into the bay adjacent to Pevek, there are three ships at Anchor, and we know three left here yesterday. Winds prevent us from docking and we anchor across the water from town for a much needed night of calm water for all.
The crew immediately falls to maintenance work while the rest begin dinner and tackle their cleaning duties for the day. In the morning we will go into the port and meet with the border guards to complete the required paperwork. We also hope to talk with the manager of the Wrangel Island Nature Preserve and assess whether we should make a stop on the island.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York

I sit anchor watch alone tonight in the lee of Pushkaryov Island. In the tradition of the expedition, Ola held a team meeting following dinner to decide whether we should push ahead immediately in moderate seas, or to get some rest on the hook and depart at first light. No one is eager for a restless night of fighting the headwinds which now gust to 30 knots, so we will set sail again at 4 AM. I will wake Anders when it is time to make the boat ready and will try to fall asleep in my bunk before the rollercoaster begins! We hope to make Pevek in less than 32 hours and in the early morning as we have papers to arrange with the authorities and we plan to make it a short visit.
The wind whistles through the rigging and rattles the side curtains of the wheelhouse as I type. It is pitch black and we sit off a small uninhabited island. Despite sitting in a comfortable boat, we are truly on the edge of civilization here. Aid is a long way off.
What is a day on the boat like? First off, I am the 8^th man of a crew that has been together since Murmansk. Ola Skinnarmo is our gregarious expedition leader. Hannibal Thorsen is his right hand man and veteran of numerous polar expeditions. He runs an outdoor school in the mountains of Sweden when not out in the wild himself. Victor Boyarsky is the head of the Russian Arctic and Antarctic Museum and a third veteran of polar land expeditions to the north and south poles. Anders Eriksson is the captain and a professional sailor who earns his living in charge of trans-ocean cargo ships when he is not lending his skills to more exotic adventures. Anders has also sailed around the world solo – twice – and in his spare time runs a small resort on an island off Brazil with his wife and daughter. Niklas Roselius is essentially our first mate, master mechanic, French trained chef, and a seasoned mariner in his own right. He will be taking the boat from Dutch Harbour, Alaska back to Sweden with a new crew. Per-Magnus Sander rounds out the sailing experienced onboard. Per owns and runs the tour company Polar Quest and is a lifelong sailor with excellent arctic credentials, and another very good cook. Last but not least is Fredrik Blomqvist the expedition videographer and photographer and a passionate off road rally racer (think Africa and Land Rover). He is responsible for producing all of the video and photography for the trip. A very experienced and impressive team and I am truly honoured to share this experience with them.

The Explorer is a steel boat originally designed for research. She is well rigged for sailing and motoring through a variety of conditions. The wheelhouse is mid ship, enclosed, and large. It contains a large foldout table and is the location for boat operations and most meals. It is not heated and the outside temperature since my arrival has hovered between 2 to -1. We routinely wear full long underwear and outdoor gear during meals and watches and it is common to see your breath indoors.
Below deck you enter the salon and main dining/office area. The table is usually filled with laptops, external hard drives, and camera equipment. There is one bunk in the salon and we do have oil heat in the lower compartments. The majority of berths are forward of the salon including my bunk in the bow. Aft of the salon is the galley, engine room, head, and stateroom. Space is comfortable but tight for 8 guys, but everyone is accommodating and interruptions frequent for all as people squeeze past in route to their daily routines.
We have a rotating list of daily chores from cleaning to cooking, top to bottom. Breakfast is generally muesli, cereal or oats, and is self serve. Lunch is made on rotation and is typically a big pot of soup with crackers. Dinner is also on the rotation and given the skilled cooks onboard, has been quite diverse and good – something very important for morale on long trips in cold places!
We do have hot water and can shower at least every four days – a real luxury.
It is about half past one in the morning now and the light is starting to return. The boat rocks gently in the wind as I sip my tea and type in the dark wheelhouse. The boat is quiet and I am glad to have this peaceful watch.
We pull anchor and hand off our watch at 4 AM. I try to fall asleep quickly as it will be rough shortly. I sleep well but sporadically as I learn to brace my body in the bunk to avoid falling out. As we assume our afternoon watch, it is also my turn to make lunch. Quite a challenge in a rolling and pitching boat for a novice sailor!
2 PM and we have falling water temperature, fog, and seabirds – all signs of ice. By half past 3, we are in heavy drift ice looking for a path. Everyone is quickly on deck as the boat becomes suddenly still in the ice calmed waters. We download a fresh ice map and Victor makes a phone call to see what he can learn of this unexpected ice. It turns out to be a large area of drift ice and we cannot go through, so we must turn around. As luck would have it, Victor raises a nearby Russian icebreaker which has just left Pevek. It is the ’50 years of victory’, the world’s largest nuclear-powered ice breaking ship. They advise us to head south and then make our course into Pevek. We will likely see them along the way. It will be a long night of sailing through ice-infested waters and the forecast is for gale force winds from the Northwest.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Days are flying by and the nights seem nonexistent as my sleep is now
partitioned to mid-morning and early evening bouts. The seas have picked up
a bit and my berth is in the bow, so any motion is exaggerated. Despite
growing up in the middle of America, I find myself quite comfortable at sea
and I sleep extremely well.
Anders and I relieve Ola and Victor and assume the watch with a fresh pot of
hot water for our morning cocoa and tea. It is just dark as we take the
wheel, though it does not last long. With each day drawing us further to the
East, we gain daylight. As the sun breaks the horizon, it looks like it
should be a spectacular day with the first clear skies in many days of
travel. The winds have also picked up nicely and swung to the southeast.
We are once again in open water, with no land or ice visible an all
directions. The crew has also remarked at the absence of marine mammals or
birds for much of their trip, except when in our near sea ice. One of the
telltale signs of nearby ice, despite dropping water temperatures, has been
the presence of seabirds. There is a reason for this beyond chance
encounter.
The arctic sea ice, along with being responsible for cooling the planet and
moderating global weather, is also the basis, the substrate, for the arctic
marine ecosystem. It is on the underside of the ice that a thriving
community exists, out of our sight. Algae and phytoplankton grow on the ice
like an inverted garden. Zooplankton thrives on this growth and is in turn
preyed upon by arctic cod. Ringed seal and sea birds chase after the fish
and polar bears complete the chain. So the sea ice is much more than a
simple platform and losing it will have profound implications beyond just
wildlife sightings.
Hannibal and Per Magnus stir below and Anders decides it is time to set the
sails. I am assigned the Genoa and we are soon quietly heeled to port and
cruising along at 8 knots. Time for me to get some rest. We should make our
next destination by dinner time tonight: Bear Island.
I awake to the sound of the engine and a bumpy ride. The winds have swung
around from the east and are now on the bow. Seas are mixed and 3-5 feet
with chop. I feel badly for those trying to sleep now!
At the close of our afternoon watch we have an island in sight and plan to
anchor in the lee for dinner. Our next planned landing will be the town of
Pevek.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Midnight comes again all too quickly as I find myself making some strong
coffee for our watch. A coastal freighter has appeared on our radar nearby,
a cargo ship that plies the Lena river and shallow near shore waters between
Tiksi and Vladivostock. It is the only ship we have seen since Tiksi, but as
the summer ice continues its rapid retreat, more ships from countries other
than Russia will demand passage on these seas.
A little after 2 AM we again notice the water temperature dropping quickly,
this time down to -0.8 C. We also begin to see birds and soon after a floe
of drift ice. It stretches across from our north and forces us to slow and
turn south to seek the edge. It was not on the satellite map and while no
match for an ice breaking ship, it is the type of arctic shipping hazard
that could prove disastrous for lesser vessels.  It takes the remainder of
our shift and some of the next to get through and around this obstacle. It
is a pleasant distraction as seas are calm and the visibility good.
Despite the fact that we are losing ice at a rapid rate, there is still a
great deal of it in any given year. As it melts and breaks apart, streams of
drift ice are torn from the main pack and aimlessly wander the northern
seas. This ice is highly mobile and very difficult to track.
This is why WWF is actively pursuing shipping safety on a number of fronts.
We are working with governments and policy bodies to influence the creation
of new arctic governance regimes that would in part set the rules for
international shipping. We are simultaneously pursing regulations around
shipping in the Arctic including compulsory pilotage in some waters and
designation of sensitive marine areas. Lastly we are working to raise
awareness on the current lack of capacity to respond to emergencies in the
Arctic both in terms of rescue and oil spill response/mitigation. A major
shipwreck in the Arctic would not only result in the loss of human life, it
could be an ecological disaster.
We have an opportunity to manage these developments in the Arctic safely,
sustainably, and with proper precautionary planning. With a solid governance
framework and conservation first planning, we can balance the needs of
people and nature.
Speaking of the needs of people, and yes, this will be a recurring theme, it
is time to eat again and I have volunteered to help Niklas in the galley.
Tonight will be a gourmet meal starting with whitefish gravlax (cured on the
boat), cabbage salad, with reindeer and potatoes from Tiksi. I have also
used the last of our apples for a pie and we find a box of vanilla custard
to accompany – quite a dinner! Most of the meals onboard are quite simple and
based on dry goods. Cooking also depends greatly on the sea state and we
know we will have some nights ahead with much less civility.

This summer, WWF is helping support two expeditions that will take on some of the world’s most difficult waters, to see first-hand the effects of Arctic climate change. One expedition is sailing across the top of Russia, a journey of 6000 nautical miles through the Northeast Passage, while another is attempting a west to east transit of the Northwest Passage, also by sailing boat, a journey of about 7,000 nautical miles.
Tom Arnbom of Sweden was on the ‘Explorer of Sweden’ though the Northeast Passage, as was WWF Arctic Programme Director Neil Hamilton for much of the trip, replaced near the end by WWF polar bear coordinator Geoff York. On the ‘Silent Sound’ Cameron Dueck of the Open Passage Expedition is filing regular stories from the Northwest passage. Come back for photos and stories throughout the summer, and follow the progress of the boats as they follow in the wake of some of history’s most intrepid explorers.
By Geoff York
Waking for the midnight watch is quickly becoming a comfortable routine. Using our satellite phone to upload this blog is another story. I continue to struggle with technical issues in linking my PC to the phone, technology on the high seas and in the remote Arctic is never easy nor works as planned! Fortunately, Ola has a tested system on the boat that continues to work well and I will have to rely on his help to update you on our progress.
In the last four hours, the water temperature has dropped from 2.8 down to 0C. Captain Anders is concerned we may be approaching some drift ice, but there is none yet in sight. We spend the next two hours peering into the dim light of evening with extra care. The seas are also becoming calm and by 1 AM we are in some fog.
Dawn comes around 3 AM and we soon sight our destination: the southernmost of the New Siberian Islands that separate the Laptev from the East Siberian Sea. There is grounded ice all along the shore and 100 m from shore. At half past three we can see the Russian weather station on shore and a few lights on buildings. We wake Ola and prepare to drop anchor. The fog comes and goes all morning.
Niklas appears from below and quickly sets the table for a light breakfast and coffee as the rest of the crew awake and prepare for a landing.  Seven of us shuttle in to explore the station and the captain stays onboard. With ice around and fog, you cannot leave the main boat unattended.
The scene around the settlement is one common throughout the Arctic. Rusty fuel drums are piled all around, representing many years of accumulation. Several rusted vehicles in various states of disrepair lie scattered on the beach and up the hillside along with various generators and miscellaneous discarded items and scrap steel. You never know what you may be able to salvage from broken equipment. There is no store, and resupply can be months away, so you tend to keep everything. It makes sense in such a remote area, but is visually startling to the unitiated.
All is quiet as we stroll up the hillside towards a cluster of weather-worn buildings, old vehicles, and more drums. It is not long before the station dogs grow leery of our approach and come barking. We know that the owners will soon follow and are glad to have Victor with us to make introductions! In short order we are sitting inside the largest of the buildings in a common dining area as sleepy members of the station crew appear from various rooms. Having visitors is quite a surprise and we are warmly welcomed. After explaining our trip we are invited to a feast of freshly baked bread, butter, smoked whitefish caught and prepared on the island, and locally picked and pickled mushrooms. Accompanied by some strong Russian tea, it was a fantastic experience and confirmed that Northern hospitality is alive and well in the Sakha Republic.
Travelling to new places, meeting people, and experiencing local cultures – I come away with how much we all share in common. Our humanity, daily lives, and aspirations are much more alike than not, despite the differences in language and customs. I feel completely comfortable in this remotest part of the Arctic, with people I cannot understand in words, but whose acts of hospitality are universal.
When I think of all of the problems the world faces today, from rising temperatures, rising sea level, and looming scarcities of basic resources, I am somewhat comforted to reaffirm this common bond among people. The kindness of our island friends renews my hope that we can yet come together across nations to solve some of our most pressing concerns. We are incredibly resourceful and compassionate when at our best! As we depart for the boat, we receive one last generosity as our hosts ask that we take any fish from their net which is set nearby. We will have fresh whitefish for dinner and continue our travels into the East Siberian Sea!